Don't worry about spelling, we all do that and then blame it on the keyboard.

Will you be 17 or 18 at the time of the trip? 17 might raise problems (and would rule out clubbing) but 18 should be fine (although some clubs will still not take you). I'm not too wild about the idea of any first time 18 year old doing it on their own just in case of accidents or other problems.

If you were 18 and had a friend with you I'd suggest either Bed and breakfast (B&B) in private houses, which is close to the host family idea or Youth Hostels which would put you in touch with people in similar age groups.

How were you planning to get here? Point of entry would affect the area to recommend.

I would endorse the suggestion re Youth Hostels - there's a really extensive network throughout the UK including quite a number that are based in the major cities. You're bound to meet others of around your age and yet have the security of knowing that there will be staff there that you can turn to and who are used to working with teenagers. And at 17 you can actually stay on your own in them without any problems, unlike B & B's which might be a bit reluctant. Also, I often stay in B & Bs and/or budget hotels when travelling to visit students in the course of my University work and they can be lonely places if you're on your own. It doesn't bother me because the peace and quiet enables me to do some work of an evening but you won't be settling down to mark some essays! At a Youth Hostel you'll have plenty of opportunity to meet people fo your own age, have someone to share a table with at meal times etc and also people who want to have a good night out and looking for companionship too. Hostels have very much changed their image in recent years - no chores and no early curfews in the city hostels - so have a loot at what's on offer.

http://www.yha.org.uk/ will take you into the website for the Youth Hostel Association for England and Wales

http://www.syha.org.uk/home.aspx for the Scottish Youth Hostels Association and

http://www.independenthostelguide.co.uk/ will take you into a good site for independently run hostels aimed at your age group.

SM

Thank you so much for your answers. I had never thought about Youth Hostels before, but I think my Dad will like the idea of me staying in them, because he has done that himself, too.
Ah, I'm getting all excited now!

I will be 17 at the time of the trip (this summer) and I know that I can travel by plane on my own at my age with Ryanair. I have done that before. Ryanair can be really cheap.

I've heard that the pubs and clubs are quite (or very?) strict about age and alcohol consumation in the UK. Am I right about that? But are there exceptions, I know we have special nights for minors in the Netherlands.

But the nightlife isn't my only interest, I'd like to see some culture and architecture and make photographs.

What place would you recommend to me? I've been to London once, so I know my way around there a little bit. But I'd also like to go to a city by the see. Or both.

Really looking forward to your recomendations and ideas.

You can combine shopping, clubbing, seaside and countryside by going to either Torquay or Newquay (Cornwall)

Those are the two places that kids in your age group head for.

Yes I was going to suggest Newquay too . I know ryanair used to fly there but seem to remember them pulling it from their schedule after a fallout with the aiport and seems you can only get there now with Ryanair via Alicante . Bristol airport would be the next nearest I'm guessing then maybe coach with somebody like National express (probably cheapest option) or train .

Have a look at the options available with easyjet too . I'm fairly certain you will be ok to fly with them as My son did at 16.

yes, in the UK we are tough about ID as you have to be 18 to drink it (legally) here, and you may be disappointed as you probably may not get served here.

I would recommend Cornwall too, it's nice down there

Before we get too carried away with Cornwall, the only cheap airline to go anywhere near on flights from the Netherlands is easyjet to Bristol and they only do it at a usable time once a week. Otherwise getting there in connection with a cheap flight will probably involve staying somewhere else in at least one direction.

Presumably your previous Ryanair experience was from Weeze/ Niederhein. Your options with them are Birmingham, Edinburgh or London Stansted.

easyjet go from Amsterdam to Bristol, Doncaster, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and three London airports.

Jet2 go from Amsterdam to Leeds.

KLM seem to go to most UK airports from Amsterdam and can be as cheap as the above if you avoid the business peak times.

All seem to allow 16 year old onwards for unaccompanied travel. On these routes distance doesn't seem to make a lot of difference to price.

As for clubs, don't build your hopes up as most will require photo ID not just looks and many set their own age limits at 21 or 25. Your ID (other than for the flight) would need to be a proper passport not a national ID card to satisfy most checks. The pub problem would not be restricted to alcohol, they may not even allow you in and that could block access to reasonably priced food other than take-aways.

My suggestions are

1. to fly to Leeds or Doncaster and stay in York, which has everything except the beach. You'd need a bus or train ride to Scarborough for that. You stand a good chance of meeting up with similar minded people in a York hostel, probably Australian or American (making you the best English speaker!!)

Or

2. fly to Liverpool and stay in Chester or Southport. Chester has history, Southport has a beach. Both have easy access to big shops and tourist sites in Liverpool and Manchester. And they have some local nightlife, especially at weekends. Chester also gives easy access to the North Wales coast and the Snowdonia national park with it's mountains. From Southport you could reach the Lake District as a day trip. I can't recommend a lone 17 year old girl staying in Liverpool or Manchester overnight.

Or

3. Cardiff. KLM go there. It's not England but they do speak English as the main language (much to the annoyance of the Welsh nationalists!). The airport is close to the city to save money and time. If you watch British TV, Cardiff is the city where they film Doctor Who and Torchwood. It has everything you want, the nearest beach is at Barry Island just outside the city and that's a TV location as well on Gavin&Stacey. Just don't pick a weekend when there is international sport at the Millenium Stadium (normally that doesn't happen in summer).

I can't recommend a lone 17 year old girl staying in Liverpool or Manchester overnight.

Being a lone female who grew up in Liverpool and has also lived and worked in both Manchester and Chester I don't think that there is the need to be quite this alarmist but I would not advise a 17 year old either male or female to base themselves in Southport. To the best of my knowledge it doesn't have a Youth Hostel and it would be difficult for them to hook up with other people of around the same age - on the whole Southport caters for an older visitor and parts of it are quite seedy now. Unless you know the town and/or could afford to stay in one of the decent hotels around Lord Street then you could end up in quite unsuitable accommodation or neighbourhood if staying in a B&B, many of which are in quiet side roads.

Chester used to have a Youth Hostel but it was situated in a very quiet and leafy suburb - great for families for not a great location for a teenager looking for somewhere more central and lively. On the other hand Liverpool and Manchester both have hostels in good central locations with a good turnover of interantional visitors. If the Manchester one is still in the Oxford road area then it is not only centrally situated but in an area with a big student life - there would be lots of young women around who wouldn't think that they are putting themselves in danger by being out and about. The Liverpool too was in a very studenty area as well.

Even though I now live up on th east coast of Scotland the northwest of England is still close to my heart. Flying into either Liverpool or Manchester and staying few days in one or other of them would enable you to see both cities - the rail connections between them are good but there is also an express coach service between the two as well. If you then wanted to move on to a more scenic area then either north Wales or the Lake District are easily accessible by both rail and/or bus. If you wanted to also combine some seaside time on this trip then you'd have the choice of either big and brash Blackpool or nearby Lytham St Annes which is a bit more sedate if you'd headed north to the Lake District, or the north Wales coast (perhaps via Chester?) if you'de headed east to Snowdonia. These days the quieter windswept beaches of mid-Wales are more to my taste but I suspect that if I was still 17 then the busy boldness of Blackpool and the Fylde coast would hold more attractions

In the end anywhere can be dangerous if you take unreasonable risks - I do worry about the possible consequences of the binge drinking culture that seems to be such a feature of a night out for young people in the UK but that is a feature of life even in Chester at the weekends now unfortunately. You don't say where you live in Holland but if you live in a large city like Amsterdam and go out around the city on your own (ie without your parents but with other young people) then you're probably streetwise enough to cope with big cities in the UK too. On the other hand if you live in a small rural town or village then even the likes of Chester or Southport could feel pretty scary at night if you aren't able to meet up with young people of your own age.

SM

Oké, information much?! This will definitely help me choose a destination. I do like the idea of a road trip, but that might be too much of a good thing for me on my own. As someone in this topic says, I could take a trip of one day from the village/city where I'll stay to see another town.

I gave up on the clubbing part, guess I'll have to make fun without it. I know I can.

If the Manchester one is still in the Oxford road area then it is not only centrally situated but in an area with a big student life - there would be lots of young women around who wouldn't think that they are putting themselves in danger by being out and about. The Liverpool too was in a very studenty area as well.

But I was wondering if I could have a shot there? (see quote)

Oh, and I'm 90% shure I want to stay in a Youth Hostel, so that will influence my choice of town.

I know exactly where the Manchester YHA Hostel is - right between the railway and tram viaducts at the junction just off Deansgate station! It is well placed but I hope it is soundproofed. I've also been past the Liverpool one, that's near the Albert Dock tourist development and has a direct express bus to the airport (which is how I came to pass it).

There is a catch with the Manchester student area plan though - the students aren't there during the summer break! But that gives me another idea, some universities open up their student accomodation as hostels during the summer.

Have we ruled out Cardiff even though it had everything on the list? The YHA hostel there isn't very convenient but I have seen a good independent one in a superb location http://www.riverhousebackpackers.com/ . I was in the the Holiday Inn opposite across the river and not convinced I had the better deal.

There is a catch with the Manchester student area plan though - the students aren't there during the summer break!

That's right Steve , they will all be in Newquay , surfing , drinking and doing what students do.

they will all be in Newquay , surfing , drinking and doing what students do.

Not those who are attending the summer schools, nor those who are doing the access schools (probably closest in age to the original inquirer), or the overseas students doing an ESOL course to help them prepare for their course starting in September, or those on the accelerated 4 term courses, or the part-time workbased students attending a study block, or the postgrads who are doing their dissertations for submission in the autumn! The days of University campuses being empty of students over the summer vacation are long gone. And of course the area is still a big magnet for all those students studying elsewhere and who are home to live off their parents for the duration of the vacation

If I were you, I would steer clear of Newquay AND Torquay. Both places are just awful!!!

I am fortunate enough to actually live in Cornwall, and we call Newquay "sin city" here. A magnet for drug and alcohol abusers!!
There have been a couple of alcohol related deaths here recently, and because of this there has been a massive clean-up, and either a passport, or driving licence is now required as I.D. before you can get into the bars or buy alcohol, but some of the older kids are still supplying the youngsters.
I personally cannot see how ANY parent in the right mind would allow under 18's to go to Newquay without a responsible adult present. The place is just SO dangerous!!

I would opt for somewhere like Fowey in Cornwall. It's got a much better reputation, and there's a youth hostel in nearby Galant.
It's a beautiful area of Cornwall, and there's still plenty for youngsters in Fowey, without getting drunk every night.

Have fun, but stay safe. (away from Newquay or Torquay).

I reckon an adventure holiday of some sort would be fun. Tree house cob cottage, camping etc.