Affordable England For all Personalities This Summer!

Summertime and the Living is Easy

Affordable England? Hopping across the pond with a stay in a cheery cottage in the country is now more wallet-friendly for Americans. This summer, members of The Royal Oak Foundation – the U.S. affiliate of The National Trust of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – can take advantage with a stay at one of the Trust’s 360 already-affordable Holiday Cottages. Steal away from the everyday grind with a host of warm weather activities, from garden picnicking to wave riding. Plus, entry to all neighboring Trust properties is free!

Calling all Surfer Dudes
Surf’s up, Royal Oakers! Hang ten on some of the UK’s best waves before heading back to a quaint little bungalow only minutes from the sea. For an active holiday, check out the 19th-century Pant Rhiw cottage overlooking Hell’s Mouth Bay, a famous surfing spot in Northern Wales. Or book a stay at the Lower Pentire Farm House, with bucolic views on the edge of Loe Pool in Cornwall and within easy reach of South Cornwall’s reputed waves at Porthleven.

Calling all Green Thumbs
Pack up some sandwiches, a thermos of lemonade, and settle down on a blanket for a lazy picnic in one of the National Trust’s many gardens. The red-brick Bog Cottage is the perfect hideaway, situated near the gardens of Upton House in Warwickshire. Or choose the Garden Cottage for a quick hop, skip, and a jump to the beautiful Rose Garden on the grounds of Polesden Lacey in Surrey.

Calling all Shopaholics
Shop ‘til you drop. Book an affordable stay at the cozy Goodramgate apartment in the heart of York and use that extra cash toward the city’s chicest nearby shops. Fall in love with the British afternoon tea in the National Trust’s tea room located underneath the apartment. Shopping and exploring the historic cobbled streets of Lincoln City is a cinch with a weekend at the 41/42 Michaelgate property, steps from Lincoln Castle and the 12th-century cathedral (the recent setting for The Da Vinci Code movie).

Calling all Trail Blazers
Bronze that pale, winterized skin with leisurely, sun-filled walks in the English countryside. Carrick-a-Rede cottage in Country Antrim of Northern Ireland is only a short distance from the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and beautiful paths. Stay and explore this spectacular coastal route featuring views of Rathlin Island and the Mull of Kintyre. Or round up a walking party and take over the High Hazels in Derbyshire for trekking across the grounds of the 16th-century Elizabethan Hardwick Hall and the nearby High Peak.