The best weekend trips from London

Whether you’re comparing craft brews in the Port Street Beer House, crate-digging in Piccadilly Records or dancing your socks off on Canal Street, it’s impossible not to get caught up in Manchester’s civic pride. Make former warehouse district the Northern Quarter your base – it’s home to the city’s best coffee (hello, Takk), and both The Cow Hollow Hotel and The Abel Heywood have style in spades. Soak up culture at The Lowry, The Whitworth Art Gallery and the Royal Exchange, refuel on Curry Mile or at the Mackie Mayor food hall, then party like you never have to go to work again at The Warehouse Project, now back on Store Street underneath Piccadilly Station.

Get there? two hours by train from London Euston; around four hours 30 minutes by car. 

Think of the English countryside and chances are you think of the Cotswolds: 750-odd ridiculously green and pleasant square miles straddling Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. Each county has its own unique charm, but for a textbook weekend stick to Gloucestershire, land of Jilly Cooper, honey-coloured stone cottages and retired rock stars. Immerse yourself in nature: go leaf-peeping at Westonbirt Arboretum, take a clay pigeon-shooting lesson at the Cotswold Clay Club and coo over grazing cattle as you drive into Minchinhampton. Push the boat out with a stay at The Wild Rabbit in Kingham – a Pinterest board come to life – and don’t miss The Wheatsheaf Inn’s superlative Sunday roast.

Get there? one hour 30 minutes by train from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh; around two hours 30 minutes by car.

The Fringe in August is of course when the city comes into its own, but Edinburgh’s brimming with things to do and see during the other 11 months of the year. Climbing Arthur’s Seat is obligatory, as is trekking to Edinburgh Castle – then an evening picnic on the Meadows before hitting the dancefloor at small but legendary venue Sneaky Pete’s. Come bedtime, Rabble has gorgeous mid-century ‘rough-luxe’ rooms in the heart of the New Town, with a top-notch restaurant downstairs. While we’re on the subject of food: pop-up-turned-bricks-and-mortar-venture Ting Thai Caravan is well worth a visit to feast on street food to a soundtrack of, say, The Stooges. Still got itchy feet? Glasgow’s less than an hour away by train.

Get there? One hour and 20 minutes by plane; four hours 20 minutes by train from London King’s Cross; around eight hours by car.

It’s probably the UK’s most famous national park, and for good reason – the Dales has staggering good looks and drama in spades. A weekend gives you plenty of time to roam the vast Bolton Abbey Estate near Skipton and be wowed by the Ribblehead viaduct and the natural amphitheatre of Malham Cove (see if you can spot the pair of resident falcons). The Dales are heaven if you live to stuff yourself silly – it’s well worth touring the Wensleydale Creamery, home of the famous cheese, and nosing around Theakston’s brewery. Speaking of pints, The Black Bull near Sedbergh is in a class of its own, with a fantastic, modern kitchen. It's also an inn, so you can kill two birds with one stone and rest your head here after enjoying their finest food and drink. 

Get there? two hours 15 minutes by train from London King’s Cross to Leeds; around three hours 30 minutes by car.

If you don’t feel like you’ve had a weekend away unless you come home with mucky boots and a sunburned nose, this one’s for you. More than 900 square miles of wilderness dotted with chocolate-box villages, the Lake District is wild and wonderful all year round. If the sun’s out, fuel up on Kendal Mint Cake and climb Scafell Pike – it’s England’s highest peak, but not too tricky if you don’t mind a long walk. Less strenuously, you can take a Steamer across Ullswater, visit The World of Beatrix Potter and stock up on toothsome treats in the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – its world-famous wares are made to a 160-year-old recipe. Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is the last word in luxury, complete with a back-to-nature spa, or sleep under the stars at one of Buttermere’s picturesque campsites.

Get there? two hours and 38 minutes by train from London Euston to Oxenholme; around five hours by car. 

This pretty-as-a-picture port really is the cream of Cornish. It’s synonymous with everyone’s favourite seafood chef, Rick Stein – get to his fish-and-chip shop early to beat the queue. Or for a slightly less-trodden path, head to Prawn on the Lawn for the best shellfish you can stuff your mouth with. Mosey around the independent galleries and boutiques, before taking the Black Tor Ferry over the water to Rock for a pint at The Mariners, now co-run by chef Paul Ainsworth. Hire bikes and cycle the 18-mile Camel Trail to Bodmin, sign up for a lesson at Waves Surf School, or just take a kite for a spin on the beach. All that sea air means you’ll sleep like a log – book one of Georgian townhouse St Petroc’s cool, contemporary rooms, or a luxe tipi at Cornish Tipi Holidays if you have a car.

Get there? three hours 43 minutes by train from London Paddington to Bodmin Parkway, and a bus; around five hours 30 minutes by car. 

The West Country’s undisputed foodie capital, Bristol’s got it all. From cheesecake at Hart’s Bakery to modern British plates in a shipping container at Box-E, you could easily spend 48 hours here doing nothing but eating. And then there are the sourdough toasties with a side of Gallic charm at Bar Buvette and Poco’s internationally influenced tapas (don’t miss the merguez with buttered kale at brunch). Make time to visit the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the gorgeously restored lido and Stokes Croft’s street art – and don’t forget to sip some legendary Exhibition cider in The Coronation Tap (it’s so strong it only comes in halves). Bed down in former merchant’s house Number Thirty Eight, or at the utterly lush Bristol Harbour Hotel.

Get there? one hour and 38 minutes by train from London Paddington or if you’re watching your wallet National Express coaches run from Victoria for just £3.90 one way; around 2 hours 30 minutes by car. 

Okay, it might get a bad rep. But, a weekend in Birmingham might just have everything you're after. The famous shopping centre, The Bullring has more than enough to keep you occupied. There's buzzing food markets, plenty of museums and art galleries and the country's best chocolate-focused attractive. Plus, there's more canals in Birmingham than there are in Venice, if you didn't already know. 

Get there? Birmingham is an hour and half on a train from Euston. And you can drive there in 2 hours on a good day.

If lush landscapes, craggy castles and spooky standing stones are your thing, a weekend in the Highlands is a must. Get the train direct to Fort William for quad-bike tours, wildlife safaris, gorge walks, white-water rafting and bushcraft workshops. It’s also handy for the Glenfinnan viaduct (of ‘Harry Potter’ fame) and Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak – if you’re reasonably fit you can make it to the top and back in six to eight hours. Of course, no Highland fling would be complete without a visit to a distillery for a wee dram or two – the Ardnamurchan Distillery runs tours throughout the day. Stay at The Lime Tree, a comfy hotel-slash-arts venue with an award-winning restaurant.

Get there? 12 hours 30 minutes by train from London Euston to Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper Highlander service; around 10 hours by car.

Bath isn’t just for Jane Austen stans and lovers of the romans. This honey-hued city pairs grand Georgian architecture with an increasingly modern edge. Soak in the UK’s only natural thermal spa at the rooftop Thermae Bath Spa, then sip cocktails in a converted church at The Hideout. By day, wander the Royal Crescent or browse indie gems on Walcot Street. By night, catch a show at the Theatre Royal.

Get there? one hour and 20 minutes by train from London Paddington. It takes around 3 hours to drive.