From the stunning scenery found in the Lake District or on the Cornish coast, to bustling cities like Manchester, London and Bristol, England has a lot to offer tourists who come in their droves.
And it’s not just those coming in from abroad – it seems we love exploring right on our doorsteps, with 99.2 million overnight trips to England taken by domestic travellers last year.
So, if you’re looking for some staycation inspo, look now further: Visit England recently announced the winners of their Awards for Excellence, with recognise the best tourism businesses across the country.
And when it came to the best experience that the country has to offer, it was a humble £20 wildlife tour that claimed the top spot.
Head north to Northumberland, and book yourself onto the Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise by Serenity Farne Island Tours.
The Farne Islands are a group of 28 small islands off the coast of Northumberland, between the villages of Bamburgh and Seahouses. The most famous – and largest – is Inner Farne.
Once home to St Cuthbert, a solitary monk who had a reputation for healing, today, no one actually lives on them full time (although National Trust rangers do stay on the islands for months at a time), but they are now an important wildlife reserve.
David Attenborough even once said that the Farne Islands were his favourite place to see ‘magnificent nature’.
On the Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise, wildlife lovers can spot many breeds of seabirds, including eider and razorbill and guillemot.
If you book a trip between April and July, you could get the chance to see mass gatherings of puffins, where they breed and hunt for fish from the North Sea.
And in the autumn and winter months the islands are a hotspot for grey seal pupping. Some visitors have even reported spotting dolphins.
And, tourists have certainly not been disappointed after booking onto the tour.
‘If you are contemplating going [on this] please just do it,’ wrote one reviewer on TripAdvisor. ‘I promise you won’t be disappointed.’
‘Thoroughly enjoyed every second and couldn’t stop smiling,’ added another, who dubbed the tour ‘paradise’.
While another visitor simply said: ‘The time went too quickly.’
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Serenity Farne Island Tours’ Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise is £20 per adult, £15 per child (up to age 15) and under 5s are free.
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