Britain’s 11,000 miles of coastline includes countless serene vistas, often without another soul in sight. For wild, windswept walks, Northumberland’s Heritage Coastline combines long stretches of flat sands, tidal bays and dunes set against ancient castles. A 64-mile coastal path runs past the striking Bamburgh Castle and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Christianity’s source in England. "The Guardian" picks the tranquil pleasures of Stackpole Head in Pembrokeshire, Wales, as one of its top 10 UK coastal walks, where limestone cliffs give way to the unspoilt Barfundle Bay. For a city escape, the Kent town of Whitstable swaps London smoke for clapboard houses, pebble beach and oysters. Wheelers Oyster Bar, which dates back to 1856, is a mecca for fresh shrimp, oysters and smoked eel.
Communing directly with nature in the fresh air can subdue a troublesome pulse. Time Out raves about the relatively unknown Forest of Bowland, just south of the Lake District and west of the Yorkshire Dales. Oddly, the area is not a forest, but an expanse of fells, heather and grouse moor threaded with dry stone walls. The nearby Peak District, Britain’s first national park, was immortalized in Jane Austen’s novels, and presents endless, stress-busting valleys, waterfalls, quiet villages and moody granite crags on which to brood. The New Forest, bagged by William the Conqueror in 1079 for hunting, has 145 square miles of trails that can be hiked, biked and camped beside. Today, 8 million visitors per year visit the forest to relax.
A surefire way to ease tension is to slip into the past and explore one of Britain’s well-preserved stately homes. Devotees of television’s “Downtown Abbey” will love Highclere Castle in Hampshire, one of Britain’s most impressive Victorian homes, with woods and gardens dating back to medieval times. Equally sybaritic are Yorkshire’s Castle Howard, location for “Brideshead Revisited,” and Arundel Castle in Sussex, inspiration for gothic classic “Gormenghast” and venue each summer for a packed schedule of cricket matches featuring professional and celebrity teams. Bring a hamper and throw down a rug near the boundary to enjoy true nirvana. Because of the high cost of maintaining stately homes, nearly all are open to the public, albeit seasonally, with many belonging to the National Trust.
While relaxation usually involves fleeing the city, at least three British cities manage to reduce stress. Frommer’s extols the virtues of punting on the River Cam in Cambridge as one of its top England activities. Visitors can pole along the shallow river in a flat-bottom skiff for the best views of famous colleges such as King’s and Queen’s. The beautiful walled city of York is off limits to cars and buses, and home to narrow cobbled streets, traditional pubs and the striking York Minster cathedral. Similarly ancient, Bath is “one of the most alluring small cities in Europe,” according to Fodor’s. The Romans used to relax in the hot springs centuries ago. Today, sites such as the Abbey, Circus and Crescent encourage visitors to unwind.
