Great ideas for christmas breaks and days out in England

If you are looking for ideas on where to go this festive season then here are some of our favourite places to visit in England.

Castleton, Peak District
We arrived in Castleton one snowy December and immediately fell into Christmas mode. The journey up the motorway was made worthwhile when we were greeted by the sight of twinkling fairly lights, wrapped around trees which hung outside every shop in the village high street, coupled with the sounds of choir singers from the Bulls Head pub. Castleton lies in the Hope Valley area of the Peak District, but this isn’t just a pretty chocolate box village however, turn the corner and your jaw will literally drop when faced with amazing scenery, from the largest natural cave entrance in Britain - Devils Arse Cavern (the name always cracks a smile), to Mam Tor peak, known as ‘The Shivering Mountain. Or you can even find centuries of history at your fingertips in Peveril Castle. Miss at your peril the Brass Band which play at Peak Cavern on the evenings of 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th December, especially considering you’ll be warmed up by mulled wine and mince pies on arrival. I guarantee even the most ‘bah humbug’ of us will take away a warm Christmas glow from Castleton, it’s easy to see why it’s called ‘The Gem of The Peaks’. Lynda Macdonald

York
Last year I visited York as I had a meeting with the tourist board there. I was only there for one day so unfortunately didn't have time to visit any attractions. However, I did spend some time wandering around the shops and they were beautifully decorated for Christmas. Forget New York! This is the real thing. As you travel around the city, dominated by the Minster, and particularly as you stroll through The Shambles you feel an overwhelming sense of history. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to do some last minute Christmas shopping - I hear the Christmas market is a very nice experience too! Robert North

Guildford
My wife is one of those people who prefers knowing what she's getting for Christmas to surprises. Last year I took her shopping in Guildford so she could choose her Christmas presents. There really are some great shops in this city. I would recommend arriving in the dark at this time of year. As you enter the city centre you'll be struck by the pretty Christmas lights twinkling in the cold night air. When we visited last year there were plenty of stalls on the main drag, so if you fancy some roasted chestnuts, mulled wine or maybe even a nice hotdog to warm you up, you'll be OK here. The city is only half an hours drive from where I live, and it was well worth the journey. It will be this year too! Robert North

Amberley Working Museum in Sussex
"I don't feel I am properly in the Christmas spirit until my wife and I take our daughter Charlotte, 7, and son Alex, 4, on their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Amberley Working Museum in Sussex (http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk). During the rest of the year Amberley is a stunning 36 acre open-air museum dedicated to the industrial heritage of the south-east. But come December, it transforms itself a Christmas wonderland.

"As you enter through the gates there is a feast for all the senses - carol music playing in the air, the unmistakable smell of warm mince pies and mulled wine, and the sight of families delightedly taking rides on huge steam rollers, old double-decker buses or fire engines. The highlight though has to be a trip on the special steam train to see Father Christmas in his grotto at the end of the line. Every year Amberley's volunteer staff have created a different, incredibly intricate grotto which manages to pull of the (almost impossible) feat of keeping children entertained while they wait in line to receive their present from Santa.

"When you leave Amberley, there is the chance to visit a printing press from the turn of the last century. There, you can print your own personalised poster to put in your window at home telling Santa to "stop here". I know it's meant to be for the kids, but I always get one for myself - just in case...." Laurence Bresh

Bigbury, South Devon
The perfect way to blow the Christmas cobwebs away on Boxing Day is a beach walk. We normally go to Bigbury in South Devon which is set in a beautiful location and has fabulous views of the world famous Burgh Island. Even in the middle of winter beaches are wonderful places to visit and you can always find a bit of shelter or space for a Boxing Day kick-around. Take a flask of hot chocolate, some warm jacket potatoes and a bit of turkey! Perfect.

Other great things to do and places to visit this Christmas:

• Top 5 places to visit this week
• The best places to go outdoor skating in England
• Looking for a place to stay this Christmas? All the accommodation on EnjoyEngland.com is quality assessed so you do not have to worry about the quality of the places you stay at.
• Here are our ideas for the top 10 gift ideas
• For more ideas visit www.enjoyEngland.com, the official website for tourism in England

Let us know about your favourite places to visit in England over the festive season

Comments

[Nin]

thanks for the tips, I'm going to investigate the peak district for this year :)

[Pip Price]

I have tried going away at Christmas time but when you live so close to a huge national park like the Peak District, wherever you go has a hard act to follow. To live within five minutes of such wonderful scenery, historic buildings (many running special events) and pubs serving Yultide fayre, I now don't have to make the the decision. Just stay at home and plan how I'm going to fit it all in. Any one wishing to see the Peak District from afar would do well to visit http://www.peakdistrictview.com to see the wonderful panoramic photographs of the area.