How to Have a Quintessentially British Experience

27 November 2018

Being a Brit is a full-time occupation; you must consume at least one cup of tea per day in order to call yourself one of us – it’s thought that three in every hundred Brits drink nine or more cups every day. However, if you’d prefer a British experience that doesn’t involve a marathon of tea-drinking, we’ve listed some alternatives below:

A House in the Lake District

A luxury holiday cottage in the Lake District is the best place to start when planning your holiday. The Lake District is rich with British culture and history and is far more peaceful than visiting the capital. If you’re interested in British romance and literature, this is the place for you.
If you’ve already visited the Lakes, perhaps you should consider visiting one of our luxury holiday cottages in the Yorkshire Dales - also famous for expanses of picturesque countryside, quaint high streets and women’s writing.

Red Squirrel Spotting

Whilst in the UK, one fun thing for you to do around the Northern countryside is to look out for some of our native wildlife. One of our favourite animals is the red squirrel – it’s dainty, beautiful, and even cleans its teeth!

Most of the UK’s red squirrel population are located in Scotland, so if sighting red squirrels is important to you, then you should check out our waterside cottages in Scotland. If you’re looking for red squirrels in England, then add Smardale Gill in Cumbria to your list of places to visit.

Red squirrel searches through snow covered forest in Northumberland, England

Fact – Red squirrel babies are called kittens!

Nature Walks

Nothing will make you feel more British than a walk through the sublime. If you fancy a stroll through some of Britain’s finest natural features, there are plenty of well-known walks with varying levels of difficulty:

- Ambleside to Grasmere

This is a fairly flat walk which will take you past rivers, lakes and forests. This is also a linear walk, starting in one beautiful village and finishing in another; we recommend driving into Grasmere and getting a Lakes’ open top bus to Ambleside for a sneak preview of the walk you’re about to enjoy.
If it’s a hot day, you could also go for a quick dip along the way; so bring your swimming things, if wild waters float your boat.

- Old Man of Coniston

If you’re up for more of a challenge, a walk up the Old Man of Coniston is what you need. It can be a tiring walk, but the view from the top is stunning, and much like the Ambleside to Grasmere walks, there will be opportunities for you to go swimming in the freshwater tarns.

- Malham Cove

If you’re in the Yorkshire Dales, don’t pass up the chance to visit the iconic Malham Cove. It’s a short walk that will take you through woodland and great grassy expanses. This lovely stroll is not one to be missed by Harry Potter fans – you might recognise the limestone pavement from The Deathly Hallows film.

Limestone cliffs of Malham Cove in North Yorkshire, England on sunny day.

Visit Cultural Exhibits

Britain is full of exquisite culture, largely stemming from our nation’s historic writers, such as Wordsworth, Keats, Beatrix Potter and the Brontë Sisters. If you’d like to gain a deeper appreciation for our cultural heritage, you should consider visiting one of these exhibits:

- The World of Beatrix Potter

This charming attraction can be found in the heart of the Lake District in Windermere. It’s a fantastic day out that is marketed to kids and adults alike. Make sure to check their website before you go, as they frequently have special events scheduled.

- Wordsworth’s Grassmere

This is another Lake District attraction. Grassmere is home to both Wordsworth’s cottage and his grave, so it’s an emotive trip for fans of the great poet’s work. Grasmere also holds a world-famous gingerbread shop and is surrounded by atmospheric hills.

- The Brontë Parsonage Museum

If you’re staying in one of our cottages in the Yorkshire Dales, you should consider a trip to the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth. Haworth is a lovely town and the museum is very well organised with lots of curious Brontë trivia and memorabilia.

Afternoon Tea

Although we’ve provided some alternatives to drinking tea to cultivate your British experience, we’d hate to deprive those tea enthusiasts among you. So, here are some places for you to drink tea in style around the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

- Bettys Café Tearoom

This tearoom in the Yorkshire Dales is a lovely place to enjoy some high-class snacking. The building is beautiful, the food is fantastic, and the service is impeccable.

- The World of Beatrix Potter

Previously mentioned as one way of indulging in some quaint British culture, you can also enjoy some top-quality afternoon tea here. You can even add a glass of prosecco, so you might want to consider getting public transport in rather than driving.

afternoon tea, terrace, outside

Up here in Britain’s North, there is plenty to do, see and enjoy. Your British experience would not be complete without a taste of the Northern countryside, so we invite you to enjoy it with us.

Perhaps by the end of your journey, you too will be drinking nine cups of tea a day.

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