Britain or abroad?

While we’re hitting pause on travelling abroad, it’s a good thing we have the world at our doorstep here in the UK. From charming coastal cities with a Mediterranean feel to opulent Asian palaces, these domestic destinations are the perfect way to take that long-awaited holiday on home soil.

Have you taken any snaps of the UK looking particularly exotic? We want to see them. Send your pictures to theclub@cedarcom.co.uk with the subject line Britain or abroad and we’ll feature our favourites in an upcoming issue.

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Cotswold Lavender, England

Feels like: Provence, France
Come mid-June, a vibrant sea of violet washes over the lavender fields at the third generation Hill Barn Farm located just outside the village of Snowshill. The verdant surrounding English countryside bears a striking resemblance to the South of France, with more than 40 different varieties of lavender scattered across fields spanning 140 miles. Harvest usually runs from the last week of July until early August, but wildflower meadows offer even more to discover – blooming with poppies, daisies and cornflowers.

Portmeirion Village, North Wales

Feels like: Portofino, Italy
The kaleidoscopic hilltop architecture of the Italian Riviera is a quintessential picture of summer, but what if we told you that North Wales had its own coastal cluster? Situated on a 130-acre site along the Snowdonia coastline, architect Clough Williams-Ellis designed vibrant Portmeirion Village between 1925 and 1976 in Italianate style, salvaging many classical buildings which now play host to hotels, a town hall, bell tower, cottages and more. The views over the estuary are breath-taking, as are the walkable woodlands and manicured gardens that border it.

Devon, England

Feels like: Algarve, Portugal
Flanked by dramatic, rugged cliffs, the beaches and inlets of Devon along the Jurassic Coast are some of the country’s most sublime, much like the sandy coves of southernmost Portugal. Ladram Bay near Sidmouth is the UK’s answer to Portimão, with 11 miles of pebbled shoreline and famed for its towering red rock formations that jut out from the water. Farther north in Woolacombe, Barricane Beach offers seclusion and crystal-clear seas in a more sheltered cove, reminiscent of Praia do Camilo, Lagos. According to local folklore, shells found here have been washed ashore from far-flung Caribbean islands.

Shetland, Scotland

Feels like: Tromsø, Norway
There are only a few places in the world that get a glimpse of the Northern Lights, and this archipelago in Scotland’s Northern Isles is one of the lesser known but no less impressive. Free from light pollution, just outside the bustling seaport of Lerwick is one of the best viewpoints for the winter spectacle, but, like popular destinations in Norway and Alaska, witnessing the aurora borealis or ‘mirrie dancers’ (as it is locally known) is more dependent on weather than anything else. Visitors monitor the phenomenon and the best time to catch it using AuroraWatch.

Royal Pavilion, England

Feels like: Agra, India
Brighton: stony beaches, a vibrant music and arts scene, bustling laneways and… the Taj Mahal? Originally built as a pleasure palace by the sea for King George IV, The Royal Pavilion has enjoyed many incarnations over its more than 200 years, from civic building to World War I hospital. Its staggering Indo-Islamic exterior was completed by architect and theatre designer John Nash in 1822 to reflect the king’s lavish and evolving tastes, complete with ornate domes and minarets similar to those of Agra’s 17^th-century Mughal masterpiece.

Glen Etive, Scotland

Feels like: Lake Matheson, New Zealand
With snow-capped mountains, moorland and vast lochs, a drive along the winding roads of the Scottish Highlands is a spectacular experience, especially this scenic stretch, which captures some of its most astounding natural wonders. Among them is Loch Etive, home to its own small colony of seals and accessible by Glen Etive to the north. From here, twin peaks Buachaille Etive Mor – one of the country’s most photographed – and Buachaille Etive Bea create a stunning backdrop, often casting reflections on the water.