Beyond London: 7 of the Most Unusual Places in the UK You Must Visit

There are many things that the UK can be known for: castles, royal residences, pubs, and red phone boxes. But beyond these picturesque and popular places, there is another, stranger side of Britain waiting to be explored. There are odd structures that are made out of one tree, and beaches that will freeze time, to name just a couple of unusual places. If you have seen enough of museums and typical castle tours, then perhaps it's time to look beyond them. This is your chance to visit some of the UK's most mysterious and stunningly unique destinations on your road trip.

Why Skip the Ordinary? The Rise of Quirky Tourism

Before getting to the list, let’s first acknowledge the increased interest in weird tourism. With all the photos that people share on Instagram nowadays, everyone wants their experience to be unique enough to be captured and shown off. The British landscape features plenty of crazy follies, strange rock formations, and weird human creations that will leave you amazed. If you’re a fan of history or geology, or you just want to see something unusual, there are quite a few places where you can do so. Additionally, here’s a small but important suggestion for you: if you happen to fly into London’s biggest airport, you should probably consider hiring a Luton Airport taxi service to avoid any train strikes or bus transfers.

1. The Forbidden Corner – North Yorkshire

Nestled within the grounds of the Tupgill Park Estate lies The Forbidden Corner, which is neither a garden, nor a maze, nor a sculpture park, but all three rolled into one. Designed as a folly for a family’s own pleasure in the 1980s, The Forbidden Corner features winding tunnels, statues and fountains that can catch you by surprise at every turn. You may find yourself face to face with a statue of someone staring at you, enter a cave, or accidentally spray water on yourself! The reason to visit is simple: It is the only place in Britain where losing yourself in a maze is precisely what you come there for. This attraction, which features a wide range of hidden passages, strange creatures such as the Eye of the Needle or the Temple of the Four Winds, is not advertised widely, so be sure to book your visit in advance.

2. Shell Grotto – Margate, Kent

The Shell Grotto was discovered by a labourer digging out a duck pond in 1835 and it poses an intriguing enigma for the field of archaeology. 4.6 million shells, consisting of whelks, mussels, cockles, and oysters were used in making complex mosaic patterns within underground passages spanning 600 square feet. Nobody knows about the builder, purpose, or age of this mysterious place. Suggestions vary from it being a Phoenician temple to it being an aristocratic folly of the 18th century. The place gives off an eerie atmosphere with its cool, moist environment. Its strange pattern combinations of stars, flowers, and trees give off a feeling of the patterns being alive. But how can it be considered unique? Complete absence of history is its uniqueness.

3. The Village of Portmeirion – Wales

Portmeirion appears to be an Italian coastal town that somehow got carried over to North Wales. It is an eccentric village built between 1925 and 1975 by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis. The picturesque architecture includes pastel-colored structures, domed roofs, and sculptures from classical antiquity, all arranged along the expansive estuary. However, the strangeness of Portmeirion is that it was intended to be a “fantasy” village, not a replica of reality. Visitors can stroll along the squares, climb a lighthouse that offers no ocean views, and enjoy tea at the Bristolian colonnades. What is so special about visiting it? It was the inspiration for the iconic cult television series of the 1960s called The Prisoner. It has such an enchanting ambiance that one starts wondering if it is in their dreams or on a movie set.

4. The Singing Ringing Tree – Burnley, Lancashire

It is not true that all trees have a wooden composition. The Singing Ringing Tree, built out of galvanized steel pipes, stands at a height of 10 feet atop the Pennines range of hills. Music, created by wind blowing through its pipes, creates a harmonic sound resembling a huge cello and even an alien chorus. As each visit is different because of changing wind strength and direction, the sounds are unique as well. What makes this tree special? For one thing, it is difficult to define whether it should be referred to as an artwork, an architectural creation or a musical instrument. People often find themselves amazed and slightly frightened as if nature itself spoke with them.

5. The Real Mary King’s Close – Edinburgh, Scotland

Under the surface of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh exists a maze of streets, homes, and plague pits that have been closed for centuries. Mary King's Close is not your average haunted history tour; it is a time capsule. You will travel along the preserved streets where people have lived, died, and worked, including victims of the plague. Your guides will be dressed in the fashion of the era and tell you stories about the people who once walked those streets, including Annie and her doll-filled bedroom, now a sanctuary for tourists. What sets this apart is the historical accuracy. Everything below your feet is the original floor, and you can feel the scent of hundreds of years worth of dampness filling your nostrils. If you need to travel to Edinburgh but happen to be traveling too late, you could make use of a fast Taxi to Heathrow Airport from central London.

6. The Magic Garden – Hampton Court Palace

Despite Hampton Court’s renown for its famous kitchen of King Henry VIII and hedge maze, the newly opened Magic Garden is an unexpected attraction here. This garden is not a regular royal garden, but a fairy tale one, complete with mystical creatures, huge golden dragons, and “a Mountain”, reaching up to 12 metres tall with a slide. However, there’s something extraordinary about it – all the decorations come from the history of the palace and its Tudor mythology. King’s Beasts are a symbol of Henry’s heritage, and a magical talking tree (yes, it does talk) shares lost stories of ancient folklore. What is the point in visiting such a garden? Here, you’ll turn history into a game. The adults will value the skillful carving of wooden birds and mosaics, whereas kids will be able to ride on spring-rockers.

7. The Crooked House – Lavenham, Suffolk

England is filled with historical structures from the medieval era; however, there is one structure which exemplifies a degree of tilt in architecture that goes beyond the norm: the Crooked House (also known as The Little Hall). This building was constructed in 1395 and was used by a family of rich clothiers. Its timber frame is tilted to an extent that its floors protrude onto the street below as though it were a drunken hat. Its inside features the ability for marbles to roll up hills, and doors to lean as if they were parallelograms. But why did they build this structure? It has been noted that the builders used young, green oak that warped over time. It was never made straight.

Also read: Beyond the Postcard: Uncovering Britain’s Most Beautiful View

Planning Your Quirky UK Adventure

This list of seven sites will show you the real face of England, which is its strange and mysterious side. From the pipes that sing in Lancashire to the tunnels filled with shells in Kent, there is something here that you won’t be able to find elsewhere. When deciding how to get there, take into account that most of these sites are rural and therefore best accessed by car. If you’re going to arrive at one of the big airports, such as Luton, Stansted, or Heathrow, booking a transfer might make your trip easier, especially if you have several train connections or if you’re arriving late.

Final Thoughts

Unusual travel is all about enjoying the unexpected experience. It involves being amazed at the mystery of how somebody managed to build a grotto full of shells one after another. It involves experiencing the thrill of having the wind transform steel branches into an entire orchestra. Lastly, it involves laughing out loud as you lean to one side in a building over 600 years old yet which still manages not to stand upright. The UK may be a small country to fit into just two weeks but it sure can keep one occupied for a whole life.