Our countryside is indeed stunning. Even though I live in the industrial North East of England we are lucky that we are so very near the Yorkshire Dales & Northumberland Coast. We can be in beautiful scenery within about 15 minutes

and you really can't be Bonny Scotland for scenery and castles and of course distillery visits.

I half agree with you, I would love to holiday more in this country, and it's not even the weather the stops me, but it's the cost. For example last year I was unable to fly so could not travel abroad, so for 5 days I stopped at a seaside resort an hour from my home in a 3 star hotel. It was (if memory serves) £425.00 and that was only B & B obviously no drinks included so an evening meal was on top at the Hotel, again fro memory is was £15.00 each evening. So for 5 days I 'could' almost get a week in Spain.

I would love to go to Scotland, and have looked at going, but as I travel alone, I could not drive all the way alone, I would not like/enjoy it. So options are travelling by train (not keen on train) or coach, and too long for me. So that leaves flying. Again the cost of the flight even low cost flight (getting to and from my airport) getting to and from the hotel (or hiring a car), then the accommodation the costs would be far too much for just me.

As I said in the beginning, I would love to stay more in this country BUT the costs prevent me.

No problem with the scenery here but can't afford such ridiculous prices, hotel, food , parking, cost of going in anywhere etc. I love warm evenings, how many do we get in England a year ? Not a lot.

I would like to holiday in the UK , I can understand cost being a factor though , but for me it really is the weather , nearly a couple of years ago we went to Brighton for a night ( had a free night voucher ) we were on the seafront and had a balcony , lovely room and near everything , the hotel bar was great , but it was totally spoilt by the rain and this was the beginning of August , it was when the 2012 Olympics was on and it was a great atmosphere on the seafront with giant screens showing events , plenty of bars and cafes and great choices of restaurants for all tastes , we actually said we would enjoy a weeks holiday there , until the morning when after a fabulous breakfast we had a stroll to the Lanes and then a torrential downpour as we were walking back .
The weather was so inconsistent , so it's just not for me , I'm afraid the lure of 30C and a warm pool is more to my liking

If you could guarantee to get good weather I always say I wouldn't go elsewhere other than Scotland.

Stunning scenery from majestic mountains and glens in the West to the flatter countryside in the East, small villages at the foot of a mountain or a small fishing village nestling in a sheltered harbour, vast lochs with boat trips (and a monster ) to small loch teaming with trout.
Numerous islands from the popular ones on the Clyde 'Doon the Water' the amazing Shetland Isles, Orkneys and the Hebrides with their what some would describe as barren landscapes and little crofts.

Scotland is home to beaches that are recognised as some of the best in the world, top class golf courses, world famous salmon fishing rivers.

Food, of course once again Scotland's larder is world famous for its quality, the best fish, game and of course venison (my favourite) are all here.

I have to mention Whisky, with an abundance of whisky distilleries from the lowland and highland malts (my favourite is Dalwhinnie) through to the famous Islay malts and not forgetting a massive range of blends.

Summer days with the sun setting so late it is almost time to get up again, bbq's on a beach while the clear skies above let you see the galaxy as you have never seen it before.

Traditional music and folk festivals through to the massive open air concerts and big name acts.

Yes Scotland has it all

Miss Pink wrote:

I half agree with you, I would love to holiday more in this country, and it's not even the weather the stops me, but it's the cost. For example last year I was unable to fly so could not travel abroad, so for 5 days I stopped at a seaside resort an hour from my home in a 3 star hotel. It was (if memory serves) £425.00 and that was only B & B obviously no drinks included so an evening meal was on top at the Hotel, again fro memory is was £15.00 each evening. So for 5 days I 'could' almost get a week in Spain.

I would love to go to Scotland, and have looked at going, but as I travel alone, I could not drive all the way alone, I would not like/enjoy it. So options are travelling by train (not keen on train) or coach, and too long for me. So that leaves flying. Again the cost of the flight even low cost flight (getting to and from my airport) getting to and from the hotel (or hiring a car), then the accommodation the costs would be far too much for just me.

As I said in the beginning, I would love to stay more in this country BUT the costs prevent me.

i think you have a good point about pricing, it is very expensive to holiday in the Uk, especially when you can go all inclusive to a resort in another country and not have to pay for drinks, food etc. I personally have not been abroad for about 15 years and have taken my children all over the UK, they have definitely got lots of appreciation for the beauty of our countryside and coasts which they would not have experienced had i taken the package route.

Kiltman HT Mod wrote:

If you could guarantee to get good weather I always say I wouldn't go elsewhere other than Scotland.

Stunning scenery from majestic mountains and glens in the West to the flatter countryside in the East, small villages at the foot of a mountain or a small fishing village nestling in a sheltered harbour, vast lochs with boat trips (and a monster ) to small loch teaming with trout.
Numerous islands from the popular ones on the Clyde 'Doon the Water' the amazing Shetland Isles, Orkneys and the Hebrides with their what some would describe as barren landscapes and little crofts.

Scotland is home to beaches that are recognised as some of the best in the world, top class golf courses, world famous salmon fishing rivers.

Food, of course once again Scotland's larder is world famous for its quality, the best fish, game and of course venison (my favourite) are all here.

I have to mention Whisky, with an abundance of whisky distilleries from the lowland and highland malts (my favourite is Dalwhinnie) through to the famous Islay malts and not forgetting a massive range of blends.

Summer days with the sun setting so late it is almost time to get up again, bbq's on a beach while the clear skies above let you see the galaxy as you have never seen it before.

Traditional music and folk festivals through to the massive open air concerts and big name acts.

Yes Scotland has it all :tup

If there was a reasonably priced way for me to get there Kiltman, I would go - the scenery looks stunning - my belated Father went there on many occasions to work and raved about it, and I have wanted to go, it's pricing really that stops me ...

Michael - when my son was a nipper yes we did holiday abroad, but we also went to various places in this country some caravan type parks because of the costs etc, and also to parks just for walks etc - and at 27 he still enjoys those same parks and others too which he now takes his partner

I've been thinking all day of one good reason to take a holiday in the UK, and apart from one, which is not having to fly, I can't think of another one.
I won't deny that we have some stunning places in the UK - I personally like York and Lincoln for a mini- break.

There was post earlier promoting London.

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, personally, I think it's ok for a short break with older children who might appreciate the museums etc.
The last time we walked down Oxford Street and this was before I had any problems with my chest.....
Looking around, we counted 13 buses spewing out toxic fumes - We couldn't breathe and had to get away, and you couldn't walk on the pavements for people pushing and shoving.
And I'd rather travel on the new, air conditioned and punctual Spanish trains than being 'packed in' like a sardine on the dirty Victorian underground.

I go away for 2 things - the sun and the culture.
Assuming the weather is good - why would I want to be sat in a beer garden and charged a mint for drinks and if I wanted something to eat at 11pm, I'd be told " sorry, the kitchen is closed now" - not a lot of culture there to enrich my life is there?
I'd rather to be sat outside a bar at 11pm amongst Spanish families - and if I wanted something to eat at 11pm, I'd be able to order, and the drinks would be cheaper too.

Sanji x

I live in a beautiful part of Scotland, within less than an hour's drive I can choose to spend the day on breathtakingly broad sweeps of beach backed by dunes, walking in stunning mountain scenery, sailing or canoeing on dramatic rivers, exploring medieval castles and just over an hour by train takes me into the heart of our capital city with all it's rich history. I came to live up here almost 25 yrs ago and planned to stay 4/5 years than go back down to England but here I still am because I love living up here too much. There simply wasn't a job in England that would ever give me the quality of life I have up here but none of it stops me going to Cuba on a regular basis either. Or Southern Spain, or the Canary Islands etc.

I love visiting different parts of the UK and regularly go away for self-catering weeks in various regions but we are not comparing like with like and for me it isn't about choosing between the two - I like holidaying here and I like holidaying elsewhere but I get different things out of them. One of the things I love about the majestic beaches of the northeast of Scotland is the fact that even on a very hot sunny day (and we do sometimes have them ) they are almost deserted - it's a large part of their appeal but if the weather was reliably hot and sunny they would be packed and I'm not sure that I would love them as much. I look for different things from a holiday or short break here in the UK than I do in Cuba or European destinations but it doesn't stop me from enjoying both types of holiday.

SM

PS For anybody travelling up to Scotland it is worth bearing in mind that anywhere that has a hotel licence has to be prepared to serve food and drink to any bone fide traveller at any hour of the day. You cannot demand a hot meal but you can expect food and refreshment to the extent that arriving at a small relatively remote hotel on Skye in the late afternoon where they were still in the process of getting ready for the season when we walked in, asked if they were open and if they were serving food, to be met with the response from the owner as she put down the vacuum cleaner, that the kitchen was only open for the dinner service at the moment. However, she was sure that there was smoked salmon in the fridge and she could do us a sandwich of that or else there was always plenty of cheese. So we sat down in the residents lounge and had smoked salmon and cream cheese on lovely fresh brown bread with a side salad and she opened a bottle of a delicious white and sold it to us by the glass. Lovely!

Sanji wrote:

I've been thinking all day of one good reason to take a holiday in the UK, and apart from one, which is not having to fly, I can't think of another one.
I won't deny that we have some stunning places in the UK - I personally like York and Lincoln for a mini- break.

There was post earlier promoting London.

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, personally, I think it's ok for a short break with older children who might appreciate the museums etc.
The last time we walked down Oxford Street and this was before I had any problems with my chest.....
Looking around, we counted 13 buses spewing out toxic fumes - We couldn't breathe and had to get away, and you couldn't walk on the pavements for people pushing and shoving.
And I'd rather travel on the new, air conditioned and punctual Spanish trains than being 'packed in' like a sardine on the dirty Victorian underground.

I go away for 2 things - the sun and the culture.
Assuming the weather is good - why would I want to be sat in a beer garden and charged a mint for drinks and if I wanted something to eat at 11pm, I'd be told " sorry, the kitchen is closed now" - not a lot of culture there to enrich my life is there?
I'd rather to be sat outside a bar at 11pm amongst Spanish families - and if I wanted something to eat at 11pm, I'd be able to order, and the drinks would be cheaper too.

Sanji x

I think for the most part you would struggle with the crowded streets of any city in the world, if you plan to visit a city then you have to face the fact that you’re going to have to put up with people and lots of them, i was generally talking about the Uk coastlines and landscapes and even history of areas and the fact that many Uk residents prefer to holiday abroad, i think its more a cultural element that i am thinking where as a suppose most people flying off to Lanzarote or wherever are just thinking price and sun, oh yeah alcohol as well. Actually doesn’t sound to bad.

I think for the most part you would struggle with the crowded streets of any city in the world, if you plan to visit a city then you have to face the fact that you’re going to have to put up with people and lots of them, i was generally talking about the Uk coastlines and landscapes and even history of areas and the fact that many Uk residents prefer to holiday abroad, i think its more a cultural element that i am thinking where as a suppose most people flying off to Lanzarote or wherever are just thinking price and sun, oh yeah alcohol as well. Actually doesn’t sound to bad

I was replying to a post promoting London, which has since been removed, but if I wanted to compare London to say Valencia or Malaga, imo, it is far nicer to walk around Valencia or Malaga city than London.
I'm fortunate to be able to go where I want and when I want, but if I could only afford one holiday a year and I had young children again, then I would still go aboard.

The price of alcohol is irrelevant to me because I don't drink the stuff in any shape or form, but my OH likes a G&T, and the prices charged for a standard measure in this country is nothing more than a rip off, compared to what you get for your money in other countries with the added bonus of guaranteed good weather during the summer months.

You only have to watch Neil Oliver's/BBC Coast to Coast programme to see the stunning coastline in the UK, but, the sad fact is that they are not geared up for children, in comparison to being able to sit in a bar opposite the beach, having a drink of coffee or a glass of wine, and being able watch your children playing on the apparatus or having a game of football on the beach, under the promenade floodlights at nearly midnight. You also have to take into consideration that most places outside of the UK are more child friendly.

I took my kids to places such as mainland Spain, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Greece, Italy and Turkey, and if they didn't want to be dragged around a museum and they wanted to play on the beach, then we as a family didn't go to the museum, because there'd always be a time for us (parents) later when the kids have flown the nest. I found that if my kids were happy, then the happiness was shared between the adults too.

I might not have installed a lot of culture into them, but they learned quite a bit about geography and it taught them tolerance. It taught them to accept people who couldn't speak English, and it was amazing watching two boys become friends, and because neither could speak each other's language, they broke down the barrier and created their own sign language.

For some people having a holiday in the UK is their choice and it is each to their own - what bugs me is the stereotyping of those who prefer something a little different, away from rip off Britain.

Sanji x

The UK has some stunning scenery but as someone who can only take holidays at fixed times I prefer to use my summer break going far afield and save the UK for shorter breaks out of the main season when places are less crowded and less expensive.

I agree with holidaying in the UK, although i do like a holiday abroad.Apart from the weather there are other factors that stop people.
Last year i had a week in Hastings,For what it cost me in hotels, eating out etc i could for a little bit more have gone abroad.
The hotel was an extortionate price but i thought i'll do my bit for the UK economy. NEVER AGAIN
The hotel was unclean, the staff unhelpful and the food appalling.
I drove into the town one day and found eventually somewhere to park. Only to have a woman explain not to park here as it gets full quickly and the locals will moan ( it was a car park not on street).
One of the days was really sunny and i had a walk in Warrior Square. A cute square with a grassed/flower area.I got chatting to a fella who was of " retirement" age. He told me he and his wife had retired there 9 years ago and he loved it. Apart from April to late Sept when the place is flooded with tourists ( he used stronger words but this is a family site).
The streets were unclean and the place had a run down feel about it.
People seemed friendly enough at first but as soon as you spoke that was it. It didn't just happen to me i saw / heard it happen to others too.
All in all it made me feel like an alien.
Don't get me wrong i've had some great UK holidays in other resorts and if it wasn't for the weather, which you can't blame the locals for, this would be a great country to holiday in with it's scenery/heritage etc.
It's just some people need to realise that if your relying on tourism you need to be polite, manners cost nothing.

TUCKER wrote:

I agree with holidaying in the UK, although i do like a holiday abroad.Apart from the weather there are other factors that stop people.
Last year i had a week in Hastings,For what it cost me in hotels, eating out etc i could for a little bit more have gone abroad.
The hotel was an extortionate price but i thought i'll do my bit for the UK economy. NEVER AGAIN
The hotel was unclean, the staff unhelpful and the food appalling.
I drove into the town one day and found eventually somewhere to park. Only to have a woman explain not to park here as it gets full quickly and the locals will moan ( it was a car park not on street).
One of the days was really sunny and i had a walk in Warrior Square. A cute square with a grassed/flower area.I got chatting to a fella who was of " retirement" age. He told me he and his wife had retired there 9 years ago and he loved it. Apart from April to late Sept when the place is flooded with tourists ( he used stronger words but this is a family site).
The streets were unclean and the place had a run down feel about it.
People seemed friendly enough at first but as soon as you spoke that was it. It didn't just happen to me i saw / heard it happen to others too.
All in all it made me feel like an alien.
Don't get me wrong i've had some great UK holidays in other resorts and if it wasn't for the weather, which you can't blame the locals for, this would be a great country to holiday in with it's scenery/heritage etc.
It's just some people need to realise that if your relying on tourism you need to be polite, manners cost nothing.

I spent a week in Hastings one day! I went there a few years back and it was appalling. I always reckoned that if the UK ever needed an enema than Hastings would be where they shoved the pipe in!

Now I go to Hastings now and again, and I like it, it is in need of some money to 'tart' it up, but I like the mix of the old and the new, and I still like the amusement arcades where you put pennies in the slots - thank goodness we are not all the same

Our main holiday every year is usually spent either camping in France (we go to the same campsite every year because it has everything we need for a relaxing holiday without the need to be going places every day) or visiting family in the USA. Two years ago, various constraints prevented us from getting to France and we looked at spending a fortnight somewhere in the UK. Accommodation was going to cost us almost as much as what we pay to go to France (including our ferry fares) and we then reckoned that if we had a wet fortnight we were going to spend a fortune going out every day just to stop us all getting bored. We ended up going to Turkey for not much more than we pay to go to France.

Last year we went on 4 National coach trips as well as 4 trips abroad.
If I am honest I enjoyed the UK trips more and we took another one this January.
I will be booking another for June as they are excellent value for money.

I've been on a few trips with National too Jay but to Ostend. My parents went on one to Scotland and said it was good value for money