England’s most popular attractions – from the Tower of London to Stonehenge – need no introduction to tourists from near and far…but there’s plenty of places on this green and pleasant isle that don’t make the must-see map – and should do, say one US couple.
So keen are the YouTubers, known as Jeremy and Cara, that Britain’s more unsung destinations are visited more, they’ve compiled a list of the top ten places that visitors frequently overlook, and reveal a particular soft spot for a much maligned city.
The pair, who post on their YouTube account, The Magic Geekdom, have spent nearly eight months – over four trips – traversing the UK, with particular focus on England.
The 30-minute video sees the couple count down ‘the coolest cities that deserve more attention’ as well as coastal towns and pretty villages that often play second fiddle to more well known destinations.
Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Coventry; the West Midlands city doesn’t have huge tourism numbers but it won the hearts of The Magic Geekdom, who placed it at number five on their list and said it ‘completely defied our expectations’.
They enjoyed the Lady Godiva history – including the hourly clock tower show with the city’s Peeping Tom at the old Market Hall building – and sank a pint at the 15th century The Old Windmill pub on Spon Street.
They also loved the city’s transport museum, and described its collection of vintage motor cars and memorabilia as ‘hands down one of the best museums we’ve experienced anywhere in the UK’.
The north-east city of Durham comes in at number ten, with The Magic Geekdom impressed by the spectacular 11th century cathedral – where scenes from the Harry Potter franchise were filmed, alongside its ‘winding medieval streets and welcoming atmosphere’.
YouTubers Jeremy and Cara aka The Magic Geekdom picked out their favourite British places that they say often go under the radar
Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire made a huge impression on the travelling couple
No, not the movie: Saltburn in North Yorkshire took the numero uno spot on the couple’s most underrated British destinations – they loved the ‘low-key’ nature of this popular surf town
Another cathedral city that they deemed a ‘hidden gem’ was Wells, with the pair fascinated by the Somerset city’s centerpiece church.
Built between 1175 and 1490, it’s the earliest English Cathedral to be built in the Gothic style and is celebrated for having one of the largest collections of historic stained glass in the country.
Its Wells Clock, dating from 1390, is considered to be the second oldest clock mechanism in Great Britain and still works.
The couple stayed at the Swan hotel, and sought out locations featured in the 2007 film Hot Fuzz, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost – which they say they’re huge fans of.
A roast at the pub, The Crown at Wells, was the couple’s first traditional Sunday dinner in the UK.
There was more British culinary fare in Robin Hood’s Bay – where a supper of fish and chips awaited them.
They described the Yorkshire fishing village as ‘tumbling down into the seaside’ with ‘narrow, twisting alleyways’ – saying ‘every corner reveals another amazing view.’
It was another seaside town though that took the number one spot on The Magic Geekdom’s list.
Spon Street in Coventry also proved a big hit with the couple, who said tourists should give this often sidelined city ‘some love’
Gorgeous Rye, in East Sussex, also made a good impression, with the couple liking how quiet it was in the evenings
More salubrious than the Netflix film of the same name, Saltburn – officially Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in North Yorkshire was rated by the couple as their favourite lesser known place to visit.
They loved the 19th century iron pier, independent shops and the lack of crowds, as well as the traditional arcades, saying: ‘There’s something wonderfully low-key about this place.’
‘The beach here is gorgeous and, here’s something that might surprise you, it’s a really popular surfing spot.’
Their praise-filled view on the seaside town left one North Yorkshire resident touched and, well, a bit emotional.
They wrote: ‘Saltburn by Sea is 7 miles away from my front door. Thank you for recognising it for its beauty and ambience – I genuinely felt a bit tearful when you made it number one.’
Jeremy and Cara say they’re self-confessed anglophiles and can’t wait to discover more about the UK on future trips, writing on their bio: ‘We don’t know when our next trip will be (hopefully soon) but until then, we’ll continue making videos trying more British foods, reminiscing about our adventures, and celebrating our love for Old Blighty.’
