UK holiday next wee...
 

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[Closed] UK holiday next week - solo - inspire me

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I've got next week off work, but with original plans including international travel, I think I'm gonna sack that off and have a UK based one.

However, I am completely devoid of ideas.

I've looked at cookery courses - circa £200 per day - i could do one, but not multiple
I can't swim well, and aren't interested in splashing around on a surfboard
I'm not particularly interested in walking up hills
Camping/bikepacking doesn't appeal in a UK autumn
I'm not much of a culture vulture, nor interested particularly in mooching around a town/city

I'd like to meet new people (i think)
I (obviously) like riding bikes, but I do that all the time anyway and would like a change?
I'm not skint, but I don't want to blow a load of cash unnecessarily
South West is best

WWSTWD?


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 10:52 pm
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Hmm... You've pretty much excluded all the stuff I'd suggest.lol


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 10:54 pm
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Coastal walk?


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 10:56 pm
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By process of elimination...

Narrowboat trip?


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 11:03 pm
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Volunteer for a conservation group? Build walls, paths etc.


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 11:11 pm
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Rent a canoe or kayak? Lots of riverside pubs...


 
Posted : 14/09/2020 11:20 pm
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Not sure I could cope with a solo canal boat holiday, at the age of 33 😅

I looked at National Trust working holidays, but they're all cancelled thanks to CV19. might look for other options though, as that does appeal.

canoe trip - interesting idea, more of a sociable thing perhaps?

hmmmmmmmmm


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 12:11 am
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Stay at home, get a dog and teach it to sing.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 6:04 am
 loum
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Fishing ?


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 6:28 am
 hugo
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7 day bender. New pub in a new town each day. Commit to 10 pints minimum.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 6:38 am
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Id ask on here for great routes to ride in parts of the country I do not know - I did this a few years ago and ended up with a nice guided riding weekend in the Quantocks and a meet up with folk to ride Rivi.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 6:57 am
 myti
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What were your original plans? Apart from meeting new people what do you like doing as you listed all that you don't like...

City break somewhere like Bristol or Brighton where you can get chatting to people in pubs if you're brave. Visit some nice restaurants, go to the zoo.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:10 am
 5lab
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Lejog?


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:20 am
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Weather forecast is actually pretty good for next week, just one day of rain on Tuesday.

I’d be having a crack at King Alfred’s Way or one of the other long distance routes Cycling UK have put out recently.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:28 am
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You like meeting people so get your grinder / tinder profile polished u and go on a bender. Commit to 10 dates minimum.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:34 am
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I would love to be in your situation. I’d probably get the train to somewhere a long way away and cycle back Keep mileage low and visit somewhere like a museum at each stopover


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:42 am
 MSP
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Blackpool!


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:53 am
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Learn to surf camp? Or maybe kitesurfing school?


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 7:58 am
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Photography course or expedition. Learn to paint. Spend a week trying something new every day.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:03 am
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Dogging.

Or digging.

Find a local wood that no one gives a shit about, not a busy one, no dog walkers etc, one of those sterile ghastly plantations, and build a trail, should be able to build something half decent in a week.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:04 am
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All of my solo travel has usually involved staying in hostels, which is one of the last places that I'd want to be during the Covid surge!!

Gonna be very hard to do anything where you can meet folk given you also seem to have discounted basically everything that is fun in your op 🤣


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:15 am
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Start several arguments with various members of the forum. Try thread titles involving electric cars, helmets, boomers and property wealth and the Tory party.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:21 am
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Start several arguments with various members of the forum. Try thread titles involving electric cars, helmets, boomers and property wealth and the Tory party.

You forgot gender and dogs. and dogs gender.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:23 am
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I like the digging idea. That and you could do an online course if you want to learn something.

As for meeting people. Random Skype chat?
https://onlineskypechat.com/

Or dogging


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:24 am
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Buy lots of cheap cider, sit on a park bench and shout abuse at people.

Naked.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:25 am
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Lovely road bike climbs all around the edge of the Mendips, if you based yourself somewhere near Bridgewater, you could hit the like of Porlock Toll Road in the Quantocks too.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 8:30 am
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Thanks all - some ideas in there...

Looking at a cookery course, and trying to find a coffee on too.
I'm in bristol, got a cycling holiday planned for a couple weeks time, but will likely head off on a 3-day ride from here down to the south coast, i think...

have looked for sea kayak trips and surf camps, but came up blank for next week - will keep searching though!

Guess i'll just do some day trips around the place, mebbe see friends in london etc 🙂

keep the ideas rolling in though!


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 10:46 am
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Sailing course? https://www.southwestyachting.com/


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 10:54 am
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trying to find a coffee on too.

Extract Coffee Roasters do courses and based in Bristol. Might be worth a look.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 11:03 am
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I saw this lot http://www.pubandpaddle.com/ doing trips a week ago when I was on hols, would have given it a go myself if we'd had more time


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 11:13 am
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How about camping in a bothy. Check out national trust bothys - we stayed at peppercombe bothy in north Devon- feels entirely remote yet not far at all from things (beach is 1/4 mile away)


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 11:29 am
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Ride out to a big rave. Outdoors so reasonably safe, well safer than state-sanctioned safe entertainment like binge-drinking in pubs... also cheap, and you'll meet lots of friendly new people.


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 1:04 pm
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Right, I've booked a day's Game Butchery/Cookery course at River Cottage HQ. Cost an arm and a leg, but the 2-day Pig Butchery course I fancied (elsewhere) wasn't available! Not much else out there on short notice either.

Have booked a BnB in Lyme Regis and will cycle down the day before, stay the night, then pedal from RC HQ to Exeter for a train home that night. Hopefully the BnB will have somewhere safe to leave my bike.

Will have to think of a few more 'budget' ideas for the other days!


 
Posted : 15/09/2020 5:32 pm
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Nice one!

Sounds like you are into food so here's some places in the area I'd recommend, keeping in the STW spirit of over-recommending everything that I like

Rousdon Village Bakery near Lyme (excellent breakfast)
Trill Farm
Rusty Pig in Ottery St Mary
Exploding Bakery in Exeter


 
Posted : 16/09/2020 4:20 am
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As your heading towards the South West, Devon Gin school. Run by a mate

https://devondistillery.com/devon-gin-school/

We did a Sea Kayak trip from Dartmouth last year. That was great

https://www.seakayakdevon.co.uk/

If you can get to the Scillies and find some where to stay they are amazing Islands. Lots of options to paddle. Got to give Rob a shout out

https://www.agneswatersports.co.uk/

Best campsite in the world but probably booked solid, but they might squeeze 1 in. Good place to meet people. Day trips to other islands will keep you entertained

https://troytown.co.uk/

Oh last thoughts Coasteering or pay a guide for a days rock climbing. Maybe look at Commando Ridge as a big day out at Bosigran


 
Posted : 16/09/2020 8:21 am

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