Ideas for a UK Staycation
UK Staycation Destination Ideas
- York
- Snowdonia
- Hay-on-Wye
- Bath
- The Cotswolds
- The Lake District
YORK
From walking the city walls, to the beauty of York Minster and the charm of the tearooms and shops, York is an excellent choice for a weekend away in England, and somewhere I managed to squeeze in a visit to, just before the UK went into lockdown last year.York has a wide array of hotel, B&B and accommodation options, both in the city centre and further afield. I had personally opted to stay in an AirBNB apartment, a short walk from the centre.
This particular duplex apartment in York had free on-site parking, behind a secure gate, and had a view of the city walls and York Minster. They even have their own instagram - @our_airbnb_in_york.
The space was beautifully furnished in a modern/industrial style, that was completely to my taste.
York is an ideal place if you’ve only got the time to get away overnight. We found that we were able to comfortably see the city in two days.
Things to see in York
If you are looking for inspiration, I’d take a walk along the York City Walls, take a visit to the York Minster, wander The Shambles and if you’re brave enough, visit the Jorvik Viking Centre - a tad overhyped, but something we wanted to check out whilst we were in York.
Where to eat in York
For places to eat, Bettys Tea Room is the most renowned, however, we didn’t end up eating here, instead we opted for breakfast at a lovely cafe called Brew & Brownie (5 Museum St, York YO1 7DT) , where I enjoyed a delicious stack of pancakes, and went for dinner at a lovely restaurant called Ate O'Clock (13A High Ousegate, York YO1 8RZ) which has a cosy courtyard to sit, that even in February, was kept warm, and I can imagine would be equally as lovely on a warm summer's evening.
Snowdonia
The second on my list of UK staycations is Snowdownia. For the walking enthusiasts among us, the challenge of Snowdon is a draw for many. For me, the draw to Snowdonia National Park was to take a helicopter flight over the mountains - a gift that my dad had received for his 50th birthday.The night before our helicopter flight, we opted to stay in a cosy cabin in Llanrwst. Although remote, the cabin proved to be the excellent remote retreat that I’m sure many would appreciate in 2021 and beyond. The cabin was perfectly furnished for my mum, dad, sister and I, and came with a BBQ too, as well as all the comforts of home including modern shower room,kitchen with oven ,hob, microwave,kettle ,toaster,fridge/freezer.
And Lllanrwst is a convenient 10 minute drive to the Snowdonia National Park train station, meaning that the AirBnB is very close to Snowdonia’s key amenities and attractions, and the enclosed garden area has uninterrupted views over the Snowdonia range.
Things to do in Snowdonia
Hay-on-Wye
The next destination is one that book-lovers will adore. Hay-on-Wye, often abbreviated to "Hay" is a small market town and community in the historic county of Brecknockshire in Wales, not far from the England-Wales border.I visited Hay in 2017, when I’d treated my boyfriend to a trip there, so that he could explore all of the second-hand bookshops in the town, as well as enjoying a nice coffee and cake in one of the many independent cafes.
The town is nestled on the banks of the River Wye and surrounded by the Brecon Beacons National Park, so although its identity is firmly established in books, there’s not a shortage of things to explore if staying in the area. If I were to visit again, I’d definitely alloy for time to explore the abundance of countryside in the area surrounding the village.
Our trip to Hay-on-Wye was only for the day, however, many opt to visit during the Hay Festival. The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts is an annual literature festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, for ten days from May to June and is the busiest time to visit, with hotels and B&Bs being fully booked well in advance.
Ludlow
When visiting Hay, we had opted to stay an hour north, in Ludlow in a lovely Annex called Friars Tilt. The annex comes with it’s own outdoor patio space and is close to the centre of Ludlow, which was situated just behind the castle on the Linney and walking distance to the stunning views of the River Teme, Whitcliffe Common and Mortimer forest. It also comes with FREE off street parking - a rare luxury in the centre of Ludlow!Although perhaps not overly targeted towards tourists, Ludlow is a lovely market town in Shropshire. We took the opportunity to visit one of the independent restaurants there, that were only a 5 minute walk from where we were staying, as well as visiting Ludlow Castle, an unusually complete range of medieval buildings with a varied history of Norman Fortress, Fortified Palace, as well as having the chance to browse the outdoor Ludlow market.
The Cotswolds (& Bath)
I think a mention of a UK staycation would not be complete without a mention of the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds.‘The Cotswolds’ is a large area to cover, almost 800 square miles and 5 counties, meaning there are plenty of options when it comes to choosing which parts you’d like to see.
One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, so when I went on a mini-break to Bath last September (just before the restrictions tightened again), I took the opportunity to drive home via the scenic route, and tick off a couple of Cotswolds villages and towns en-route home.
These included Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cirencester, Castle Combe (pretty enough to be a movie set), to name a few.
When it comes to picking a place to stay, this would totally depend on which part of the Cotswolds you are exploring, however, with wanting to explore the city of Bath, as well as the surrounding Cotswold villages, I had opted to stay at the Stanton Manor Hotel in Chippenham, which was an ideal location for being able to explore the Cotswolds, whilst still being driving distance from Bath and Bristol.
The Lake District
Another location that would be a typical tourism hotspot in the UK is the Lake District. I’ve only been to the Lake District on a couple of occasions, and feel that there is plenty more left for me to explore. When I visited the Lakes a couple of years ago, I had a lovely stay and meal at The King's Head Inn in Thirlmere, near Keswick, north of Scafell Pike and Lake Windermere. I only stayed in the lakes for one night, and I found that this wasn’t long enough, so if I were to go back, I’d definitely extend my trip to two nights, to allow more time for big walks and exploring.Extras
I thought it would be worthwhile sharing some of the other accommodations that I would recommend;Edinburgh - The only place in Scotland I'd been fortunate to visit, but one I've been to twice and loved for all that the city had to offer.
Irthlingborough - Ideal for visiting the Rushden Lakes / Northampton. This AirBnB is one that we stayed in when travelling to Northampton for a Christening. It’s set in a Victorian coach house and has a spacious main bedroom with a very comfortable double bed and a second bedroom with a comfy single bed and working space.
Chester - Ideal for if you are doing a day at the races or want to explore the Roman Walls. I wrote a full review of my stay at Roomzzz Chester for those interested.
Where are you planning to visit for a UK Staycation in 2021?
Best & Worst Rimmel Makeup
Rimmel is a brand that has been around for ages and was certainly available when I first started wearing makeup however for some reason I didn't use many of their products. Roll forward a few years and Rimmel has really upped their game with a basis of my staple products being from the range so I thought that I would share the best, the worst and the so so products that I have found from the range as there are some you don't want to miss!The Worst Rimmel Products
- Rimmel Eye Mousse,
- Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Tint Pent
- Rimmel Apocalips
Starting with the eye mousse. This, thank goodness, was discontinued from Boots and Superdrug stores years ago and thank goodness however for hose that may be tempted to purchase it for 99p from the likes of Fragrance Direct, don't. Quite simply these burned my eyes when I patted it on. They didn't work well with shadows over the top of them yet looked hideous on their own.
The 1000 Kisses Lip Tint I have recently posted about and the reason I didn't like this, although the concept is brilliant, was the fact that the pigmentation was basically zero and if they aren't already dry or poorly pigmented when you buy them, you get no pay-off within a matter of days as they dry up. Definitely a no-no from me.
As for the Apocalips. Well. I managed to resist the hype of these for a while but having a £5 giftcard, I decided to use that to buy myself one of these infamous lip laquers. Not only is the colour far too pigmented for me and impossible to make wearable, the colour transfers everywhere and blleds like I don't know what. For me I cannot be bothered with all the faff it takes to wear this so I shall not be buying anymore.
The So-so's
Although it has been ages since trying the Hide the Blemish concealer I can remember using this on my blemishes and under-eyes as it provided great coverage and if I only used a small amount it didn't appear cakey however it was drying and could be difficult to blend.
The Best Rimmel Products
- Rimmel Lipsticks
- Rimmel Face Powders
- Rimmel Foundations
- Rimmel Primers
Rimmel Lipsticks
Starting with their Lipsticks; I have tried two from the Kate Moss Range, one in the black packaging and one from the red packaging, and have loved both of them. 107 was the first shade I tried ( a very berry red) and after loving the pigmentation, lasting power and the fact that a matte lipstick was smooth and not drying, I decided to purchase another lipstick from the Kate Moss range, this time in the shade 05 and I have been equally impressed. Rimmel Face Powders
As mentioned, I also love their powders; namely the Stay Matte and Clear Complexion in the shade translucent. Both powders are matte-ifying (keeping skin matte for 4-5 hours), set my makeup in place whilst not looking cakey and are only £3.99. 
Rimmel Foundations
After buying this, I opted for the shade 010 Light Porcelain, which I find to be a pretty good match for me, I think I’ve realised that I am no longer a fan of ‘dewy-looking’ foundations. The foundation definitely delivers on its claims. It instantly illuminates the skin with a healthy radiant glow, but for someone who is prone to oiliness throughout the day, the need to blot with powder or a tissue is perhaps a little too much maintenance for me. If I use a minimal amount of this, to get a really light coverage, this makes my skin look lovely, but if I opt for the medium coverage that this is capable of, I must be ready with my powder brush. So in a nutshell, if you have dry-normal skin ,you will love the dewiness that this gives, but if your skin is oily, the radiance that this gives might be a bit much.
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation
I have been using this foundation for a number of months now, and I love it. I’d been loyal to the CYO Lifeproof Long Lasting Foundation, but as this has been discontinued, I was on the hunt for something similar to replace it. Thankfully, this has been a great replacement - I just need to master which shade to pick. As we aren’t able to swatch foundations in-store at the minute, I opted for 100 Ivory, which is just a touch too dark for me, but applied with the right brush, still looks natural on my skin.
This foundation gives me the perfect [full] coverage and I don't even need to use a foundation. I have combination skin, and this will keep my oily t-zone under control and the addition of SPF 20 is a great bonus.
I’d recommend this to anyone who needs a good everyday foundation. Despite being full coverage, this doesn’t feel heavy on your skin and I haven’t had any problems with this looking dry/patchy when my skin is on the drier side. It’s super comfortable and breathable and looks like skin. I haven’t had any issues with this oxidising and will apply great with a sponge or stippling brush and is long lasting on the skin for everyday use.
Rimmel Primers
My final favourite from Rimmel would have to be their Fix and Perfect primer. It does not break me out and transforms any cakey foundations that I have and helps to keep my foundation in place all day. You may know that I went through a phase of hating my Bourjois 123 Foundation as no matter how I applied this my face looked cakey however when using this before my foundation, the cakeyness was completely gone. What makes Rimmel products even better is the price as they are extremely affordably and are frequently on offer so if you haven't checked out their lipsticks, powders or primer I highly urge you to.
What are your favourites from Rimmel? Let me know below!
Beth xx
