The most romantic honeymoon destinations in Britain

Friday 15 July 2016

If like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle you’re in the process of planning your honeymoon, why not take inspiration from some of Britain’s most romantic locations for your first holiday as a married couple.

 

Chewton Glen, New Forest
Rise above it all in Chewton Glen's Treehouses, which seamlessly blend Chewton Glen's luxury style with a forest-canopy setting. Check into a Treehouse Hideaway Suite, soak in your private outdoor hot tub on the terrace deck or cuddle up in front of the wood burner, then stroll along the glass-covered walkway hand-in-hand to your bedroom pod - all with unforgettable forest canopy views. Chewton Glen is on the edge of the New Forest, 90 miles south west of London.

 

Bryn Eglur, Wales
At Bryn Eglur, in west Wales you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd retreated back to the 18th century. Built in 1755, this typical Welsh smallholder's cottage has been lovingly restored to that era, with lime-washed walls, an antique Welsh box bed, inglenook fireplace and cherry-red Rayburn stove. Apart from a bathroom with a roll-top bath, the place is refreshingly lacking in modern gadgetry, meaning you'll have all the time in the world to simply focus on each other. You'll find Bryn Eglur a two-hour drive west of Cardiff.

 

Brassington, Peak District
Film lovers should head to Town Street Barn, a self-catering apartment tucked away in the eaves of Brassington, a village on the edge of the Peak District, three hours north of London. Inside, you'll find a roll-top bath positioned under a sky light in the bedroom - perfect for stargazing - and your own mini cinema; the ‘Brassington Picture House' even has a retro cabinet stocked with traditional cinema snacks.

 

Middleton Hall, Northumberland
You'll have otters for neighbors at the romantic Boathouse at Middleton Hall in Northumberland, north-east England. Standing on stilts on the edge of the lake, the open-plan design and floor-to-ceiling windows take full advantage of the views across the water. Get even closer to the otters and birds that also call this lake home with a jaunt in the flat-bottomed rowing boat that's included in the stay.

 

County Down, Northern Ireland
Equally romantic is Helen's Tower, a granite tower perched high on a wooded hill top in Co Down, Northern Ireland. Named after Helen Selina Blackwood (the mother of the 5th Baron of Dufferin and Ava), a number of poems written in her honor by the likes of Tennyson, Robert Browning and Rudyard Kipling are inscribed in the tower's wood-panelled octagonal poetry room. Make your sweetheart swoon as you read them out. Game of Thrones' fans may be more impressed by the tower's history as a filming location for the award-winning TV series.

 

Isle of Mull, Scotland
For the ultimate honeymoon-in-a-castle retreat, book The Tower Rooms in Glengorm Castle, on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. This unique serviced apartment has access to the roof looking over the castle's fairytale turrets and the Compass Room, a secluded room with knee-quivering views in all four directions. When you've had your fill of the view, join the six-hour guided Volcano wildlife walk and spot red deer, peregrine falcons and golden eagles before collapsing into your king-sized bed.

 

Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
The only thing more romantic than soaking in a hot tub together is soaking in a wooden hot tub on a cliff top with far-reaching Atlantic views, with Champagne! The Scarlet Hotel on the rugged north coast of Cornwall in south-west England is a luxury adults-only eco hotel that refuses to compromise when it comes to guilt-free pampering. Even better, the spa really knows its stuff when it comes to indulging newlyweds. Try the four-hour Rediscover (for couples) with Ayurvedic Massages and follow your hot tub with a hammam, synchronised full body massages and an enormous scented bath.

 

Scottish Highlands
If your idea of romance involves the open road, head for the hills - the Scottish Highlands to be precise. McKinlay Kidd's Highlands and Islands Honeymoon tour sees you and your new spouse zoom between some indescribably romantic places and experiences, from a round-island yacht cruise and the enchanting Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye, to an indescribably romantic hotel tucked away at the end of a glen and along one of the world's greatest drives through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park - all in a cute Mini Cooper.

 

The Cotswolds
Alternatively, in the picture-perfect Cotswolds, west England, you can cruise along hedge-lined country lanes, over sheep-speckled hills and through honey-stone villages in classic cars that will make you drool; think Jaguar E-type convertibles, MGB Roadsters and Rolls Royce Silver Shadows. But for serious wow appeal, hire an open-top Morgan sports car direct from the Morgan factory in nearby Malvern. Don't miss Copse Hill Road in Lower Slaughter, apparently Britain's most romantic street.

 

Bath, Wiltshire
In Bath, south-west England, you can take to the skies in a hot-air balloon for an aerial view of the city's Roman remains and curvaceous Georgian crescents. Book Bath Balloon's Exclusive Champagne Flights for Two (plus the pilot, of course) and follow up your flight with a dip in the rooftop pool at Bath Thermae Spa. Jane Austen fans should take a stroll along Gravel Walk too; it's where Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth finally agree to marry in Persuasion.

 

Machynlleth, Wales

Newlyweds who love their food can book the Michelin Dining Package at Ynyshir Hall, an award-winning luxury country house hotel in mid Wales, just over two hours north of Cardiff. Sit at the Chef's Table and watch Head Chef Gareth Ward and his team create a surprise tasting menu just for the two of you; it's the ultimate private-dining experience, in one of Wales' best restaurants. For added kudos, request the Vermeer room, where Richard Gere stayed while filming First Knight; the separate sitting room and walk-in closet help amp up the romance factor too.

 

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Chewton Glen Tree House Exterior
Town Street Barn, The Peak District
The Scarlet Hotel Hot tub
Royal Hot air balloons over Bath's Victoria Park