It’s a curious thing about Britain, for such a modestly sized blob on the map (about the size of Kansas, though with better tea), it manages to contain more oddities, wonders, hidden corners, and “how did I not know this?” moments than many countries ten times its size.
That’s not a criticism. It’s a marvel. Britain is a country where you can walk past a 13th-century church, a shop selling novelty socks, and the world’s largest teapot collection all in the same high street. And that’s not even a particularly unusual day out.
This website, UK Explorer, exists to celebrate that: the strange, the beautiful, the charming, the crumbling, the extremely British. It’s for curious wanderers, accidental tourists, determined day-trippers, and those of us who still get excited when we spot a proper village green with a duck pond and a pub named The Dog and Something.
Britain doesn’t do neat tabs
When I first started thinking about putting this together, I assumed it would be a fairly straightforward process. I imagined a sensible little map, maybe colour-coded, with neat tabs saying “Castles,” “Walks,” “Seaside,” and so on.
But then you start looking into it and realise: Britain doesn’t really do straightforward. Or neat tabs. For every stately home, there’s a museum devoted entirely to lawnmowers. For every postcard-perfect Cotswold town, there’s a village in Yorkshire where the signposts are written in a local dialect that hasn’t been spoken since the Tudors. And for every bit of sensible planning, there’s a roundabout with a tree in the middle and a strong sense of menace.
In short, it’s all gloriously, wonderfully messy. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Not a guide – more of a companion
That’s why UK Explorer isn’t a guide in the traditional sense. It’s more of a companion. A friendly nudge. A way of saying, “Did you know this was here?” or “Why not try this instead of the usual?”
It’s a collection of places, stories, day trips, diversions, and digressions, all brought together by a simple love of exploring the UK, and a deep suspicion that we’re probably walking past fascinating things every day without even realising it.
The seaside and the stories it tells
Take the seaside, for instance. Everyone knows about Brighton, Blackpool, and St Ives. But what about Aldeburgh, with its oddball charm and fish-and-chip shop queues that could qualify as local heritage? Or Dunster, which sounds made up but isn’t, and where you half expect a knight in full armour to come clanking around the corner, complaining about the parking?
Britain’s coastline is full of these places, quiet, crumbling, often slightly damp, and they’re far too good to keep to yourself.
The countryside, where the sheep outnumber the people
And the countryside. My word, the countryside. Sometimes you’ll drive for 20 minutes and see nothing but sheep, clouds, and hedgerows that seem to have been designed by someone with a particular vendetta against wing mirrors.
But then you’ll round a corner and stumble across a pub so old it appears to be held up by the force of memory alone, where the landlord tells you it was once visited by Oliver Cromwell’s horse (though never Cromwell himself, who apparently didn’t care for strong cider).
Finding the real Britain, quirks and all
UK Explorer is about discovering these places. And not just the glossy, brochure-ready versions of them, but the real, lived-in bits; the eccentric museums, the backroom cafés, the walking trails that seem to begin somewhere logical and end in a field full of cows and questions.
It’s also about celebrating Britain’s character. That dry wit. That stubborn refusal to make things easy. That tendency to put signs like “This is not a footpath” in places that feel suspiciously like footpaths. It’s about loving the country not just for its beauty, though it has that in spades, but for its quirks, its contrasts, its sheer refusal to be tidy.
Explore by region or by whim
We’ve divided the site up into regions and themes to help you get around (because frankly, someone had to), but feel free to wander, get lost, and click on things you weren’t expecting to. That’s part of the fun.
You’ll find pub walks, coastal rambles, rainy-day treasures, historical oddities, market towns that deserve medals, and cities that are far better than you might have heard (yes, even that one).
Stories, surprises, and soapbox moments
Along the way, we’ll throw in stories, trivia, and the occasional soapbox moment about things like the tragic disappearance of decent train station tea or the baffling joy of miniature model villages.
Think of it as a conversation with a slightly over excited friend who’s just come back from a weekend away and insists you have to go because they’ve found the best pie shop in the country and a medieval bridge that looks like something out of a fantasy novel.
Start exploring, you never know what you’ll find
So whether you’re planning your next big adventure or just looking for somewhere different to explore on a lazy Sunday, we hope UK Explorer gives you ideas, inspiration, and a few laughs along the way.
After all, Britain might be small but it’s endlessly surprising. You just have to know where to look.