UK Holidays inbetween London and Scotland

Every year I travel abroad or go to Scotland.

I’ve always steered clear of the middle of England, say between Nottingham and Leeds. It’s a mystery to me.

Is there anything holiday worthy for an active family with kids or am I best to continue avoiding?

There’s this weird thing called the Peak District National Park, one of the most visited National Parks in the world, so no nothing to see around there

Black Country Museum is excellent. Birmingham City Centre is good too. All of the Ironbridge and Bliss Hill complexes are good, near there is the RAF museum at Cosford, Kinver Caves, not too far from the Black Country is great to visit. The Great Central Railway between Loughborough and Leicester is excellent, but go on a weekend when they have more trains running, you can then get off at each intermediate station to go back and forth on different trains. Severn Valley Railway also. Matlock is worth a visit, though it’s small, but just up the road is the great walk over High Tor on the Giddy Edge path, its a big drop down, but relatively safe, start in Matlock, walk through the park,go over the top and end up at Matlock Bath station, thrilled with the views, and making it down safely, walk a bit further into Matlock Bath for the full on seaside experience, beside the Derwent.

I’ve always steered clear of the middle of England, say between Nottingham and Leeds

Wise decision ! Directly from Nottingham to Leeds (or east) I would say nothing worth stopping for.

There is the Peak District, which gets very busy and IMO not that great for kids, or North Wales which has beaches, castles, mountains, all kinds of adventure activities (just be prepared for ££££ for the activities). Wales can have rain, lots of rain though.

“Directly from Nottingham to Leeds (or east) I would say nothing worth stopping for.”

Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. Yorkshire Sculpture Park not far from Wakefield, along with the National Coal Mining Museum, 5 miles or so away. Magna Science near Rotherham, and nearby Wentworth House, the largest private residence in the UK (supposedly).
The Great Oak in Sherwood Pines. The Crooked Spire and large marketplaces in Chesterfield.

Birmingham City Centre is good too

It bloody wasn’t when I walked from New Street to my hotel last night and this morning…albeit a limited survey. But still a dirty, noisy city dominated by cars.

Between London and Scotland you say.

My hometown of Stoke-on-Trent would fit the bill nicely, being pretty much bang in the middle.

Lovely place, honest.

It’s a bit Brexity though