UK Gems for New Year Staycations

The UK is bursting with hidden gems to explore and what better way to start the new years with a staycation that doesn’t break the delicate, post-Christmas bank balance but opens a world of treasures for you to discover. Take a look at Leonardo Hotel’s selection of UK Gems for the New Year and enjoy a 2014 staycation to remember!

Cave Hill Country Park, Belfast

Offering a range of activities and stunning panoramic views of the city, Cave Hill Country Park is a fantastic Belfast gem. With Cave Hill Adventurous Playground, archaeological sites, caves and ecotrails, the country park is a great place to visit with all the family.

With walking trails to the peak, Cave Hill is the highlight of the country park offering phenomenal views not just overlooking all of Belfast city, but reaching the Isle of Man and Scotland on the horizon!

The hill is also said to bear a resemblance to ‘Napoleon’s Nose’ and is known to the locals as such, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether it actually does!

If you are interested in visiting Belfast, take a look at our Belfast hotel for rates.

Additional References:

• Country Park Location
• Walking Trails

Gilmerton Cove, Edinburgh

This Edinburgh hidden gem is bursting with excitement and history as Gilmerton Cove offers a series of hand carved underground passageways of which the origins are still a mystery. Having been restored by the Gilmerton Heritage Trust and Edinburgh City Council for future generations to visit, this attraction is the perfect for a day out with a difference on your staycation holiday.

Tours last around an hour and cost £7.50 for adults and £4 for children. If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh, take a look at our Edinburgh hotel.

Roman Baths, Bath

A truly wonderful UK gem is, of course, The Roman Baths. You can explore this historic and very fascinating site which is both beautiful and educational as you glimpse into Roman culture and lifestyle. Bath also offers plenty of other attractions as well as being a beautiful city to discover, making it a great place for a staycation holiday.

Admission to The Roman Baths costs £12.75 for adults and £8.50 for children with a family ticket costing £36 for 2 adults and 4 children. Audio guides are included in the admission.

Williamson Tunnels, Liverpool

Discover the incredible labyrinth of passageways beneath the streets of Liverpool with a visit to the Williamson Tunnels. This hidden treasure is full of history offering an insight into the 19^th Century as well as into one of Liverpool’s more unusual characters, Joseph Williamson. This gem offers a fantastic underground world to explore in one of the UK’s most popular cities making it the perfect unique day out!

The Williamson Tunnels are charity run and only charge £4.50 for adult admission and £3 for children.

If you are visiting Liverpool, why not take a look at our Liverpool hotel rates?

Kenwood House, London

This London gem offers spectacular views overlooking the capital from Hampstead Heath and has now re-opened for you to explore the House’s stunning architecture and interiors. You can enjoy a fantastic art collection, crafts, children’s trails, the house and all its treasures, and of course, the acres of grounds. To top it off, Kenwood House is free to visit.

If you are headed to London, or would like to visit Kenwood House, take a look at Leonardo Hotel’s London Hotels.

City Walls, York

York is a beautiful city to visit oozing with heritage, history and stunning architecture. But a real gem of this city is being able to walk the City Walls for a unique perspective of York. The walls follow the original lines of the previous Roman walls and spans roughly 3.4Km so it’s at least an hour and a half walk to complete but utterly worth it as you absorb one of the UK’s most charming cities!

Wells Cathedral, Wells

Overwhelmingly large, beautifully Gothic and housing an ‘immense sculpture gallery’ on the west front, Somerset’s Wells Cathedral is one of the most impressive cathedrals in the country. Inside, the architecture is equally as impressive with the famous and breath-taking scissor arches.

Built in several stages between 1180 and 1508, Wells Cathedral has many unique features from the different periods, such as the fan-vaulted Chapter House 1306. It is also the home of England’s second oldest mechanical clock and a chained library containing books and manuscripts dating back to 1472.

There are free guided tours around the cathedral which run every hour Monday to Saturday, however to take pictures you will need a photography permit costing £3.

Greenway House, Devon

The beautiful holiday home of the much-loved writer Agatha Christie offers a fantastic hidden gem for a staycation in the south of the UK. Explore a house filled with books, archaeology, botanical china and many more knick knacks and collections, or lose yourself in the stunning woodland, walled gardens and boathouse on the estate.

One of the more exciting ways to visit Greenway House is to come by ferry, vintage bus or steam train, making the experience all the more immersive as you return to the 1950s for the Christie experience.

Tickets cost £9 for adults and £5 for children, if you are travelling by car you will need to book a space well in advance as there is limited parking.

Marble Arch Caves, Northern Ireland

The Marble Arch Caves are a real UK treasure and a fantastic place to explore when on holiday in Northern Ireland. The caves are stunning and available to visit via a guide that takes you on a one and a quarter hour tour which includes a short boat trip. From the Grand Gallery to the New Chamber, the formations of the caves are a little awe inspiring and picturesque making the £8.50 adult ticket and £5.50 for children fully worth it.

The tours are popular so it’s worth calling to book a place.