Places to visit and photograph in the UK

Marcel

Marcel

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Marcel
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This all started when I wanted to take my family out for a drive out somewhere, and also take my camera along with me for some photography opportunity.
When my wife said "Where shall we go" I was stumped for ideas.

We ended up having a lovely walk round Hollinworth Lake nr Rochdale, but I think it would be beneficial if we had some sort of definitive list where people can get some ideas of where to go, should they need some inspiration.

Post your suggestions in here, and I'll copy them, format them in the correct style, and edit them into the top posts in here. I'll be regularly keeping this thread tidy so all information should be on the first page. You can use the convenient in-thread links in the next post to navigate the areas.

I think we would benefit from as much information as possible, so please try to add as much info as you can. I'll start with the first one, and lets take it from there. If you think any more information is required, or you have any ideas, then please don't hesitate to say so.

Also, I've tried to keep the list of areas down, so if I place your suggestion in the wrong area (eg, North West instead of North East), then sorry! :D
 
North West England


Hollingworth Lake | Multimap | Web Site
(Submitted by Marcel)
Where : Littleborough, just outside Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Price : Free
Parking : On site. Pay and display. 50p for up to 2 hours. More if longer. Free parking 6pm-8am.
Food / Drink / Toilets : Visitor Centre with toilets
Photograph opportunities : * Sailing (rowing, dinghys, windsurfing) * Lots of people (busy in the summer months), inc. Families with kids, couples, elderly * Water (obviously) * Nice sunsets over the lake * Birdlife (via a hide). * Woodland (inc nature reserve)

"There is still something here for everyone with excellent lakeside restaurants and pubs, craft shops and entertainments. The one-and-a-half mile walk around the lake is an easy and relaxing stroll; call into the bird hide for to view the wide variety of birdlife in the nature reserve and there are picnic and play areas along the route."


West Kirby Marine Lake | Multimap | Webcam
(Submitted by Dave)
Where : West Kirby, Wirral. Looks out to River Dee (and Wales).
Price : Free
Parking : Free, waterfront.
Food / Drink / Toilets : Morrisons for Food, Tea Factory for decent sit down coffee. Toilets in Morrisons or waterfront.
Photograph opportunities : * Boats, Yachts, Windsurfers, sunsets, marine walkway, Hilbre Island for unique birds, seals, herons etc...



Chatsworth House and Gardens | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Gary Bagshawe)
Where : Chatsworth, about 15 miles east of Macclesfield
Price : Parks=Free, the rest is dependant on which bit you visit, check website.
Parking : £1.50
Food/Drink/Toilets : Onsite, check website.

"The gardens alone will take a day to explore properly and the photo opportunities are everywhere."



Salford Quays Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Steve)
Where : Just outside Manchester
Price : Free (dependant on what you do there). The Lowry and Imperial War Museum are free to enter and look around.
Parking : Parking in the multi-storey car park is free for an hour and reasonable after that. It is free for the duration of your visit if you buy ANYTHING in the outlet and get your car park ticket run through a machine in the shop ;)
Food / Drink / Toilets : Burger king, Harry Ramsdens et al inside the Lowry Outlet Mall. Various shops dotted around, and a Tesco Express nearby on Trafford Road. Toilets in the Lowry Outlet Mall.[/b]

"Regenerated area of Salford that now contains offices and residential property as well as the Lowry and Imperial War Museum. Many “quays” have been cleaned up and are used for boating, swimming and other water sports. A shopping centre/outlet village for the wife to mooch around, a multiplex cinema and many eating and drinking places for refreshments."



Formby Point and Squirrel Reserve Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Matt)
Where : Formby, Liverpool (Inbetween Liverpool and Southport)
Opening Times : Daily, Dawn til Dusk.
Price : Free
Parking : Onsite, £3.20
Food/Drink/Toilets : Picnic area and WC onsite, also Nearest Public House: The Grapes, Green Lane, Formby.
Photograph opportunities : * Red Squirrels and a large variety of birds. * Sand dunes * Lovely beach and coastline.

"As you enter head to the left of the road for the squirrels. Take plenty of hazel nuts to keep these little chaps interested.
Get there early as it can get busy."



Hebden Bridge and Hardcastle Crags | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by JBHammond)
Where : West Yorkshire
Price : N/A
Parking : Lots (Chargable)
Food/Drink/Toilets : Lots of food and drink/shops etc.

"Hebden Bridge is surrounded by a landscape of steep sided woodland valleys, above which are the open moors of the South Pennines. Of special mention is the village of Heptonstall, again a great place for photography. One mile away is the National Trust owned Hard Castle Crags. Again just like the town, full of good photo opportunities. There is a car park (charged) and a cafe (coming soon!).
Both sites are easily reach by road (15-20 minutes off the M62, or by public transport being on the rail link between Manchester & Leeds."



Lyme Park | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Mancunian Lee)
Where : Cheshire
Price : House & Garden: £6.50, child £3.30, family £17. House only: £5, child £2.50. Garden only: £3.50, child £2. The Cage: £1
Parking : Parking, £4.50. (£2 motorbike) refunded on purchase of adult house & garden ticket.
Food/Drink/Toilets : Ale Cellar restaurant (licensed) in house. Children's menu. Park Coffee Shop in workshop courtyard. Children's menu. Ice-cream kiosk in main car park
Photograph opportunities : Medieval deer park with Englands largest collection of Red and Fallow deer. Big posh house and gardens. Big lake and the set of Pride and Prejedice.
 
North East England

Northumberland Coast | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Adrian)
Where : Northumberland
Price : N/A
Parking : Unknown
Food/Drink/Toilets : Unknown
Photograph opportunities : Coastline, white beaches, harbour villages, castles, the Farne Islands, seals, puffins, bridges, fortifications. Many more.

"From Tynemouth in the south with its magnificent Priory, there are long white beaches, especially Druridge Bay, beautiful harbour villages, Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh and Warkworth castles, the Farne Islands, Lindisfarne, seals, seabirds (including puffins), to Berwick, with it's unique bridges and fortifications, the Northumbrian Coast offers any photographer thousands of opportunities."
 
South England


Avebury Stone Circle | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by milou)
Where : Avebury, Wiltshire
Price :
Parking : £1, 500yds away.
Food/Drink/Toilets : Picnic Area and nearby "The Circle Restaurant".

"The most important and impressive ancient site in Europe."
 
South East England


Groombridge Place Gardens & Enchanted Forest | Multimap | Web Site
(Submitted by EosD)
Where : Tunbridge Wells, Kent ()
Price : Adults £8.50, Seniors £7.20, Children (7-12yr) £7.00, Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 kids) £29.50
Parking : On site.
Food / Drink / Toilets : Restaurant on site, not sure of toilets. Would assume so.
Photograph opportunities : * Gardens, flora, people (see website for ideas)

"Great for the kids and a raptor display too, events during the summer including a Ferrari and Balloon fair."



Drusillas Park(Zoo) | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by EosD)
Where : East Sussex
Price : £8.00-£11.75 per person, dependant on age, and peak/offpeak day. Family tickets etc available. Check website.
Parking : Onsite
Food/Drink/Toilets : Onsite
Photograph opportunities : Its a zoo, so...animals!. Best check the website for exact list, but most 'standard' zoo animals are there, including meerkats, otters, coatis, crocodiles, snakes, mongooses, flamingoes, lemurs and penguins, and many more.

"its a Zoo, has small animals like meerkats, prairie dogs, otters and monkeys, great for kids and us big kids with cameras, the shooting conditions are not perfect, but being tall or taking a box to stand on(picnic box anyone??) will get you just high enough to get some cracking shots."


London | Multimap | Website
(Submitted by Peyre)
Where : South of the Watford Gap
Price : NA
Parking : Good luck
Food/Drink/Toilets : Onsite
Photograph opportunities : People, architecture, greenspace, urban environment, famous landmarks, just about everything.
 
Wales



Portmeiron | Multimap | Web Site
(Submitted by Mike)
Where : Llyn Peninsula in North Wales
Price : NA
Parking : Unknown
Food / Drink / Toilets : Unknown
Photograph opportunities : * Various

"Portmeirion on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales is one of my favourite places to visit - and photograph. I find the history of the Village and it's creator (Sir Clough Williams-Ellis) fascinating"
 
Lyme Park

http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/stately homes/lyme park.htm

Where : Lyme Park, Disley, Stockport, Cheshire SK12 2NX http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&search_result=&db=pc&lang=&keepicon=true&pc=SK122NX&advanced=&client=public&addr2=&quicksearch=SK12+2NX&addr3=&addr1=
Price : £6.50 for the house and gardens £3.50 gardens only, everything else is free
Parking : Included in the price
Food/Drink/Toilets : :shrug: there's plenty of trees if they dont though :eek:
Photograph opportunities : Medieval deer park with Englands largest collection of Red and Fallow deer. Big posh house and gardens. Big lake and the set of Pride and Prejedice.

Im hopefully going this week (y)

Hope ive submitted it ok:D do you just add it and delete my post?
 
Mancunian Lee said:
Hope ive submitted it ok:D do you just add it and delete my post?
Click to expand...

Yup (y)

I'll sort it out later, cheers for the post dude :)
 
Scotland!!!

Hope this is right place to post!!!

Queens View

Where: Queen's View, Pitlochry, Perthshire
Parking: Car park I believe there is a charge during the tourist summer months, no charge during winter.
Food/Drink/Toilets: There are toilets on site as far as food and drink goes you are not far away from the Village of Pitlochry and can eat there.
Photograph Opportunities: Stunning views down Water, with hillsides and little tree covered mounds in the middle of the water. Stunning at sunset.

Forth Road Bridges

Where: Forth Road Bridges
Parking: There are many places to go to take pics with free car parking. Down in South Queensferry itself, lots of parking there, the top car park higher than South Queensferry, huge car park or across the bridge to the north, Dalgety Bay and North Queensferry.
Food/Drink/Toilets: Scattered about and service stations, you will be fine!
Photography Opportunities: At the time the longest suspension bridge in Europe and a huge train bridge. Well known and well photographed. Stunning at sunset and nighttime. Just along from the bridges is Hopetoun House Also well worth a look.

New Lanark & Falls of Clyde

Where: New Lanark, Lanarkshire
Parking: Car parking not usually a problem, huge car parks with a bit of a walk to the tourist centre.
Food/Drink/Toilets: All in the Visitor Centre, well catered for, nothing on the way to the falls of clyde, plenty of tree's!!
Photography Opportunities: Old 17th Centuary woollen mill with a visitor centre and experience. A walk along the Clyde is the falls of a clyde a stunning waterfall with loads of odds and ends along the way!


Hopefully more soon!!! :D
 
Indeed it is trinity, thanks! I'll add your information shortly :)
 
More Scotland stuff (South East - Lothians)

Edinburgh
Location: MultiMap
Parking: Many carparks in town or use the park & ride facilities available on most of the main roads into town.
Food, Drink & Toilets: All over the place.
Photography Opertunities:
  • Edinburgh Castle
  • Calton Hill
  • Princes Street Gardens
  • Old Town
  • Arthurs Seat (350 million year old volcano) with spectacular views.
  • Any old town street during festival time (August).


Beecraigs Park
Location: MultiMap
Parking: 3 seperate car parks thoughout the area
Food, Drink & Toilets: Welcome to mother nature. ;) There is a restaraunt at the east car park.
Photography Opertunities:
  • Wildlife (birds, squirrels, boar (apparently), deer)
  • Views
  • Plant Life (conifer & deciduous woodland)

Tantallon Castle
Location: MultiMap
Parking: Dedicated car park.
Food, Drink & Toilets: May be a toilet available, however North Berwick is only 2 miles away with all the amenities required.
Photography Opertunities:
  • Amazing sunrise shots. Castle is on a cliff edge. You approach from the west. Aproaching from any other direction requires flight.

North Berwick
Location: MultiMap
Parking: Plenty
Food, Drink & Toilets: Easily Available
Photography Opertunities:
  • Bird & Sealife Centre
  • Trips to the Bass Rock, the worlds largest Gannett colony.
  • Big wave on rock action. (check tides)


Falconry Scotland
Location: Site
Parking: Should thinks so. Not been to this one as it's moved.
Food, Drink & Toilets: Unknown.
Photography Opertunities:
  • Raptors


Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Location:Site
Parking: oh yes
Food, Drink & Toilets: There are one or two places to grab a bite in Edinburgh
Photography Opertunities:
  • Flowers & Insects


Rosslyn Chapel
Location: Site - blame them if the music drives u to murder
Parking: indubitably
Food, Drink & Toilets: invariably
Photography Opertunities:
  • Beautiful building.
  • Da Vinci Code stuff.


Dirleton Castle
Location: MultiMap
Parking: Indeed
Food, Drink & Toilets: Yes
Photography Opertunities:
  • Lovely gardens & castle



Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World
Location: Site
Parking: Peeeelenty
Food, Drink & Toilets: Yes, restaraunt in the garden centre next door.
Photography Opertunities:
  • Bugs!


Knockhill Racing Circuit
Location: Site
Parking: Extensive
Food, Drink & Toilets: Yes
Photography Opertunities:
  • Motor Racing - Particularly good as at places you can be within 30ft of the track.
 
Are there no places of beauty in East Anglia? :(
 
Probably :nuts: Just no one has submitted them to the thread :D
 
Oops.
 
For west midlands:

If you're passing Bromsgrove/Redditch or anywhere near that area, Avoncroft Museum is worth a visit. Full of old buildings and is a great day out. I work there one day a week so come say hello. I wouldn't go out of you way to visit though, it's not that good.. The website is here.

Also West Midlands safari park and Dudley Zoo are good days out.
 
If you are looking for some fantastic scenery the Isle of Skye is definately the place to go, one of the most beautiful places in the world.
 
jaimej said:
If you are looking for some fantastic scenery the Isle of Skye is definately the place to go, one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Click to expand...

Skye is wonderful - agreed. From the Skye Bridge to the wonderful rock formations on the Trotternish (?) peninsular. Mull is another lovely Island - photo opportunities start on the ferry leaving Oban - watch out for the castles on Mull as you start to come round the Island heading for Craignure. And anywhere in the Outer Hebrides as well......beautiful!
 
Suffolk isn't that great, but Flatford Mill and the Dedham vale are always worth a look.
:D :woot:
 
east anglia.
i studied photography in norwich and there are some amazing places on the north coast of the county. wells next sea has an amazing beach with a row of huts on stilts and a pine forest that grows right up into the dunes well worth a visit just up the coast is cley with its windmill and reedbeds which if you are visiting wells is not far away.
 
Marcel said:
Scotland
Click to expand...

Easdale - A small island on the west coast of Scotland just south of Oban.... Beautiful place. Sunsets can be stunning.

In fact most of the west coast of Scotland is amazing :)

I'll add more.....

regards
Jim
 
Bempton RSPB Reserve in East Yorkshire.

They have a visitor centre with a carpark and toilets, and they sell snacks like flapjacks and crisps, also sell books and fluffy gannet and puffin toys :D

Photography Opertunities:

Birds, darn it, birds!

Gannets, kittiwakes (and other gulls), razorbills, guillemots, puffins.

Also pied wagtails, jackdaws and sparrows in the picnic area.

And of course landscape shots of the cliffs.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/bemptoncliffs/index.asp

Go in April/May to see the puffins.

gannet2.jpg
 
Marcel said:
Wales



Portmeiron | Multimap | Web Site
(Submitted by Mike)
Where : Llyn Peninsula in North Wales
Price : NA
Parking : Unknown
Food / Drink / Toilets : Unknown
Photograph opportunities : * Various

"Portmeirion on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales is one of my favourite places to visit - and photograph. I find the history of the Village and it's creator (Sir Clough Williams-Ellis) fascinating"
Click to expand...

Southerndown in South Wales
The Gower Peninsula
North Pembrokeshire, around Cardigan, Prescellis & Newport
Strumble Head
Brecon Beacons
Penarth - Old Victorian seafront with pier.
 
*Bump* Few people seem to have been asking if anyone knows any locations in certain places. Dont forget this little place :D
 
south west england

haldon forest near exeter

great fo flowers and little bugs

also great for far reaching landscapes and a cool view of belvedere castle which looks like something out of harry potter
google belvedere castle to see what i mean
[i might of spelt it wrong]
 
Fermanagh if you want green and the certainty of rain ;)

We do have some awesome ruins and castles too

Linky
 
SOUTH EAST

Can I add in St Albans in Hertfordshire and its environs. The town its self is quite pretty with the clock tower, the cathedral is a stunner. Not far away is Kingsbury Watermill, and Redbournebury Watermill. Easily a day filler if you do all three.
More info Here

NORTH WEST/MIDLANDS/WALES

Ludlow town and castle and Iron Bridge Gorge - about 20 minute drive from each other in Shropshire, both very photogenic with centuries old architecture, and some stunning countryside in between.
 
Where : Jervaulx Abbey near Masham, North Yorkshire
Price : £2. The site is unmanned so put payment into the honesty box at the entrance to the ruins
Parking : Across the road - £1 in the honesty box
Food / Drink / Toilets : Excellent cafe and small plant centre across the road next to the parking area. Loos inside the cafe
Photograph opportunities : Picturesque ruins
More info : http://www.jervaulxabbey.com/

From the car park cross the road and walk about 150 yards through the park, past a holy well to the fenced ruins. Honesty box on your left through the gate.

Unspoilt ruins of a major Cistercian abbey, said to have been the second largest in England and now in private ownership.

Unlike almost all other such ruined abbeys open to the public, Jervaulx has not been cleaned up for tourists by English Heretics, although the owners have mown areas such as the cloisters and the interior of some of the buildings. For the most part the site has been allowed to run to nature and is famed for its profusion of spring and summer wildflowers growing on, out of and around the remains of the walls. Also likely to be highly atmospheric on a misty winter's day with dead grass, nettles etc against the lichened stone.

The remains of the abbey church have been razed almost to ground level, though there is an altar in one of the side chapels, but the walls of other parts of the complex stand almost to roof level. This is very much a site to explore rather than just "visit", and can get virtually anywhere within the ruins if you don't mind squeezing through some of the vegetation.
 
Calling North Yorkshire bods

Ok, next Sunday I am off up to Catterick for 4 days to spend some time with a friend and fellow photographer. Already got Jervaulx Abbey on the list thanks to Woadrage, and probably a sunrise at Whitby [weather permitting], but anyone got any more ideas in say a 40 mile radius of Catterick?? She has only just moved to the area, so is nearly as much in the dark as I am, so any ideas or pointers would be much appreciated. ;)
 
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