Tag: wildlife

The Best Winter Travel Destinations in the UK

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The snowy slopes of the Cairngorms are among the top winter travel destinations in the UK

While most venture to the United Kingdom in the summer months when the weather is at its driest and sunniest, those that do not fear rain nor the damp chill of winter travel to the United Kingdom in the off-season, looking to explore the top attractions and the off-the-beaten track secrets of one of the world’s most famous nations.

If you happily adopt the contrarian approach to tourism, and are looking to explore the best winter travel destinations in the UK this year, the following article will contain some inspiring ideas that will help get your trip planning off to a roaring start. Let’s start by looking north…

Cairngorm National Park, Scotland

While most think that the British Isles are a perpetually rainy and foggy place come winter, a quick trip through the mountains of Scotland will prove this assertion dead wrong. By taking advantage of a cheap car rental Edinburgh Airport UK, you can get your journey to this sublimely beautiful range in the Scottish Highlands off to a quick and financially efficient start.

One of the more exciting things one can do in the Cairngorms is to go skiing or snowboarding, as the heights of its peaks will frequently get buried in copious amounts of snow while lowland areas get drenched in the rain that ones more commonly associates with this part of the world.

If you aren’t the active type, there is plenty to do here besides gazing up at the lovely peaks, as this region has plenty of museums and castles one can comb through, as well as a number of distilleries where one can sample some of the hooch which has made this corner of the UK world famous.

Isles of Scilly, Cornwall

Located off the coast of one of the United Kingdom’s most southerly territories, the Isles of Scilly is the warmest spot in the entire nation, with daily mean (not daily highs, but the average of low and high temps) temperatures in January sitting around seven degrees Celsius.

For those sick of cold winter weather elsewhere in the British Isles, this archipelago is the perfect place to seek relief, as this is a place where locals count flower blossoms on New Year’s Day, even as most others huddle in their homes further north with a steaming pot of tea at the ready.

While the weather is usually mild here in winter, it can be rough when storms push in from the Atlantic, but for those that can find beauty in waves that crash violently upon the seashore, it might prove to the perfect cure to the hectic day to day grind present in cities on the mainland.

Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

Of all the countryside scenes that the United Kingdom boasts, few are quite as famous as its moorlands, as these moody grasslands are a magnet for those that love the power of introspective thought in such a starkly beautiful place.

You’ll find plenty of places to do just that in Brecon Beacons National Park, but if going for a thoughtful stroll across a grassy highland isn’t enough to capture your imagination, perhaps the fact that this part of Wales is one of the last roaming grounds of the Welsh mountain pony will.

Other highlights here include ancient Celtic and Roman ruins, and the remains of old castles and churches, whose exploration are all tempered by the sharp but never overpowering nip of the chilled air of upland Wales, which is just chilly enough to affirm the fact that you are alive and are actively engaged in the art of living.

The Scottish Isles At Their Best: Top Reasons To Visit The Shetland Islands

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Isolated scenes like these make for some awesome reasons to visit the Shetland Islands

Off the northern coast of Scotland are a series of lonely yet ruggedly beautiful isles with many beautiful attractions for you to see, giving you plenty of reasons to visit the Shetland Islands.

Its various natural attractions and historical sites will definitely leave you wanting more, as the scenery found here is considered by many to be the pride of the United Kingdom. There are also other destinations to be explored throughout Scotland, which is why you should be excited to see the rest of this great nation once you visit Shetland.

Shetland’s wild landscape is home to a lot of beautiful gardens, along with native plants and gorgeous wildflowers growing through its windswept countryside. One of its famous gardens is the Da Gairdins i Sand which is found in the western portion of the archipelago. Its 7 acre garden is home to a lot of rare plants and exotic specimens, making it a must see. There are also paths that will lead you to magnificent coastal views here.

Another country garden is Nonavaar. This well kept garden is surrounded by drystone walls, and once inside this garden, you will be in awe with its trees and bushes that grow along its ponds, terraces and lawns. As a treasured garden in the Shetlands, not is it a worthwhile attraction due to its precious flowers and plants, but also because of its outstanding greenhouse and vegetable garden.

Another tourist destination that you shouldn’t miss is its natural reserves, where you can see various birds and animals living in the area. One of these natural reserves is the Noss National Nature Reserve, which boasts soaring cliffs that support many species of nesting seabirds. During summer, its steep rock faces are flocked to by huge colonies of sea birds, which is why the locals refer to it as ‘seabird city’. If you walk along the coastal paths and if it is your lucky day, you might see porpoises offshore or giant skuas.

Other than the Noss National Nature Reserve, you should see the Sumburgh Head which should be included in your top reasons to visit the Shetland Islands. It is set to open in Spring 2014, though some parts will still be restricted. Even still, you shouldn’t miss this place because you get to have the privilege of observing the breeding practices of various seabirds. Aside from that, Sumburgh Head is a great place to see whales and dolphins, especially orcas and minke whales.

Shetland has a lot of natural attractions, but there’s more to see here than just that, as it also has many historical sites. If you want to learn more about this island chain’s history, then the best place to learn is at the Shetland Museum and Archives, where you will find out more about its people, whose stories will truely fascinate you. The museum’s collection includes laces that has been made since the late 19th century as well as traditionally made boats. Other museums that are definitely worth visiting in the Shetlands are the Crofthouse Museum and the Tangwick Haa Museum.

When you travel you always expect something exciting but there’s no need to worry this when venturing to obscure places such as the Shetland Islands. It is not as popular among other European destinations; nonetheless, don’t underestimate its natural attractions and tourist destinations because they certainly hold plenty of appeal for those that love nature and close knit communities. Don’t miss seeing its beauty: plan your trip to the Shetlands already!