When organising a trip or expedition, it’s tempting to choose tried and tested places. But the UK has plenty of unusual sites, and a visit to one of these curious destinations is sure to fuel young people’s imaginations, proving that adventures can be had at home, as well as overseas. Visit them for yourself or encourage your Group to do some research and discover their own places. The weirder, the better.
Peel Castle, Isle of Man
On a clear night at Peel Castle, you might be lucky enough to see one of the world’s most beautiful sights — the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. Constructed by 11th century Vikings under the rule of the excellently named King Magnus Barefoot, the castle has a rich history, with plenty of stories to tell. One such tale is that of ‘Moddey Dhoo’, a phantom black dog who terrorised soldiers in the 18th century. One man — attacked by the hound after claiming he had no fear of it — was left so terrified by the experience, he supposedly fell silent for two days and died on the third.
Devil’s Pulpit, Stirling, Scotland
According to local lore, this one hundred foot deep gorge was a secret meeting place for the ancient Druids. The Devil’s Pulpit was where Satan himself was said to have preached to the Druids below, and some say witches later carried out executions on the rock.
The macabre fascination with the Devil’s Pulpit lies in the fact that it looks as though blood is swirling amongst the rocks — this is down to the underlying red sandstone. The stone stairs going down to the gorge are also two hundred years old, and are called ‘the Devil’s staircase’.
Fingal’s Cave, Isle of Staffa, Scotland
The ancient Celtic people featured this strange sea cave in many of their legends, linking it with the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. Both sites are made of distinctive hexagonal columns, and many believed they were the two ‘ends’ of the same structure. One legend holds Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill responsible. Determined to defeat his larger rival, Benandonner, he built a bridge all the way from Ireland to Scotland to fight him, fleeing in fear once he saw Benandonner’s size. Amazingly, the story has some geological truth. Experts believe a lava flow could be the culprit behind the unique rock patterns at both sites, forming a now-eroded ‘bridge’ between them 60 million years ago.
Postman’s Park, England
The Watts Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice in Postman’s Park, London, consists of 54 small ceramic plaques. Unassuming at first glance, these plaques are each dedicated to a different individual who died in the act of saving someone else’s life and together, make a moving tribute to self-sacrifice. The heroic acts date back to the early 1860s and include brave and tragic figures such as the ballet dancer Sarah Smith, who died onstage ‘of terrible injuries received when attempting in her inflammable dress to extinguish the flames which had enveloped her companion.’
Mother Shipton’s Cave and the Petrifying Well, Knaresborough, Englan
Opening in 1630, Mother Shipton’s Cave is England’s oldest visitor attraction. The cave itself is the legendary birthplace of witch and prophetess, Mother Shipton, and the nearby well is the only one of its kind in the country, possessing the eerie ability to turn normal objects into stone. This is due to the mineral content of the water, which over time has ‘petrified’ objects including ice skates, bicycles and even a lobster.
The Dark Hedges, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
In 1775, a preacher’s son named James Stuart built an estate home, planting over 150 beech trees along the entry road to create an impressive first view. Over the years, the trees bent towards each other; their branches twisting overhead to form a haunting canopy. Today, many claim a ghost called the Grey Lady of the Dark Hedges still visits the road at night, flitting from tree to tree. Some claim she’s the spirit of James Stuart’s daughter, Margaret. Others believe she represents an unknown phantom, escaped from the abandoned cemetery beneath the fields.
The Smallest House in Britain, Conwy, Wales
Britain’s smallest house is a narrow, two-roomed cottage, measuring in at less than 6 feet wide and 11.5 feet tall. At 6'3", the last occupant — a fisherman named Robert Jones — was taller than the house is wide. Despite being unable to stand up in either of the rooms, he lived at the property until 1900, when the local council declared it unfit for human occupation. Today, Robert’s family still own this 16th century treasure and, for small admission fee, you can have a look around inside.
Words by Jade Slaughter
