Top 10 Perfect Places to Get Away from it All

Sometimes you need a little time out from your busy life, whether that’s an afternoon in a peaceful park or a weekend at a quiet spa retreat… 

A cathedral 
For thousands of years, people have visited England’s cathedrals for prayer and contemplation. Drop in to Bristol Cathedral for one of their regular Tuesday recitals, showcasing classical music from around the world. Or enjoy lunch in the pretty garden - a favourite hideaway among locals in the know. There’s also much to be gained from a slow stroll through the sacred building. The Nave is a highlight, illuminated by a kaleidoscope of light from the stained glass Rose Window. If you have time to venture off the Great West Way, Salisbury and Gloucester cathedrals are also magnificent. 

One of Bath’s spas 
Bask in the healing waters of Bath’s most famous spa - Thermae Bath Spa - by all means, but make sure you hit one of their quieter times for the most relaxing experience. There’s also the Roman Baths, whose hidden histories are best explored by torchlight on a summer evening.  Bookworms, meanwhile, might prefer to check out an alternative - Mr B’s Reading Spa. Settle into a comfy chair, with a cup of tea and a slice of cake, and let your bibliotherapist bring you books tailored to your literary tastes. 

A Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve 
Being around nature can do much to soothe a restless soul. Discover some of England’s intriguing species at a dedicated reserve and you’ll know what to look out for on further adventures along the Great West Way. Once a World War II airfield, Blakehill Farm has been lovingly restored to haymeadow and pasture, and is home to galloping roe deer and leaping hares, as well as skylarks, lapwings and kestrels. Jones’s Mill, meanwhile, is a fen where creatures and plants that relish wet conditions thrive, like water voles and herons. And Lower Moor is a wonderful spot to take your binos and look for wetland birds like the great crested grebe - after all, what can be more mindful than birdwatching?

A hotel on the edge of the Cotswolds 
Treat yourself to a stay at a hotel tucked away near the patchwork hills of the Cotswolds. Cricklade House offers restorative views of the Vale of Cricklade, sure to help you wake in a happy mood. You can also play tennis, have a swim in the pool, embark on a round of golf or take a whole afternoon to savour a traditional afternoon tea. And if you’ve got the family with you, check into Woolley Grange Hotel, a Jacobean manor house where everyone can rest and be pampered - even the pet dog.

Row, row, row your boat… 
You don’t have to be an experienced sailor to take in the Great West Way by water. Both the River Thames and Kennet and Avon Canal present multiple ways for you to enjoy a leisurely float. From the spectacular London Kayak Tour, that skips all the queues and takes you right past Hampton Court Palace, to sedate trips in painted narrow boats through bucolic West Country villages. Other options include a romantic row in Henley-on-Thames (preferably with a picnic lunch) and a stand-up paddleboard adventure with SUP Bristol on Bristol’s Floating Harbour. 

...Or fly up, up and away
Of course, if you really want to get away from it all - you could hop in a hot air balloon and fly high above all the commotion. If you haven’t been in one before you’ll be amazed at the profound sense of peace a short ride above a city can bring, especially in the golden light of sunrise or sunset. As home to the International Balloon Fiesta, opportunities abound in Bristol, but you can also book a ride over Bath with Bailey Balloons or a glide over the treetops at Westonbirt Arboretum. 

A quiet garden somewhere 
Even some of the most frequented gardens along the Great West Way have nice shady spots where you can sit quietly for a while. Prior Park even has a dedicated Silent Space on the site of a former Gothic Temple. With the lake below, it’s now nurtured as a natural place to take time out. And at Ton Boon Buddhist Temple, in Bradford on Avon, there’s a Buddhist meditation garden open to all. Depending on how alone you want to be, you might also book onto one of the Garden Tours at Highgrove Royal Gardens, a little north of the main touring route. Tours are by appointment only, so you won’t be swamped by other tourists, and you can even combine it with a seasonal supper accompanied by the calming melodies of the resident pianist.  

A revitalising countryside walk 
Let your feet take you away from it all on one of the many walks accessible along the Great West Way. Tackle one of the long distance trails such as the Cotswolds Way, The Ridgeway or the Macmillan Way and you’ll find yourself in remote meadows, fields and hill tops where the busy buzz of daily life feels far, far away. But you don’t have to set out on an epic multi-day adventure to get away from it all - check out our top 10 short walks blog for ideas. 

An absorbing art gallery 
If you’re creatively inclined, why not lose yourself in the paintings at one of the blissfully quiet art galleries along the Great West Way? At Reading Museum you can let your mind drift off to another time and place through its collection of 8,000 historic artworks, from Tudor England to 19th century France. Bohun Gallery in Henley-on-Thames, meanwhile, offers a more intimate introduction to fine art in England. 

Somewhere strange and unusual 
If you really want to get out of your head, explore some of the region’s more mysterious sites. Wiltshire is well known for its crop circles, which frequently appear in all sorts of elaborate patterns each spring and summer - with permission of the landowner, you can visit and ponder where they came from and why. Another offbeat place to get away from it all is a graveyard - Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol has a leafy Victorian landscape you can walk through, with a lovely onsite café.  

For more ideas of things to do on your Great West Way journey, visit our See & Do and Explore pages.