The list of top 40 UK experiences everybody should do before turning 40 has been revealed – and it includes two incredible things to do in Oxfordshire.
The must-do list includes a night under Northumberland’s International Dark Sky Park, a road rip along Scotland’s Coast 400 and a visit to Birmingham’s Balti Triangle.
Other experiences include walking round the picturesque village of Portmeirion, Wales, and visiting Devon and Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast to discover prehistoric fossils.
The list was put together by a group of travel experts and voted on by 2,000 adults aged 18-40. It was commissioned by NatWest, which found that 84 per cent of people still have many places they are ‘yet to explore’ in the UK. More than half said they are keen to rectify this before they reach the big 4-0.
Oxfordshire has made the list twice.
At number 29 on the list of best things to do is walking around Blenheim Palace and visiting the magnificent gardens.
At number 31 is reliving history by walking the 5,000-year-old Neolithic Ridgeway in Oxfordshire – the oldest road in England.
This is the list in full:
1. Stay the night at the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and stargaze into the darkest skies in England
2. Take the ultimate road trip on Scotland’s North Coast 500 and see spectacular wildlife, landscape and imposing Dunrobin Castle
3. Travel to Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, the culinary birthplace of the famous ‘Balti’, for a uniquely British-Asian foodie experience
4. Explore the UK’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers with a staycation on a canal boat
5. Learn bushcraft and survival skills on a wilderness course in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District
6. Go seal spotting for common and grey seals at Blakeney Point Nature Reserve
7. Bask in the early morning sunshine on the golden sands of Porthcurno Beach after an overnight stay in Cornwall
8. Savour world class English wines and book a vineyard tour in Kent
9. Explore Puzzlewood in the Forest Of Dean, the landscape that inspired Tolkien’s ‘Middle Earth’
10. Climb the basalt steps of the Giant’s Causeway in Country Antrim, Northern Ireland
11. Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Pentle Bay, Tresco, and stay by the white sandy shores on the Isles of Scilly
12. Go hiking in Epping Forest, Essex, and get back to nature in a camping pod
13. Take a stroll round the picturesque and colourful Italian style village of Portmeirion, Wales
14. Watch the headline act at Glastonbury Festival, Somerset
15. Hire a traditional punt and sail under the Bridge of Sighs on the River Cam, Cambridge
16. Visit the Turner Contemporary Gallery in the trendy and kitsch seaside town of Margate, Kent
17. Enjoy nature with a touch of luxury while glamping in the New Forest
18. Hike up Mount Snowdon in the Snowdonia National Park, Wales – the highest mountain in England and Wales
19. Tuck into a cream tea from Devon and neighbouring Cornwall and decide which is best
20. Sandboard down ‘The Big Dipper’, Europe’s second largest sand dune, in Methyr Mawr, Wales
21. Visit Devon and Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast to discover prehistoric fossils
22. Tour a former mine 300ft underground at the Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon, Wales
23. Breathe in the fresh sea air during a coastal hike along the Seven Sisters, Sussex
24. Take a scenic drive from Glasgow to Fort William up the A82 for peak Scottish views
25. Cycle along a former railway line, the Tissington trail, in the Peak District
26. Join the parade at Notting Hill Carnival in London, celebrating the UK’s Caribbean history
27. Get a taste of the upper class and visit the real Downton Abbey; Highclere Castle in Hampshire
28. Take a trip to Windsor Castle, Berkshire, and see one of Her Majesty’s residences
29. Book tickets to explore the magnificent palace, park and gardens at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
30. Go on a whiskey tasting tour at a Scottish distillery in Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland or Speyside, in Scotland
31. Relive history by walking the 5,000-year-old Neolithic Ridgeway in Oxfordshire, the oldest road in England
32. Hire a kayak off the beautiful beaches of the Isle of Lewis in Scotland
33. Book a walking gin tour through the iconic pubs and artisan distilleries in Belfast
34. Party in an old brick warehouse in the Baltic Triangle; the thriving cultural hub of Liverpool
35. Take a trip to Manchester and dance the night away in one of the many gay bars lining Canal Street
36. Join the lively London Pride parade as it goes through London
37. Experience the history of the Thames at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London
38. Travel on the oldest, steepest inland electric funicular railway in England on the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway
39. Get an adrenaline rush whilst coasteering cliffs, caves and rockpools in Pembrokeshire
40. Go surfing on the 19 miles of coastline in North Devon
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel