The 40 UK travel experiences to try before you turn 40, with stargazing in Northumberland No.1

The top 40 UK travel experiences to try before you turn 40 have been revealed – and it’s a night spent stargazing in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park that takes the top spot.

The silver medal goes to a road trip on Scotland’s North Coast 500 scenic route, stopping off along the way to admire spectacular wildlife, landscapes, and landmarks such as the imposing Dunrobin Castle.

In third place it’s a visit to Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, the culinary birthplace of the famous ‘Balti’ curry, for a uniquely British-Asian foodie experience.

The top 40 UK travel experiences to try before you turn 40 have been revealed – and it’s a night spent stargazing in Northumberland that takes the top spot. Pictured is the night sky over Northumberland’s Sycamore Gap Tree

The silver medal goes to a road trip on Scotland’s North Coast 500 scenic route. Above is the Kylesku Bridge, which features on the route

The rest of the top five comprises a staycation on a canal boat, exploring the UK’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers (fourth), and learning bushcraft (skills for surviving in a natural environment) on a wilderness course in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District (fifth).

The ranking is courtesy of research commissioned by NatWest. It polled 2,000 Britons aged 18 to 40 who chose their favourite travel experiences from a shortlist compiled by a group of travel experts.

The survey also finds that 84 per cent of the nation admit there are many places they have ‘yet to explore’ in the UK, with 56 per cent keen to rectify this before they reach the big 4-0.

The bronze medal goes to a visit to Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, the birthplace of the famous ‘Balti’ curry (above)

Sliding into sixth place in the top 40 ranking is a seal-spotting trip to Blakeney Point Nature Reserve on the north coast of Norfolk, which is home to common and grey seals.

Seventh place in the ranking is basking in the early morning sunshine on the golden sands of Porthcurno Beach after an overnight stay in Cornwall. It’s followed by savouring world-class English wines on a vineyard tour in Kent (eighth).

The remainder of the top 10 is made up of exploring the Puzzlewood woodland in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean, the landscape that inspired J.R.R Tolkien’s ‘Middle Earth’ (ninth) and climbing the basalt steps of the Giant’s Causeway in Country Antrim, Northern Ireland (10th). 

A staycation on a canal boat, exploring the UK’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, ranks fourth. Above is a stretch of canal in Oxford 

The ranking has been determined by a survey that asked Britons to choose their favourite travel experiences from a shortlist

Other notable inclusions in the top 40 include taking a stroll around the picturesque and colourful Italian-style village of Portmeirion, Wales (13th), sandboarding down Europe’s second-largest sand dune – ‘The Big Dipper’ – in Merthyr Mawr, Wales (20th), and cycling along a former railway line, the Tissington trail, in the Peak District (25th).

Reliving history by walking the 5,000-year-old Neolithic Ridgeway in Oxfordshire, the oldest road in England (31st) and dancing the night away in one of the many gay bars lining Manchester’s Canal Street (35th) also make it into the top 40.

The study also finds that the key motivation for wanting to travel the UK is that Brits simply enjoy being outdoors (40 per cent), while a quarter want to explore destinations to tick them off their bucket list, and 22 per cent are keen on learning something new from their adventures. 

Exploring the Puzzlewood woodland (above) in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean lands in ninth place 

Twenty-second place goes to touring a former mine 300ft underground at the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon, Wales (pictured) 

But finances are a top barrier for Brits to make their travel dreams a reality, with 34 per cent of adults saying the cost is the key issue when choosing their travel experiences, as well as lack of transport (26 per cent), inconsistent weather (20 per cent) and being too busy (18 per cent).

As a result, a quarter admit they often end up travelling abroad as it is more affordable, while 29 per cent think it is more relaxing to leave the UK.

Despite the popularity of going abroad, 49 per cent will still consider booking a trip at home while saving money – with 53 per cent considering a staycation as good value. 

Pictured is the Tissington trail, a former railway line in the Peak District. Cycling along this route lands 25th in the ranking

Dancing the night away in one of the many gay bars lining Manchester’s Canal Street (pictured) finishes 35th 

Travelling on the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, the oldest, steepest inland electric funicular railway in England, ranks 38th overall

It also emerges that 53 per cent of those polled feel they have missed out on travel experiences due to financial problems.

Commenting on the findings, travel writer Lisa Francesca Nand, a member of the expert panel, says: ‘A life well lived is a life filled with experiences. Now more than ever, we’re all looking to invest in moments to create brilliant memories either solo or with friends and family, and travel is a key part of that – whether it’s getting back to nature, seeing amazing architecture, learning about new culture and history or just going on a fantastic road trip.’

NatWest’s Martin Wise adds: ‘The research shows many of us have yet to see what the UK truly has to offer, with finances being a key factor in how often they book a trip away and how far they are willing to travel.’