A brilliant and bonkers day out: how art and spectacle transformed a former Durham mining town Bishop Auckland is abuzz with culture and family fun, thanks to the vision of Auckland Palace’s owners – and the new Kynren show featuring birds of prey, Viking raids and mythical beasts, which opens next week Booming Hans Zimmer-style […]

Weird Britain: 10 glorious oddities to visit and marvel at Eccentric public art, strange ruins, eerie landscapes, follies … Britain has a rich store of curiosities. An enthusiast selects 10 of the quirkiest finds from his new book One thing unites the British more than anything else. It stands there in plain sight but is […]

‘A landscape raw and wild’: by train to the heart of the Yorkshire Three Peaks The Yorkshire Dales Explorer is a little-known alternative to the Settle to Carlisle rail route, and takes you deep into wonderful walking country Limestone stretches on all sides like an inland ocean – appropriately enough, since the shimmering white rock […]

‘We found a charming alternative to touristy Bath’: readers’ favourite UK trips From Hadrian’s Wall to the locations of Happy Valley and Hot Fuzz, readers share their top discoveries • Tell us about your favourite UK coast walk – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher “So this is where Officer Nick Angel [Simon […]

And did those feet in ancient time: walking Britain’s oldest paths There are few places where history can be felt more powerfully than these pathways, walked by explorer, author and TV presenter Nicholas Crane How often do you look down and wonder who created the path your feet are following? Or ask the cause of […]

Gateway to the South Downs: take the train to a picture-perfect village with a cracking pub The West Sussex village of Amberley, near Arundel, is easy to reach by train and offers great hiking in the national park, castles and a newly reopened pub with a focus on local food Wisteria and clematis hang from […]

Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th birthday is a great excuse to explore the Sussex forest that inspired the books To mark the anniversary there are dozens of events planned around Ashdown Forest (aka the Hundred Acre Wood) – and, of course, playing Pooh Sticks is always a good idea Deep in a medieval hunting forest, amid 6,500 acres […]

‘Bath, Harrogate … Woodhall?’ A short break in one of the UK’s most forgotten spa towns The Lincolnshire village, the height of fashion a century ago, offers fascinating history, a woodland cinema, excellent cycle routes and a deeply restorative feel It was 6.30am, the cockcrow slot at Jubilee Park lido, and still not quite light. […]

20 fabulous family spring days out in the UK Join the Famous Five in Dorset, relive Springwatch in the Peak District … our selection of Easter treats will keep all the family entertained Spring has arrived at Wicken Fen, one of Europe’s most important wetlands, and with it the first summer migrants. Chiffchaffs are usually […]

‘A kaleidoscope of colour and life’: readers’ favourite UK spring days out Your top tips for seasonal outings from birdwatching to gorgeous gardens, amazing architecture and more• Tell us about a trip to Spain – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher Last April, I based myself in Oban and took my teenagers puffin-watching […]