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Telegraph
30-03-2025
- Telegraph
Britain's best attractions – that most people have never heard of
The British Museum was recently revealed as the nation's most visited attraction, with 5.8 million people passing through its doors in 2023, according to the latest figures from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). The Natural History Museum and The Crown Estate in Windsor both also saw visitor numbers surpass 5 million (5.7 million and 5.4 million respectively) as day trips to the Britain's top sites skyrocketed. But you don't need to shuffle shoulder-to-should with the masses for a grand day out. From a Victorian mansion in the Cotswolds and heading under ground in Suffolk to modern art on the outskirts of Edinburgh and celebrity pubs on the Thames, these attractions all come recommended by The Telegraph's destination experts and span the entire nation. They promise not only a queue-free experience, but the chance to explore like a local and discover corners of Britain the crowds often forget – what's more, some are entirely free to visit. For further inspiration find more of the best things to do across Britain in our dedicated guides, and share your favourite underrated attractions in the comments. Southern Cemetery Chorlton, Manchester Free to visit; tours cost £15, plus booking fee Wander among the graves of some of Manchester's most famous former residents four-and-a-half miles south of the city centre, in the suburb of Chorlton. Southern Cemetery is the largest municipal cemetery in the UK and here you can see the final resting places of the city's first multi-millionaire, textile entrepreneur, John Rylands; Mr Manchester, Anthony Wilson, who founded Factory Records and the Hacienda nightclub; artist LS Lowry; and Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby. Its grand avenues of beech and plane trees, plus wildflower areas also make it a lovely place to stroll – in fact, in March 2025, a 28-hectare section of it was named as Manchester's latest local nature reserve. Its size can make it tricky to navigate, so consider booking a tour with local guide Emma Fox who runs both private and public tours. What more? A 32-mile cycle trail, which passes through Manchester and Salford's cemeteries, has recently been launched, too. Cathy Toogood Kerdroya, Colliford Lake Bodmin Moor, Cornwall Free; parking £2.90 for two hours Most visitors flock to Cornwall's coastal villages and beaches, but inland the county is just as beautiful, and a lot quieter. Cornwall's largest inland water, Colliford Lake and nearby Dozmary Pool (where it is said the Lady of the Lake handed King Arthur the sword Excalibur) are on Bodmin Moor, one of the area's most dramatic National Landscapes (previously AONB), just minutes from the A30. Next to Colliford Lake is a new installation, Kerdroya, a living labyrinth of Cornish hedges stretching 56m in diameter. Follow the path between walls and among wildflowers to the steel Thrussells installation at the centre. Nearby, waymarked trails take in lake views and Cornwall's vast moorland landscape which many visitors often overlook. Rachel Buchanan Woodchester Mansion The Cotswolds £11 (adult); £2 (child 5-16); free (under 5) Hidden among the trees in the secluded Woodchester Valley near Nailsworth, and a mile from any road, is a secret house: the Victorian Gothic Woodchester Mansion. It's also one of the most memorable houses in the Cotswolds, for it has not been – and will never be – completed. There's no glass in the windows, limited staircases and barely any floors. The listed building, completed externally but not internally, is an extraordinary architectural exhibit, the craftsmanship exceptional, yet your imagination is required to finish the house. Intricately carved corbels stand ready to receive vaulted ceilings that never materialised, Gothic arches part-finished, and the marks of the carpenter's pencil poised for a non-existent completion. The residents are a large colony of endangered greater and lesser horseshoe bats – the subject of the world's longest (since 1959) continuous scientific study of the species. Caroline Mills Jupiter Artland Edinburgh £11.80 (adult); £10.80 (concession); £7.50 (children) You'll find an entirely new perspective on modern art in this extraordinary sculpture park set in a wooded estate on the outskirts of Edinburgh (take Bus X23 to the gates). Moving around, on and through works of world-class artists like Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley and Ian Hamilton Finlay is uniquely absorbing, with children (and adults) welcome to get up close, touch, even swim in a work of art in the Joana Vasconcelos Gateway Pool. Book tickets online, treat yourself to lunch, a snack or afternoon tea in the café and immerse yourself (literally) in the experience. Linda Macdonald The historic Thames Path London The 40-mile-long Thames Path offers plenty of hidden London gems along its quieter stretches. A particularly lovely East-London section takes in two legendary pubs that are the oldest in London: The Prospect of Whitby, once a favourite haunt of Charles Dickens; and The Grapes, a centuries-old riverside pub where Sir Ian McKellen is the leaseholder – from the terrace you can admire Anthony Gormley's Another Time sculpture that stands in the water. Alison Taylor St Peter and St Paul's church Pickering, North Yorkshire Free Most visitors to Pickering, a market town on the southern edge of the North York Moors, are here for the ruined medieval castle, the jolly market and, especially, for a steam-train ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. But they really should take time to pop into St Peter and St Paul's church just behind the Market Square. The 12th-century church surprises with its set of rare medieval wall-paintings (similar in appearance to frescoes), believed to be one of only five such examples in England. Rich, colourful and large – they stretch along both sides of the nave. Depicting biblical and saintly scenes, such as St Christopher rescuing the child Jesus, the beheading of St John the Baptist, St George slaying a dragon, and the fiery 'Harrowing of Hell', they are a treasured example of how brightly coloured medieval church interiors often were. They have a history of being painted over and 'rescued' several times, the last in the 1880s. Helen Pickles The Regency Town House Brighton £15 for a pre-booked 90-minute curator-led House Tour or Town Walk (April to October). Children and dogs welcome Ever fancied poking your nose into one of the towering, butter-block town houses that flank Brighton and Hove's Regency squares? The grade-one-listed Regency Town House, part of architect Charles Busby's Brunswick Town estate, is a work-in-progress heritage and cultural hub. Between April and October it opens its doors for exhibitions, installations, period architecture and food-led workshops, readings, recitals and more. The handsome garden square in front is open to all. During festivals, national heritage events and the annual Artist Open Houses, you may be lucky enough to find the 1820s basement kitchen open for tea and cake. Pack a bonnet. Teresa Machan Johnny Wood and Borrowdale Yews Borrowdale, Cumbria Free Think of the Lake District, and lakes, waterfalls and fells come to mind. Woodland, not so much – although the area was once largely covered by trees. Borrowdale has one of the area's largest remnants of temperate rainforest (and now a National Nature Reserve) with the indigenous oaks of Johnny Wood, roughly between the villages of Rosthwaite and Seatoller, a delight to walk through. Almost primaeval in feel, with their lush green mosses, lichens, liverworts and ferns carpeting the floor and boulders, you're a world away from the bustling honey-pots. A mile further south, along the narrow road from Seatoller towards Seathwaite, a footpath skirts the lower slopes of Seatoller Fell. From here, look up carefully to spot three magnificent yew trees on the fellside above. At least 1,500 years old, William Wordsworth captured them (when there were four) in his poem Yew-Trees. Helen Pickles Castle Acre Norfolk £7.70 (adult); £4 (child 5-17 years) Hiding in plain sight, this extraordinary spot near Swaffham is visible from the A1065, the main through route to North Norfolk from the south, yet ignored by the stream of holidaymakers and day-trippers intent on the coast. Take time to pause, however, and you'll not only discover one of the UK's largest and best-preserved monastic sites, dating to 1090, but also the spectacular remains of a Norman castle built by an ally of William the Conqueror and a well-preserved bailey gate from the 1200s. Explore Castle Acre 's Priory exhibition, absorb the audio tour and enjoy a leisurely picnic in the grounds. Sophie Butler Kilmartin Glen Argyll and Bute Kilmartin Glen, free; Kilmartin Museum £9.50, March to October It's hard to find ruins quite as evocative as those of Kilmartin Glen on the west coast of Argyll. Begin by overlooking successive burial cairns from the roadside, then pass through fields of black-face sheep to a prehistoric collection of stone circles, cist chambers and henge monuments that are older than Stonehenge, older even than the Great Pyramid of Giza. Perhaps, though, the wooded glen's most wonderful feature isn't its extra layer of Neolithic or Bronze Age remains, or the rock art sites that are denser than anywhere else in Britain (there are more than 800 at the last count). The most magnificent attraction is its stories are still being unearthed from the soil by archaeologists — and so much of this history is still waiting to be discovered. Mike MacEacheran Salmesbury Hall Salmesbury, Lancashire Admission by voluntary donation; parking is free Salmesbury Hall is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in Britain. The 14th-century manor is, apparently, home to at least 13 ghosts, who wander its creaking floorboards and spook staff after hours. Visitors can join these ghostly goings-on on nighttime torchlight tours of the manor. If spectral investigations aren't your thing, Salmesbury Hall is also a charming place to visit in the daytime. The popular 'audiences with Henry VIII' will delight the young history buff in the family, while their regular rotation of fairs, markets and lectures make it engaging for the grown-up visitor, too. Grime's Graves Suffolk/Norfolk £9 (adult); £23 (family); English Heritage members free Despite being an English Heritage attraction, Grime's Graves remains under-the-radar for most visitors to East Anglia because it's, well, underground. Situated on the edge of Thetford Forest on the Norfolk- Suffolk border (it's technically in Norfolk), Grime's Graves is Britain's only accessible neolithic flint mine, and as such a glimpse into its industrial past. Sitting amid a weird lunar landscape of green mounds and craters, the site is just one of many flint mines that would have been here – basically a circular pit, nine metres deep and accessed by a steel ladder. It's become a bit more accessible – and comprehensible – following a major Lottery-funded upgrade in 2024, which added an above-ground visitor centre and a below-ground immersive film and audio installation showing the lives of the folk who lived and worked here.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- BBC News
Do you prefer art galleries or museums?
When you go on a day out with your family, do you go to art galleries or museums?Figures released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) show that while some museums around the UK have seen an increase in visitor numbers over the years, some art galleries are seeing a decline. The Tate galleries (including the Tate Britain, Modern and Liverpool) have lost 2.7 million visitors in five years.A lot of this can be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, when they had to shut, and the boss of the Tate said it's also due in large part to a fall in international visitors. However museums seem to be having a better time of getting visitor numbers back up to pre-pandemic numbers to the National Gallery are down 47% against 2019 levels, but the Natural History Museum's visitor numbers are 16% above National Museum of Scotland has had a 6% increase in visitors since last year and the Young Victoria and Albert Museum in London had a whopping 47% more visitors in 2024 than in 2023. It's not all bad news for galleries, though. The National Galleries Scotland had a 9% increase in visitors between 2023 and what do you think - do you like wandering around art galleries or museums better? Maybe you don't like either, or you have a favourite - we want to know your thoughts, so let us know in the comments.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Devon and Cornwall tourism bosses optimistic for recovery
There are "green shoots of optimism" for tourism in Devon and Cornwall - despite many of the regions' top attractions failing to match pre-pandemic visitor from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) showed out of the 12 top sites in the counties, only three - Haldon Forest, St Michael's Mount and Tintagel Castle - had more visitors last year compared to St Ives had the largest drop compared to 2019 with a decrease of 37% while Saltram in Plymouth and the Eden Project, near St Austell, were down 34% and 33% Jon Hyatt, chairman of Visit Cornwall, said may sites remained positive going into the Easter and summer periods. "I think the green shoots are definitely there, February half-term numbers [are] looking strong, consumer spend [is] the Visit Cornwall website is seeing records numbers in interest and traffic," he said."Members are reporting, yes, things aren't flying, but positivity is there compared to a tough 2024." In 2024, The Eden Project - which was the most visited site in Devon or Cornwall - had 673,625 visitors, a drop of 6% compared to Michael's Mount and Tintagel Castle had falls of 2% and 3% Haldon Forest and Cardinham Woods - the second and fifth most visited sites - both had annual increases, with rises of 10% and 14%.RHS Garden Rosemoor, the sixth most visited site, reported a slight increase from 237,660 visitors in 2023 to 238,030 last year. 'Authentic and unique experiences' Mr Hyatt said while there had been casualties, new attractions would open in added: "Now more than ever before, [consumers are] looking for authentic and unique experiences, it's not so much about getting an Instagram shot anymore, it's about a true experience that they couldn't have anywhere else."We have got a thriving attraction sector and we have shown a lot of investment and committed to that change in consumer demand." ALVA director Bernard Donoghue said the effect of the cost-of-living crisis on consumer spending in addition to increasing business costs and "modest" visitor numbers to the UK generally meant 2024 was a year of "steady but not significant" said the "long economic recovery" from pandemic lockdowns was still having an effect on numbers and increases to the national minimum wage and national insurance costs had led to job losses and cuts at attractions. Mr Donoghue added: "The recovery of visitor attractions and the broader cultural and heritage economies remains fragile but visitors have shown that in their leisure spending they still prioritise day trips to loved attractions."They are keeping up their memberships of favourite organisations and they value spending special time with special people in special places."
The Guardian
21-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
National Trust freezes recruitment after £10m jump in costs
The National Trust has frozen all but essential recruitment and is pausing some projects as it faces a £10m jump in labour costs this year as a result of higher employment costs stemming from last autumn's budget. The conservation charity, which looks after 500 historic houses, castles, parks and gardens, as well as 780 miles of coastline and 250,000 hectares of land, said the extra costs were the result of changes to employers' national insurance contributions and an increase in the legal minimum wage, which both come into force next month. The trust said it did not expect visitors to be affected or opening hours to change as a result of the budget constraints, which have been exacerbated by broader inflationary pressures and a squeeze on household spending. It will still be recruiting for 'business critical' roles and was reviewing projects in its pipeline with the intention of pausing some where there would be no adverse impact on public benefit or urgent conservation. The issues come after a tough few years for the charity, which found itself in the midst of a culture war over its perceived 'wokeness' with threats of interference by the Conservative government. 'While we firmly support fair pay for our staff, the changes to the 'national living wage' and national insurance employer's contributions are a significant increase for us to absorb. And that's not all. A combination of the cost of living crisis, high inflation rates and a lack of wider economic growth in the past few years have also created pressures for our operating and conservation costs,' a spokesperson for the National Trust said. 'The National Trust is not alone in having to make tough financial choices, these are challenges the whole sector is facing. People's support – including membership and donations – has never mattered more. We are committed to continuing our vital charitable work and creating the maximum possible public benefit in everything we do.' The National Trust's cost cutting plan emerged as the body which represents the UK's top visitor attractions – the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) – said it expected more members to cut jobs and reduce investment despite stronger trading last year as they battle higher employment costs introduced by the government. The Tate, which has four galleries across London, Liverpool and Cornwall, has already said it is cutting 7% of its workforce as the British arts institution seeks to address a funding deficit left over from the pandemic. English Heritage is meanwhile planning up to 200 redundancies and the winter closure of various castles, abbeys and other historic sites in its care. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion Announcing a 3.4% increase in visitors to its members' 400 sites last year, Bernard Donoghue, the director of the ALVA, said the budget changes had 'effectively wiped out planned surpluses for many attractions or derailed their investment plans, and for some, these unbudgeted, unanticipated costs will result in cuts and job losses'. He added: 'For most visitor attractions, 2024 was a year of steady but not significant growth. The long economic recovery from lockdown during Covid, the effects of the cost of living crisis on consumer spending, increasing business costs and modest inbound visitor numbers to the UK mean that 2024 was a financially changing year for visitor attractions.' Donoghue said overseas visitor numbers were on the rise but were not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels for another year, adding that domestic visitors were being 'more tactical' about their leisure spending as a result of the cost of living crisis – visiting attractions less often and spending less money while there. Last year the most visited attraction was the British Museum and the fastest growing included the Young V&A and Buckingham Palace, which saw a record number of visitors.
