Five romantic weekends on a budget

January 2009

Five romantic weekends on a budget

Whisking your other half away on a romantic weekend away might be the last thing on your mind in these wallet-busting times. But with doom and gloom all over the place and Valentine’s weekend fast approaching, there’s no better time to disappear into the sunset for some quality, us-against-the-world time together.

The good news is that a romantic escape doesn’t have to cost the earth. Forget Michelin-starred restaurants, swanky cocktail bars and expensive shopping trips – the key to real romance is ingenuity, not a massive bank balance. Think late night picnics on your hotel room floor and long, lingering (half the price) lunches, or a £10-a-head budget to find each other that perfect souvenir and long walks in the country – all will leave your heart a little lighter, but won’t have the same effect on your wallet. Even finding a cheap train ticket (booked in advance, naturally. For the best fares, check out the brilliant www.thetrainline.com) can start the weekend with a romantic, Brief Encounter-esque flourish - just pack a cheap bottle of bubbly to enjoy en-route.

The trick is to pass your efforts off as thoughtful gestures, rather than desperate measures – banging on about your budget is not generally considered a turn on. To point you in the right direction, here are five of the best romantic weekends in the UK that won’t break the bank.

Remember, love is all you need...


Close to London... Shere, Surrey

This gorgeous little village, just 30 miles from the centre of the city, has impressive romantic credentials. Romcom location scouts love it (a snow-covered Shere is the undoubted star of the Jude Law/Kate Winslet sopfest The Holiday) and it’s easy to see why. Sitting in the heart of the rolling Surrey Hills, with its pretty pub, 12th century village church (star of Bridget Jones) and duck pond, it’s chocolate box Britain at its best. Stay at Rookery Nook a cosy, 15th century b&b in the centre of the village, where the two doubles offer comfy beds, wooden beams and wonky floorboards. The North Downs and nearby Box Hill are on hand for bracing walks and stunning views, or you could visit England’s largest vineyard (www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk Tel: 01306 876616), 8 miles from Shere. A tour of the vines and the winery, plus an English wine tasting costs £7.25.

For a delicious lunch, head to the brilliant Stephan Langton Inn (www.stephan-langton.co.uk Tel: 01306 730775), a lovely 1930s country pub in the grounds of the tranquil Wotton Estate, 5 miles from Shere. Everything that can be is home-made, from the bread to the ice cream to the chutney, while fresh, local produce - some from the estate - makes up the rest of the menu. And all at pub grub prices. If you can’t resist the Michelin stars, do lunch at Drake’s in Ripley Village (www.drakesrestaurant.co.uk Tel: 01483 224777). At £21 for two courses, the lunch deal is amazing value.


Country classic... The Malvern Hills

Rolling and dramatic, but dotted with smart little villages and market towns, the Malvern Hills are the Cotswolds’ lesser-known, but equally as gorgeous next-door neighbour. Stay at Old Country House, a 600-year-old farmhouse between Malvern and Ledbury that’s surrounded on all sides by beautiful countryside and oozes romance - think great big beds with mounds of comfy linen, eclectic furniture, uneven floorboards and low ceilings. Borrow bikes free of charge to explore the miles of paths and trails that criss-cross the hills beyond. For something a bit less strenuous, potter about the ancient market town of Ledbury, six miles away, famous for its Tudor architecture and literary connections, or head for fairytale Eastnor Castle (www.eastnorcastle.com Tel: 01531 633160), an improbably romantic place to spend an afternoon.

The Bell Inn at Bosbury (www.thebellatbosbury.co.uk Tel: 01531 640285) is a gorgeous pub in a gorgeous village, within walking distance of Old Country House (well, just over two miles away), that’s your best bet for an evening meal that won’t clean you out. Otherwise, head for the remarkable Ceci Paolo Deli (www.cecipaolo.com Tel: 01531 632976) in Ledbury for amazing cheeses, breads and meats and enjoy a sumptuous evening picnic.


Beside the sea... Hunstanton

The natural home of the dirty weekend, head to the seaside for a heady swirl of sea air, donkey rides, fish n’ chips and passion. Friendly Hunstanton is hardly Portofino, but it offers miles of beautiful sandy beaches and is the perfect base for exploring the rest of the North Norfolk coastline. Eton Lodge was recently named as one of the five best budget B&Bs in the country. Turning the scary idea of a traditional seaside guest house on its head, it offers modern and sumptuous rooms, with gleaming en-suites and lots of nice little touches. Take walks along the beach or get your adrenalin pumping at Hunstanton’s fun fair. Alternatively, hire a bike (www.fatbirds.co.uk Tel: 01485 535 875, £12 for 4 hours) and follow the coastline east for even more white sand, big skies and the lovely fishing villages at Brancaster and Burnham.

If you like fish and you like chips, then you can eat on a budget to your heart’s content in Hunstanton. Try Fishers of Hunstanton (Tel: 01485 532487) for some of the best in town. Otherwise, head for the well-regarded Neptune Inn (www.theneptune.co.uk Tel: 01485 532122) in pretty Old Hunstanton for a great Sunday lunch (£16.50 for two courses, £20.50 for three). If you setting off for a day’s cycling, pop into the fantastic Wine Cellar Deli (www.winecellardeli.co.uk Tel: 01485 535540) before you go for picnic essentials.


City break... Manchester

Forget Paris and Rome. For a romantic city break with a bit of an edge, Manchester has it all. Stay at the amazing value Atrium Apartments for a taste of stylish city living. This gorgeous, Grade II-listed Victorian building has been cleverly converted into 116 luxury apartments, within spitting distance of Manchester Piccadilly and the city’s main station. Not only is it a great base for exploring, but having your own kitchen means you can bypass the expensive restaurants and create your own candlelit dinners.

The city is full of romantic things to do that won’t cost a penny. The Manchester Art Gallery (www.manchestergalleries.org Tel: 0161 235 8888)on Mosley Street is a must-visit, with its big collection of romantic, pre-Raphaelite classics, while the soaring Urbis building(www.urbis.org.uk Tel: 0161 605 8200) offers heart-stopping views over the city skyline and beyond. Take a stroll through Chinatown or enjoy a spot of budget shopping in the legendary Affleck’s Palace (www.afflecks-palace.co.uk Tel: 0161 8342039)- 3 floors of vintage clothing, handmade jewellery and one-off designs.

If your cooking skills aren’t up to much, Manchester offers the plethora of budget eating options you’d find in any city. Take a bus to Didsbury in the suburbs and Cafe Jem & I (jemandirestaurant.co.uk Tel: 0161 445 3996) – a cosy and award-winning bolthole serving a delicious and great value Modern European menu. Or try some of the UK’s best Chinese food at Red Chilli on Portland Street (www.redchillirestaurant.co.uk Tel: 0161 236 2888).Their lunch banquets start at £8 a head for three courses and will fill you up for the rest of the day, if not the weekend. But for real romance, head for Abergledie’s on Shudehill (Tel: 0161 834 5548), the greatest greasy spoon in the world.


Middle of nowhere... Hubberholme, North Yorkshire

If you really want to be alone together, and I mean really, really alone, you can’t do much better than this tiny hamlet in the middle of the heaving Yorkshire Dales. Stay at the cosy George Inn, a flag-stoned pub that could easily have lapsed into ‘League of Gentleman’ territory, but instead is comfy, friendly and welcoming, and a fantastic place to spend a countryside weekend. Miles of dry-stone walls, meadows and peaks offer some of the best walking country the UK has to offer, and it’s all literally on your doorstep. It’s easy to get away from it all, as once you’ve arrived at The George, you need never get in your car again (until you leave, obviously, and even then it’ll be tempting to chuck your keys in the river). Bliss.

Dinner at The George is all you’ll ever need in the evenings, with delicious pub grub, lots of it made from local, Wensleydale ingredients. But for amazing picnic supplies, head 8 miles south to the (slightly unromantic sounding) Kilnsey Park and Trout Farm (www.kilnseypark.com Tel: 01756 752150). Their deli, complete with trout pates and terrines, is fantastic. To make your visit all the more special, visit the park’s very own romantic duo, Bonny and Clyde. They might be goats, but they’re certainly feeling the lurve.



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