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Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
The UK's best hidden gem tourist attraction revealed
Looking to escape tourist traps in the UK this summer? A new study has unearthed the country's best hidden gems for Brits and created a hotlist of underrated landmarks. The research looked at the number of reviews, the tourist traffic per landmark and the cost of public transport to create the list. So, where are the UK's best hidden gems? According to the study, the Wasdale Emerald Pool in Cumbria is the country's best hidden gem. Sometimes known as the 'Fairy Pool', the picturesque spot is formed by several small waterfalls and has a bright green colour. Next on the list are the Birmingham Back to Backs. A museum operated by The National Trust, the Back to Backs are the city's last surviving back-to-back houses. Built around a communal courtyard, the houses were occupied from around 1840 right through until the 1970s. As they explore the historic houses, tourists will get a glimpse into what it was like to live there through the decades. The Back to Backs are only accessible via a guided tour so tourists will need to book their tickets in advance. The third best hidden gem in the UK is Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire in Wales. Although the beach is quite popular with surfers, it's not nearly as well-known as other beaches in the area with just 234 reviews on Tripadvisor. Tulleys Farm in Crawley just misses out on a spot on the podium, ranking as the UK's fourth-best hidden gem. The family farm in West Sussex has a pumpkin picking patch, an annual Christmas Lights festival and escape rooms for visitors. Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire rounds out the top five. A National Trust property, the Tudor Manor is known for its 'quirky character'. The National Trust reveals: 'Seeing the tumbling architecture of Little Moreton Hall for the first time, engineers in 1990 could not believe their eyes. 'This timber-framed building, curled around with a scenic moat, has defied logic for over 500 years.' Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh and Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire are also among the country's top 10 hidden gems. Corin Camenisch, marketing and growth leader at SumUp, which commissioned the research, says: 'We created this ranking to spotlight some of the UK's hidden gems, places that are often overlooked in favour of the usual tourist spots like the London Eye or Buckingham Palace. 'By highlighting these underrated hotspots, we're hoping to show people spots they might not know about and spread the benefits of local tourism. 'These hidden gems often rely on tourism to sustain their operations, and by shining a light on them, we're hoping to ensure that local businesses can benefit from a steady flow of visitors, which is crucial for their growth and long-term success.'
Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Telegraph
‘My £19,000 family holiday is in jeopardy because of the Home Office's ETA shambles'
Dear Abigail, I live in California and have dual UK-US nationality, as do my three teenagers. Me and my husband (who has dual Canadian-US citizenship) have been planning a month-long trip to see family in England for the first time since 2019. Our UK passports expired in 2017, so we booked the flights – and planned to travel – using our US passports (as required under US law). After doing so a few weeks ago, United Airlines informed us that we would need to apply for the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK. No problem, we thought. One of the questions on the online ETA form asks applicants whether they hold dual nationality, however, and nowhere in the drop-down menu can you select 'British', nor is there anywhere to type it in. Therefore, unless I falsely claim to have only US citizenship, I cannot obtain one. Having booked the flights within a month of travel – we were awaiting confirmation of work commitments – we have no time to apply for new UK passports (it takes at least four weeks, we have been advised) or a Certificate of Entitlement (which takes up to eight weeks and costs £589 per person). I have spent around 30 hours calling the British Consulate and Embassy in the US, I've called the UK Visas and Immigration agency and used its ETA web chat multiple times, and I've spoken to United Airlines on several occasions. Yet all I'm getting is conflicting advice. While the Home Office website advises dual nationals that we should be allowed to board a plane to the UK without an ETA, I don't want to risk being turned away at Heathrow for either travelling without an ETA, withholding information on my ETA form, or possessing an expired passport. We feel devastated and defeated, with no choice but to cancel our travel to the UK. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and we are faced with losing $26,000 (£19,200) in flights, car rental and accommodation and are left wondering why entry for British dual citizens is so much harder than for tourists. I also worry for myself – and others – what would happen if I needed to travel if a family member was sick or dying. - Mary, California Dear Mary, I can well understand your frustration. The ETA scheme has been phased in since early January and it appears you are not the only ones to be baffled by the rules – many other dual British nationals are experiencing the same problem. Currently, the UK Home Office seems unable to provide a solution beyond the advice on its ETA Factsheet which states: 'We recommend that all British citizens travel on a valid British passport to avoid unnecessary delays at the border… As an alternative, British dual citizens can evidence their citizenship in another passport by obtaining a certificate of entitlement on However, with just 10 days to go before you travel, obtaining either a valid UK passport or a certificate of entitlement is, as you say, not an option. I spoke to the Home Office on your behalf and was advised verbally that you should be allowed to board a plane with an expired passport but there was no confirmation that your family would be allowed to enter the UK when you arrived at Heathrow. Of course, without an ETA, you are unable to simply use your US passport upon arriving in Britain as you did the last time you came here in 2019. The ETA factsheet goes on to state: 'We recognise that the introduction of the ETA is a substantial change for British dual citizens of ETA eligible nationalities. In the current transition period, we do not expect carriers to deny boarding to passengers who cannot produce a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement.' This would suggest you can enter the UK with your US passport and an expired UK passport, but the Home Office is unwilling to say so on record. Your airline, United, would not confirm to me that you will be allowed to board, and simply referred me back to when I contacted them on your behalf. Scouring blogs, social media forums and media coverage for expatriates in ETA-eligible countries, the situation is being described as 'a shambles' but it appears people facing this quandary are coming to the UK on expired passports or using an ETA and the valid passport they hold for the country where they now live, falsely claiming on the ETA form that they do not have dual citizenship. The latter option – lying on an immigration form – is risky and understandably not one we would condone nor that you wish to pursue, especially with teenagers in tow. There is one last option, and that is to apply for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) for yourself and your three children. While ETDs are not designed for leisure travel, the Home Office told me verbally that if you have held valid UK passports since 2006 (and yours only expired in 2017), then there is no requirement to prove the reason for emergency travel. Applying for an ETD takes 48 hours and may involve an interview with the nearest embassy, but could provide the peace of mind you need to proceed with your desperately longed-for holiday.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Places you can travel on the train for under £10 from Darlington - with one at £2.33
As the cost of living continues to bite, many residents are seeking affordable ways to enjoy days out or quick getaways. The good news? Some of the cheapest train fares in the UK are available from Darlington, and a bit of planning can unlock serious savings. A review of rail routes shows that passengers can reach a variety of popular destinations for under £10 when booking in advance. Nearby Middlesbrough tops the list, with one-way tickets starting from as little as £2.33. Durham, known for its historic cathedral and quaint city centre, is another low-cost gem at around £5.05. For those willing to travel a bit further, cities like Newcastle (£5.44) and York (£6.60) offer vibrant culture, shopping and architecture – all within budget. Even Leeds, a major urban hub with a dynamic food and arts scene, is accessible for just £8.54. Rail operators, including LNER and Northern Rail recommend booking early, as many of these fares are tied to advance purchase tickets. Off-peak travel also offers discounts, with reduced fares outside of busy commuter times. Experts also advise taking advantage of national railcards, which can cut costs by up to a third. Options include the 16–25 Railcard, Senior Railcard, and Family & Friends Railcard, among others. For savvy travellers, websites such as Split My Fare and Trainline offer tools to find the cheapest ticket combinations – sometimes through a method known as split ticketing, where the journey is broken into multiple legs to save money. Read next: Sir John Hall hails 'moment in history' after first Durham Reform council meeting Daughter still searching for answers in dad's infected blood death 49 years on Tragedy as body found in search for missing GP and Northern Echo columnist lick here to join our WhatsApp community and get breaking news updates direct to your phone. With summer on the horizon, Darlington residents looking for a wallet-friendly escape may not need to travel far. From market towns to bustling cities, a rich variety of destinations lies just a short and cheap train ride away. For the latest deals, visit or the official National Rail Fare Finder.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Best and worst UK motorway service stations revealed – just 70 miles apart but one's ‘perfect' and the other's ‘filthy'
THE best and worst of the UK's 90 service stations have been revealed with only 70 miles separating the top and bottom ranked. A Which? survey has revealed the top ranked and the bottom ranked service station, many on the list were described as " filthy." 4 4 Gloucester made the top of the list winning five star ratings in several categories. Bottom the list was Moto's Bridgewater services in Somerset with a pitiful one star rating. The two dramatically different motorway service stations sit just 70 miles apart from one another. Gloucester services, owned by Westmorland Family, earned an overall rating of 85%. The service station won five star ratings in categories including shops, food and drink, facilities, cleanliness and accessibility. Westmorland Family also owns Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Lanarkshire, both of which made the top five. Rugby services, owned by Moto, placed third and and Leeds Skelton Lake, owned by Extra, placed fifth. Westmorland Family's Tebay location came in second and their Cumbria and Cairn Lodge location came in fourth. Despite the firm's Rugby site placing third overall, Moto's Bridgewater services came dead last. Nine of the bottom ten service stations on the list are owned by Moto. Customers gave the Bridgewater location an overall score of just 23%. The site scored a dismal one star rating across all categories, it was described as " unwelcoming , cramped and overpriced." More than half of visitors ranked the food and drink at Bridgewater as "poor." 4 4 The results come from a survey of 8,677 experiences from 4,078 Which? Connect members in November/December 2024. One offered a dull verdict on Bridgewater services: "Time for a demolition job." Moto's Bridgewater site was also said to "look and feel filthy" and "smell of stale urine." By comparison Gloucester was reported by Which? to be "sparkling clean, have excellent facilities and outdoor spaces that are a pleasure to be in." Second place, Tebay services, also run by Westmorland Family was described in the same way. Fifth place, Leeds Skelton Lake, hosted its first wedding in December 2024. Moto service stations dominated the bottom end of the leader board with the majority of the bottom ten service stations owned by the firm. Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, said: "During the past two years, we have invested over £50 million in refurbishing our service stations and building a new motorway service area on the A1M at Sawtry. "This substantial investment demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the experience for all our customers. "We value customer feedback and are resolutely committed to addressing any concerns. "The most recent independent Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, surveyed a significantly larger group than the Which? panel. "Moto achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 94% across our Motorway Service Areas. This feedback highlights the positive impact of our ongoing efforts." The Which? motorway service station league table Top ten Which? motorway service stations: Gloucester - Westmorland Family - M5 Tebay - Westmorland Family - M6 Rugby - Moto - M6 Cairn Lodge - Westmorland Family - M74 Leeds Skelton Lake - Extra - M1 Norton Canes - Roadchef - M6, toll Killington Lake - Roadchef - M6 Annadale Water - Roadchef - A74 Beaconsfield - Extra - M40 Donington - Moto - M1 Bottom ten Which? motorway service stations: Sandbach - Roadchef - M6 Frankley - Moto - M5 Kinross - Moto - M90 Toddington - Moto - M1 Washington - Moto - A1 Watford Gap - Roadchef - M1 Thurrock - Moto - M6 Lancaster - Moto - M6 Leeming Bar - Moto - A1 Bridgewater - Moto - J24
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Europe's worst destinations for flight delays revealed - and one of Brits' favourite beach hotspots tops the list...
Millions of Brits are eagerly counting down the days to their summer getaways, but be warned - not all routes to holiday hotspots are smooth sailing. Antalya, the postcard-perfect Turkish resort known for its golden coastline, ancient ruins and turquoise waters, has just been crowned Europe's worst destination for summer flight delays. Despite it ranking as the 12th most popular place to fly from the UK, 23.4 per cent of UK flights arrived over an hour late to the southern Turkish airport in the summer months of 2024, while 938 out of 4,008 flights were delayed by more than one hour. That's according to a new study by JamPrime, which analysed Civil Aviation Authority data to uncover the 20 destinations most plagued by long flight delays. Looking at the top 50 most flown-to airports from the UK in June, July, and August last year, the team ranked destinations by the percentage of flights delayed by an hour or more - and Antalya came out on top, for all the wrong reasons. Last summer, almost a quarter of flights from the UK to Antalya were delayed by 60 minutes or more. And with over 4,000 flights making that journey during the season, that's a lot of passengers stuck waiting at the gate or doing laps around duty-free. Milan Malpensa was second-worst overall with 19.46 per cent of flights delayed, equating to nearly one in five flights held up by at least an hour. Hungary's capital, Budapest, came third in the rankings, with 311 of 1,610 UK flights - or 19.32 per cent - delayed by at least an hour. Greece's island airports were also hit hard, as Rhodes ranked fourth with 16.03 per cent of flights delayed, while Heraklion came seventh with 14.86 per cent - a total of almost 650 major delays across the two. Two more popular Turkish destinations were in fifth and sixth place in the analysis. Dalaman, on the country's southwestern coast, saw 15.78 per cent of flights from UK airports delayed by at least an hour, while the figure for Istanbul stood at 15 per cent. Together, over 1,700 UK flights to Turkey's three busiest summer destinations were severely delayed. The top ten of the summer lateness rankings was completed by Naples in Italy (14.6 per cent) in eighth, Guernsey (14.56 per cent) in ninth and Paphos in Cyprus (14.49 per cent) in tenth. Meanwhile, Dublin, the UK's most popular summer route with over 10,000 flights, came 21st in the study, though its airport still saw 1,118 delays of an hour or more. Across all UK airports in the study, 10.56 per cent of flights were delayed over 60 minutes - approximately 28,000 late departures during the peak season. JamPrime founder Ben Nicholls warned that with memories of last summer's global IT meltdown still fresh, travellers should be prepared for possible setbacks again this year. He said: 'Millions of Brits wait all year to jet off on their summer holidays, but this research shows that they might face frustrating delays, especially when flying to certain destinations. 'The data is based on flights during the summer months of 2024, and July last year saw the global CrowdStrike-related IT outages which significantly impacted airports around the world, so travellers and airlines will be hoping that no such issues occur this year as the summer holidays arrive.' It comes as Gatwick has retained its unwanted title as the country's worst airport for delays – with departures last year running on average 23 minutes late. The figures come as a busy summer holiday period looms and amid a warning from the travel industry that such delays risk leaving passengers feeling that they are not 'respected'. The data is an improvement for Gatwick from nearly 27 minutes in the previous 12 months but it is still longer than at any other domestic airport, said the Civil Aviation Authority.
