Rejuvenating breaks and warm welcomes
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When the air turns crisp and peak season winds down, winter offers your clients the chance to experience a quieter and more intimate side of Britain. Wander winter landscapes, enjoy British traditions and warm up in cosy inns and countryside wellness retreats. Here’s a glimpse of what awaits in 2026.
Lake District
What to do
Mountain Goat Tours, various departure points
Discover the Lake District with Mountain Goat Tours, which runs small-group trips to the region with expert guides. Travelling by minibus, your clients will visit historic landmarks and film locations, with stories of famous residents like Beatrix Potter along the way – and perhaps an optional pub lunch between stops. Itineraries include boat cruises on Lake Windermere and stops at medieval villages, including Hawkshead, where Wordsworth went to school. Themed half- and full-day tours depart from Ambleside, Bowness, Kendal, Liverpool, Manchester and Windermere.
Getting there: The nearest major airport is Manchester Airport. Direct trains to Kendal or Windermere take around one hour and 40 minutes.
Windermere Lake Cruises
Explore England’s largest natural lake on a vintage steamer operated by Windermere Lake Cruises. Departing from Bowness, Ambleside or Lakeside, clients can enjoy the peaceful surroundings with a hot drink in hand, or book a 24-hour ticket and hop off for winter strolls and lunch with a view at one of the lakeside restaurants. Try the Lake View bar, grill and carvery in Bowness or warm up by a roaring fire with a pub roast in a traditional inn, such as The Royal Oak in Ambleside.
Getting there: The nearest international airport is Manchester Airport. The drive to Lake Windermere can take between one hour and 40 minutes to two hours, depending on the destination.
Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage, Grasmere
Step into the world of William Wordsworth at Dove Cottage, the 18th-century poet’s former home in the historic village of Grasmere, where he wrote much of his most celebrated work. The adjoining Wordsworth Museum traces his life and legacy through handwritten manuscripts, personal objects and displays. Afterwards, clients can browse Grasmere’s independent shops, sample traditional gingerbread at Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread, or enjoy lunch by the fire at a traditional inn. Nearby winter walks, such as the two-hour loop around Grasmere and Rydal Water, offer sweeping views of the romantic landscape that inspired Wordsworth’s poetry.
Getting there: It’s around one hour and 40 minutes by car or train from Manchester Airport to Grasmere.
Where to stay
Cedar Manor, Windermere
Tucked away in the heart of the Lake District, Cedar Manor is a family-run boutique hotel in Windermere, championing sustainability with energy-efficient heating, eco-friendly cleaning products, and a food waste reduction programme. The restaurant serves dishes created from regional produce, bringing the flavours of the Lake District to your clients’ plates, all while keeping food miles to a minimum. The manor rooms blend traditional charm with modern sustainable design – think modern four-poster beds with elegant, pared-back detailing and locally made toiletries and organic cotton bedding.
Getting there: Trains run regularly from Manchester Airport to Windermere. Cedar Manor is a ten-minute walk from Windermere train station.
Lindeth Howe Hotel, near Bowness-on-Windermere
Once owned by Beatrix Potter, Lindeth Howe is a 34-bedroom hilltop house hotel with sweeping views of Lake Windemere. Set within landscaped gardens near Bowness-on-Windermere, its interior boasts bay windows, velvet armchairs and period features. Guests can dine at Simon Rogan’s Henrock restaurant, which celebrates seasonal Cumbrian produce, then linger by the fire or watch clouds drift across Lake Windermere from an elegant suite.
Getting there: From Manchester Airport, the hotel is approximately one hour 45 minutes by car.
Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Windermere
Providing luxury with a personal touch, Gilpin offers two distinct escapes in the heart of the Lake District. Clients can choose the elegant Gilpin Hotel, where spa lodges come with private hot tubs and cedarwood saunas, or relax at the exclusive Gilpin Lake House, a six-bedroom sanctuary with its own lake, boathouse and spa. Sustainability meets indulgence here, with locally sourced menus available at Michelin-starred SOURCE and vibrant pan-Asian flavours at Gilpin Spice. Look out for the resident alpacas and llamas too.
Getting there: The nearest major airport is Manchester Airport, around one hour 30 minutes from the hotel by car. Alternatively, clients can take a train from Manchester to Windermere, just a ten-minute taxi ride from the hotel.
More information for the travel trade
More information for the travel trade
Cumbria Tourism: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/traveltrade/
North-east of England
What to do
Blackfriars Restaurant, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Housed in a 13th-century friary in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, Blackfriars is considered one of England’s oldest purpose-built dining rooms. Its vaulted ceiling, stone walls and timbered interiors create a historic backdrop for cosy winter meals, from multi-course banquets to afternoon tea. Alongside dining, Blackfriars hosts a programme of seasonal events and cookery workshops – from ‘Murder Mystery Dinners’ to ‘Bread Making for Beginners’. Winter menus feature hearty regional produce and medieval-inspired dishes.
Getting there: The restaurant is approximately 20 minutes by car or metro from Newcastle Airport.
A Taste of Newcastle Food Tour, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Starting at the Grey Monument on Grainger Street, Triple A Food Tours guided walk ‘A Taste of Newcastle’ weaves through Newcastle’s vibrant food scene, introducing clients to artisan bakers, cheese mongers, craft brewers and other local favourites – such as freshly caught oysters from the Lindisfarne Islands and street food at Grainger Market. Alongside tastings, guides share cultural insights and stories about the North East’s culinary traditions. Clients can buy tickets for this 1.3-mile foodie walk via the VisitBritain Shop, which includes all food and drink offered during the tour.
Getting there: Grainger Street is about 20 minutes by car or metro from Newcastle Airport.
Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Overlooking the North Sea, the 6th-century fortress of Bamburgh Castle (winter opening hours: 10am to 4pm every day) is a screen favourite – from Outlander and The Last Kingdom to Indiana Jonesand the Dial of Destiny. Inside, clients can explore opulent state rooms, an armoury, and a museum dedicated to inventor and industrialist William George Armstrong, who bought and restored the castle in 1894. For those who want to soak it all in after the day-trippers have gone, it’s even possible to stay in the grounds of Bamburgh Castle itself. Book one of the Clock or Neville Towers through Bamburgh Holidays.
Getting there: Bamburgh is around one hour by car from Newcastle Airport.
Where to stay
Hotel Gotham, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Opened in October 2025, the new Hotel Gotham brings a dash of roaring 1920s glamour to the heart of Newcastle. Housed in one of Newcastle’s grandest baroque revival buildings, with decor inspired by the decadence of the Jazz Age, the hotel combines marble-clad interiors, velvet furnishings and period lighting to create an atmosphere straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. Expect plush emperor beds, art deco detailing and bathrooms with sparkling fittings. By night, guests can pop into the exclusive Club Brass for live jazz or sip signature cocktails in the speakeasy-style Fire Bar. The Siren Restaurant, with a farm-to-fork ethos, serves classic British dishes with a modern twist.
Getting there: Hotel Gotham is approximately 20 minutes by car from Newcastle Airport.
Langley Castle Hotel, Hexham, Northumberland
Built in the 14th century, Langley Castle Hotel looks like a storybook fortress, complete with battlements and arrow slits. Inside, luxury awaits: Feature Rooms such as the Derwentwater Room offer high ceilings, indulgent spa baths and four-poster beds, while Deluxe Castle Rooms showcase original stonework and window seats overlooking the grounds. Clients can enjoy fine, ‘castle-to-table’ dining in the sumptuous Josephine Restaurant decked out with red brocade curtains and original wood beams. Walks along nearby Hadrian’s Wall and changing seasonal events like stargazing trips to Kielder Observatory in Northumberland National Park add to the winter magic.
Getting there: The hotel is around 40 minutes by car from Newcastle Airport.
Battlesteads Bar and Restaurant, Wark, Northumberland
Located in the Northumberland village of Wark, on the edge of the Kielder Water and Forest Park, Battlesteads is a former 18th-century coaching inn with 22 rooms, a restaurant, and its own Dark Sky Observatory. One of only two hotels in Northumberland to hold a Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme, the site is carbon-neutral, powered by solar panels and a biomass boiler, and grows vegetables in on-site polytunnels for its seasonal menus. In winter, clients can join guided evening astronomy sessions or explore nearby Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Forest by day.
Getting there: Battlesteads is around 50 minutes by car from Newcastle Airport.
The Bailiffgate Hotel, Alnwick, Northumberland
Since opening in May 2025, the Bailiffgate Hotel has breathed new life into the Georgian buildings of the former Duchess’s High School in central Alnwick. A contemporary five-storey extension now features alongside the historic façade, overlooking the Barbican entrance to Alnwick Castle. Its 48 rooms, suites and apartments retain original period features, including shuttered windows and corniced ceilings, which are juxtaposed with modern interiors. On the ground floor, a bar and restaurant under chef Paul Blakey offers seasonal Northumbrian produce, celebrating the region’s culinary heritage.
Getting there: The hotel is around 45 minutes by car from Newcastle Airport.
More information
More information for the Travel Trade
Destination North East England: https://traveltrade.destinationnortheastengland.co.uk
Eastern Scotland
What to do
Dundee Rep Theatre
Catch cutting-edge drama at Dundee Rep, home to Scotland acclaimed acting ensemble as well as Scottish Dance Theatre. The theatre has produced numerous acclaimed and award-winning productions, including the Scottish premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning August: Osage County, and stages everything from Tennessee Williams to new Scottish writing. Clients can enjoy a pre-or post-performance meal at The Rep Restaurant or browse the shop for branded gifts – from tote bags to t-shirts.
Getting there: Dundee is approximately one hour and 15 minutes by car from Edinburgh Airport. Trains from Edinburgh Waverley station in the centre of the city to Dundee take around one hour and ten minutes.
V&A Dundee
Marvel at V&A Dundee, housed in a striking building clad in horizontal concrete panels. Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, it seeks to evoke thoughts of the Scottish coastline and its rugged cliffs. Inside Scotland’s first design museum, clients can explore exhibits on everything from Scottish design to global fashion. Highlights include the restored Oak Room by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and touring exhibitions from the London V&A. After an afternoon of exploring the collection, relax at the Tatha Bar and Kitchen or browse the museum shop for gifts and design-related books. Travel Trade Group Bookings are available via the museum’s website.
Getting there: Dundee is approximately one hour and 15 minutes by car from Edinburgh Airport. Trains from Edinburgh Waverley station in the centre of the city to Dundee take from one hour 10 minutes.
Royal Whisky and Cheese Tour, Ballatar, Aberdeenshire
Nothing says refined indulgence quite like a whisky and cheese pairing – and this Royal Deeside tour by Bothies and Bannocks doesn’t disappoint. Clients will sip drams fit for the palace at Royal Lochnagar Distillery and visit the Old Station in Ballatar to get a glimpse of the royal train carriage. Add in local cheeses from Cambus O’May Creamery alongside artisan bites at a local bakery cafe, and your clients can have a tasting experience that’s as rich in royal history as it is in flavour.
Getting there: Ballater is around one hour and 15 minutes by car from Aberdeen Airport, and approximately two hours and 45 minutes from Edinburgh Airport.
Castle Fraser Garden and Estate, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
This fairy-tale fortress is one of Scotland’s grandest tower houses – and inside, it’s all sweeping staircases, secret trapdoors and rooms packed with period treasures. With extensive parklands, a walled garden boasting specimen trees and herbaceous borders, Castle Fraser Garden and Estate is made for romantic winter walks. Keep an eye out for highland cattle and red squirrels along the trails – and ghosts in the tower, if the stories are to be believed…
Getting there: Castle Fraser is around 25 minutes by car from Aberdeen Airport, and approximately two hours and 20 minutes from Edinburgh Airport.
Stargazing at Howe of Torbeg, Cairngorms
A haven for stargazers, Howe of Torbeg offers winter skywatching in the Cairngorms National Park, one of the darkest places in Britain. Crisp winter nights mean longer hours of darkness and clearer skies for spotting constellations, planets and even the occasional meteor. Clients can stay in cosy glamping pods, each equipped with heating and comfortable bedding, or use the on-site observatory with telescopes and binoculars. Regular small-group guided stargazing sessions of up to ten people provide expert commentary.
Getting there: Howe of Torbeg is approximately one hour by car from Inverness Airport. Alternatively, the site is around three hours by car from Edinburgh Airport.
Where to stay
Saplinbrae Hotel, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire
Tucked into the rolling Aberdeenshire countryside, Saplinbrae welcomes clients with stone-built farmstead buildings, timbered interiors and open fires that hint at its 18th-century coaching-inn roots. Alongside stylish rooms, clients can settle into self-catering log cabins – including the three-bedroom lodge with its wood-burning stove, sofa-bed and roomy kitchen-living space. For something grander, the four-double-en-suite Shooting Lodge sleeps eight and feels like a storybook hunting hideaway: timber beams, comfy sofas, generous dining space and wide windows overlooking the grounds. Set on the estate of Saplinbrae House in Mintlaw, it’s a scenic base for wintry escapes.
Getting there: The hotel is around 30 minutes by car from Aberdeen Airport.
The Fife Arms, Turiff, Aberdeenshire
Nestled in the Cairngorms National Park, The Fife Arms is what happens when a traditional Scottish hunting lodge meets world-class art and Scottish eccentricity. Owned by gallerists Hauser and Wirth, the interiors are a treasure hunt – Picasso sketches, contemporary sculpture, tartan armchairs, antlers, taxidermy and watercolours painted by Queen Victoria herself. It’s where Highland tradition goes haute couture. Enjoy scenic views over Braemar and the surrounding Highland landscapes from the Victorian suites decorated with antique furniture and period wallpaper. In the evening, your clients can channel their inner bon viveur at the glamorous Berties Whisky Bar – think plush red velvet sofas, dimmed lights and dark wood-paneling all round.
Getting there: The Fife Arms is around one hour and 15 minutes by car from Aberdeen Airport, and approximately two hours and 15 minutes from Edinburgh Airport.
Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder
Indulge in classic luxury at Gleneagles, the traditional five-star hotel built in 1924 known as the ‘Riviera in the Highlands’. A star of HBO’s Succession, this 850-acre estate offers three championship golf courses, a falconry school, an equestrian centre, and even off-road driving. Only a 20-minute drive from Perth city centre, guests can enjoy two Michelin-starred dining at the Andrew Fairlie restaurant or sip cocktails in the elegant 1920s-style American Bar.
Getting there: Gleneagles is around one hour and 10 minutes by car from either Edinburgh or Glasgow airports.
More information for the Travel Trade
More information for the Travel Trade
Visit Scotland:https://traveltrade.visitscotland.org/
