The Official 2021 Staycation thread

Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:41 pm

Since 2021 is probably going to be The Year of the Staycation, I thought we could have a thread where we help each other with holiday tips and advice for short trips away in your own country.

I'll start: I've spotted a cottage in S Wales near Llanelli in a village called Burry Port. Any Welsh types know the place?

Just be the wife and I; looking to go for walks on the beaches, quiet pub lunches, etc. Worth it?

Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:46 pm

Got my cottage in Boscastle Cornwall booked for June, carried forwards from last year

Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:48 pm

15 mins away from me..

You have Cefn Sidan beach on your doorstep. 5 miles of beautiful beach and Pembrey country park behind it. Gower peninsula is a 25 min drive from Burry Port, Kidwelly castle, Carmarthen all close by. Shout me if you do book and i can put together a lot of off the beaten track places to visit..

Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:53 pm

TB63 wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:48 pm 15 mins away from me..
You have Cefn Sidan beach on your doorstep. 5 miles of beautiful beach and Pembrey country park behind it. Gower peninsula is a 25 min drive from Burry Port, Kidwelly castle, Carmarthen all close by. Shout me if you do book and i can put together a lot of off the beaten track places to visit..

Ace! Thank-you mate, got my eye on 1-4 Sept. If we're allowed to by then, I'll buy you a few jars in a nice pub garden.

Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:12 pm

I am meant to be doing the coast to coast walk with my dog on May 12th - its squeaky bum time. I am hoping that we are ahead of schedule with vaccines so there really is no excuse for continued restrictions.

Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:13 pm

Sandstorm wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:53 pm
TB63 wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:48 pm 15 mins away from me..
You have Cefn Sidan beach on your doorstep. 5 miles of beautiful beach and Pembrey country park behind it. Gower peninsula is a 25 min drive from Burry Port, Kidwelly castle, Carmarthen all close by. Shout me if you do book and i can put together a lot of off the beaten track places to visit..
Ace! Thank-you mate, got my eye on 1-4 Sept. If we're allowed to by then, I'll buy you a few jars in a nice pub garden.

Beware , once he has met you he will spend the rest of your time on the bored abusing you

Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:08 pm

Hoping to do the NW 500 with friends if possible

Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:18 pm

Bullet wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:08 pm Hoping to do the NW 500 with friends if possible

Last year it got so busy they brought in a one way system and closed the road to all but locals between 9am and 5pm. Make sure you check the local conditions before heading up there - I heard about a few folk that didn't and ended up losing a day or two when they had to make massive detours.

Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:25 pm

Booked a week in July in Dulverton, on the edge of Exmoor. Aberdyfi, Midlothian and Kent are possibilities for sometime.

Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:29 pm

TB63 wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:48 pm 15 mins away from me..
You have Cefn Sidan beach on your doorstep. 5 miles of beautiful beach and Pembrey country park behind it. Gower peninsula is a 25 min drive from Burry Port, Kidwelly castle, Carmarthen all close by. Shout me if you do book and i can put together a lot of off the beaten track places to visit..

Had a week in Narbeth a couple of years ago, it was lovely. Wonderful walking round Stackpole head covered in spring flowers. Carreg Cennen castle is a fine place as well.

Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:02 am

IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT...

anyway, Yorkshire Dales for me, hopefully Channel Islands if they can come out of isolation and hike the Skye Trail in September assuming Nicola plays ball.

Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:09 am

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:02 am IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT...

anyway, Yorkshire Dales for me, hopefully Channel Islands if they can come out of isolation and hike the Skye Trail in September assuming Nicola plays ball.

Similar for me in September - a week on the Caledonian Canal. Have also booked a week at the end of April in a cottage in East Devon - looking hopeful for that.

Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:16 am

duke wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:09 am
Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:02 am IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT...

anyway, Yorkshire Dales for me, hopefully Channel Islands if they can come out of isolation and hike the Skye Trail in September assuming Nicola plays ball.
Similar for me in September - a week on the Caledonian Canal. Have also booked a week at the end of April in a cottage in East Devon - looking hopeful for that.

Had a wander along the Neptune's Staircase end last year on a beautiful day - ended up having an ice cream with the crew of a Royal Navy patrol ship that had come alongside, having used the canal to get back to Faslane from exercises in the North Sea. Unexpected.

Doing the Great Glen Way is on the list for another time.

Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:23 am

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:02 am IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT...

Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:02 am

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:02 am IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT A STAYCATION UNLESS YOU ARE STAYING IN YOUR HOME
IT'S NOT...

You need to have a word with the Sunday Times Travel editor,

Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm

Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.

Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:44 pm

GogLais wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.

Broadstairs is not too bad.

Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:45 pm

GogLais wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.

It is a wee bit Shoreditch or Hackney on Sea nowadays but still worth a visit.
If you do and this place is open again by then, book it!
http://thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/

Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:52 pm

GogLais wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.

It's worth a day trip. Possibly an overnight if you want to gorge on oysters and champagne.

Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:17 pm

Slick wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:52 pm
GogLais wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.
It's worth a day trip. Possibly an overnight if you want to gorge on oysters and champagne.

We were thinking of a week in the area visiting Margate, Dover Castle, Canterbury and some walking along the Saxon Shore.

Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:22 pm

GogLais wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:36 pm Haven't been to Kent other than Chartwell. Thinking of a trip to one of those seemingly trendy coast towns like maybe Whitstable. Any thoughts? I get the impression that some of those towns aren't that wonderful.

Whitstable is nice. Old Neptune pub beer garden is the beach which is a nice touch. When I go I generally take the train to Canterbury and cycle/walk down the old railway line which is a fairly scenic way to get there.