'The strangest place in the world': Your top UK attractions for a quirky day out

Metro

a day ago

From the London Eye to Hadrian's Wall, there are some pretty classic UK tourist attractions we all try to tick off at one point or another.
But there's more to a day trip here than the same old museums or walks — the British Isles is also famed for its eccentricity (we're home to the Cheese Rolling Championships, after all).
So if you're looking for something a little different, we asked you, our readers, plus some of the staff here at Metro, to share the best places in the UK for a quirky day out.
First up, Metro's Rosy Shearman recommends Margate Caves, a subterranean adventure that's been a tourist attraction since Victorian times. At just £5 for adults and £2.50 for kids, the caves are an affordable — and educational — way to spend an afternoon.
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While you're in Margate, Metro's Katie Boyden raves about the mysterious Shell Grotto. Discovered in 1835, there's 70ft of passages completely covered with 4.6 million shells. The weirdest part? We have no idea who built it, or why it's there.
For Metro reader Wendi Nichols, it's all about the Horniman Museum in London. It began as a huge collection of objects and specimens that Frederick John Horniman amassed on his travels to far flung destinations including Egypt, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Japan, Canada. His hoard of artifacts grew so big that wife, Rebekah, insisted they move to an adjoining house.
Since then, the collection has grown tenfold. There's taxidermy animals, and the largest display of musical instruments in the UK.
Speaking of unusual museums, Metro's Kristina Beanland says you can't go wrong with the Pencil Museum, in Keswick in the Lake District. The town is the birthplace of the first ever pencil, and you can learn all about the graphite mines it was made from – as well as see the largest colour pencil in the world.
For Lancashire born Metro writer, Jess Hamilton, Pendle Hill is worth a trip. It might be one to save for Halloween, as the area is famous for its links to 1612 witch trials.
Across the Pennines, Metro's Phil Haigh spotlights The Forbidden Corner, which calls itself the 'strangest place in the world.' For £18, get lost in a 'labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created within a four-acre garden in the heart of Tupgill Park' in the Yorkshire Dales.
A little further south in Matlock, Derbyshire, Metro reader John Mcdougall reccomends The National Tramway Museum. Visitors can ride vintage trams through mock period streets, and further out into the countryside.
Back in London, Paul also says he has a big respect for the Crystal Palace Park dinosaurs, which were first unveiled in 1854. Apparently, the park has a history of hosting Formula 1 races too.
Metro's Claie Wilson says the Kelvedon Hatch, a secret nuclear bunker, is a perfect weekend activity. As the biggest and deepest Cold War bunker open to the public in the southeast of England, it was designed for up to 600 military and civilian personnel, and possibly even the Prime Minister. Oh, and it's also casually hidden beneath someone's Essex bungalow. Entry for adults is £14. For kids between five and 16, it's £12.
Rounding off her list of UK recommendations, Rosy says Bekonscot Model Village is worth a visit. As the oldest original model village in the UK (established in 1929), the finely detailed buildings perfectly capture rural English life in the 1930s.
Ticket prices cost £14 for adults and £9 for children. However, if you book online at least 48 hours in advance, you can enjoy a 10% discount.
You've got your selfie outside Buckingham Palace. You've marvelled at St. Paul's Cathedral. You've stuffed your face with pasties at London's oldest food market.
You look up to Big Ben to check the clock, only to realise you've still got loads of time to kill in the Big Smoke.
Tourist traps aside, alternative London is where it's at. The city is brimming with fun – and affordable – things to do, from game nights with friends to white water rafting. Yes, really.
So, if you're looking to make the most of your time in London, but don't want to break the bank, Metro has rounded up 15 of the best alt activities the city has to offer.
If you don't fancy something quirky, but you're still hankering for a UK staycation, we've got two standout suggestions for you.
Metro reader, Jacob Evans loves Whitby in Yorkshire for its impressive architecture, charming beach, Gothic Abbey ruins and its connection to the Dracula novel. The iconic chippy, The Magpie, always makes it onto 'UK best fish and chip restaurant' lists, too.
As for Metro's Kristina Beanland, a trip to Jersey converted her into a British holiday lover. She's not the only one hooked on the Channel Island charm, though.
'If you were to head 11 miles north of Liverpool or 16 miles west of Wigan, you'd stumble across a rather unassuming village that's home to around 8,300 people' writes Metro's Courtney Pochin.
While those who've visited say it's a 'peaceful' and 'wonderful' little spot in reviews online, it's fair to say there's not exactly a lot to keep you occupied in Aughton, Lancashire.
Despite this, people from all over Europe and even as far out as the USA, keep on flocking to the village each year and there's one very good reason why – the food. Read Courtney's culinary guide here.
After a hearty meal at The Magpie, there's a lot to squeeze into a day in Whitby. If you can manage it, trek up the 199 steps to the historic Whitby Abbey. Sitting majestically on the hill overlooking the coastal town, the 7th-century Christian monastery is quite the spectacle. Especially at sunset.
It's also a favourite visitor attraction during Whitby Goth Weekend, a twice-yearly alternative music festival and market that celebrates the Gothic culture. This year, the first event took place between April 24-27. The next one is October 30 to November 2.
Other events include Whitby Folk Week, where traditional music, dance, and song of the British Isles are celebrated in venues and pubs all across the town. Enjoy a variety of activities, from Ceilidhs, dances, workshops, storytelling, and talks, many of which carry on into the night.
Just six miles from Whitby is Robin Hood's Bay, a picturesque old fishing village that receives less attention than its more famous neighbour. Spend the day ambling along the beach, or hiking the steep and winding paths, before settling in for a pub dinner at one of the village's many cosy inns.
Jersey is a unique place. While it might be part of the British Isles, it's positioned significantly closer to France than to England. This has led to the island being described as having a split personality.
Kristina wrote that during her trip, she found Jersey to be 'British with its classic pubs and fish and chips.' But, 'with road names like Route de la Liberation, a Norman food market, and beaches with long stretches of white sand, you can hardly believe you aren't on the continent.' More Trending
For the beach babies, two of Jersey's beaches are standouts. The first is St. Brelade's Bay, which boasts wide swathes of golden sands, turquoise waters, and the original Jersey Crab Shack. Make sure you try the oysters here. Six natural oysters served on ice with homemade shallot vinegar is £12.50. A Jersey whole crab (which you can pick yourself) is marked at market price.
The second beach is Portelet. But beware: it's not the easiest to get to. You have to climb down steep steps before emerging into the sun-trapped cove. According to Kristina, if you don't want to venture down to the sand itself, the Portelet Inn is an olde worlde pub with panoramic views over the bay.
History lovers, the Jersey War Tunnels are a must-see. As the island's most visited museum, it provides visitors with a glimpse of what life was like during the Second World War, when Nazi Germany occupied the island.
Finally, to experience Jersey from the sea, book a RIB boat tour around the coastline. For £45.99, Jersey Seafaris take you around the Ecrehous, a cluster of isolated islands eight miles off the coast of France.
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