The UK’s most unusual attractions and events to visit
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The UK has a host of attractions and events for both travellers from abroad and Brits to visit every year. The most familiar might be world-famous attractions such as Stonehenge, Glastonbury Festival and Buckingham Palace but what about the more obscure and unusual attractions?
The UK is home to plenty of weird and wacky attractions and events that can be equally as exciting as the more familiar. In this post we take you through our five favourites:
Cheese-rolling in Gloucestershire
The annual cheese-rolling event in Gloucestershire is considered one of the world’s most bizarre. Every May, thousands gather around Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire to keep this tradition alive.
In simple terms, the event consists of entrants chasing a wheel of cheese down a rather steep hill. The first runner to get to the bottom of the hill wins the contest and a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese.
It’s by no means a safe event, though, and many contestants get hospitalised every year by falling at high speeds down the hill. We recommended you opt for spectating! And once the event is over make sure you explore the regions rolling countryside and historic attractions.
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling 2019 takes place on 27th May.
The Crooked House pub
We Brits love a pub and they don’t come much more unique than The Crooked House in Dudley.
This pub looks like it’s sinking on its left-hand side, creating a wonky appearance. The leaning walls give many optical illusions. Ask staff ask the bar staff for a marble and watch it as it appears to roll uphill.
If you’re staying in Birmingham, this pub is well worth the short trip!
Puffin spotting
Did you know that you could go puffin spotting in the UK? Well, between May and July, tens of thousands of the beautiful birds descend on Farne Island every year for breeding season. England’s largest collection of grey seals can also be seen lounging on the rocks.
Mother Shipton’s Cave
Mother Shipton’s Cave is England’s oldest visitor attraction, opening up way back in 1630! The cave is where the 17th-century prophetess lived, who predicted the Great Fire of London, the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the advent of modern technology.
The cave is home to ‘The Petrifying Well’ that has various spooky items hanging from a rope along the cave wall. Folklore says that everything which touches the well’s water turns into stone!
The cave can be found in Knaresborough, just outside of Harrogate.
Royston Cave
To finish us off we’ve got another cave! The Royston Cave in Hertfordshire was discovered by accident in 1742, revealing an underground man-made chalk cave with a range of medieval wall carvings. The cave is believed to date all the way back to the 14th century.
The carvings include strange religious imagery and studies have revealed that it may have been used by the Knights Templar.
This cave is one of the least well-known attractions in the UK but perhaps the most fascinating.
UK car hire
Wherever you are looking to visit in 2019, whether it’s a popular or obscure attraction, Green Motion can help in getting you there. With 20 locations around the UK, we make car hire easy. For more information about the range of vehicles available, browse our online booking platform.
