I love a good staycation, especially when you get to experience the best of Britain; beautiful scenery, friendly locals and proper pubs where you can get a decent pint by a roaring fire. 

The Yorkshire Dales have always been on my list for a walking weekend thanks to the famously beautiful hiking trails, cosy cottages and classic pubs. However, I wasn’t prepared for just how picturesque the area could be – and how just one small town would quickly become one of my new favourite spots to visit. 

Middleham may be a tiny market town in the heart of Yorkshire, but it has everything you could want for an idyllic weekend away. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we’d stepped back in time thanks to the twee tea rooms, pubs with low beams and wide array of pints (the Dante Arms was one where I stopped and it ticked all of the boxes).

Meanwhile the picture-perfect stone cottages with their colourful flower pots and front porch trinkets wouldn’t look out of a place on a film set. Honestly, for fans of the Christmas film The Holiday, this is the kind of place where you can channel your inner Cameron Diaz. 

Add in the chippies and antique shops, and it’s not difficult to see why this is a firm hit with hikers and ramblers looking for a cosy base from which to go and explore the surrounding countryside.

The entire place feels as if it’s been preserved in time, and I mean that in the best possible way. I made a pit stop at the Castle Keep Tea Rooms where you’ll find about six tables, a crackling fireplace and cosy armchairs. The menu had every breakfast classic you could want, some light sandwiches and some ridiculously tasty-looking cakes – and all homemade which always just makes any food taste that little bit more delicious. 

There’s not a huge amount to explore in Middleham but its main attraction is Middleham Castle, so when I could tear myself away from the food and drink, I went to have a little gander. I expected to spend maybe half an hour max, but ended up spending a lot longer wandering around the beautiful ruins. It’s impressive how well preserved they are; I felt like I’d stepped onto a film or TV set; it reminded me of Game of Thrones and I half expected dragons to fly overhead. It was easy to imagine how the castle must have looked in its prime. 

If you’re willing to brave the spiral staircase to the top, you’re rewarded with stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the town below. (Adult tickets start from £9.50, more information can be found on english-heritage.org.uk).

Of course one of the main perks of Middleham is its location right by the Yorkshire Dales National Park, so it’s an excellent base for walkers and ramblers, as you can get across to the trails. 

For families, Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park is roughly a half-hour drive away with plenty of rides, rollercoasters and attractions for children aged 12 and under. We were with friends so bought a group ticket which worked out at about £15 per person and were thoroughly impressed by what was included in the price.

If you do want to make a short break of it, Middleham has plenty of beautiful cottages that give off major ‘Cameron Diaz in the Holiday’ vibes with their stone walls, cosy furnishings and pretty decor. Sykes Holiday Cottages can be a great source for booking into one of the beautiful homes, while HolidayCottages.com has plenty of properties in the surrounding region too. 

The UK’s pub capital has been revealed, and it’s a stunning region characterised by welcoming boozers and rolling hills. 

The pub sector has endured a challenging year, with numerous establishments confronting uncertain prospects. UK Hospitality has issued a stark warning that, without intervention, six venues will shut their doors daily throughout this year, amounting to over 2,000 closures.

This represents a dramatic increase from the 378 that ceased trading in 2025, as recorded by the Institute for Licensing. The British Beer and Pub Association has raised concerns that publicans will need to shift an additional 1.3 billion pints annually just to counterbalance escalating taxation.

Yet despite this rather bleak overall outlook, thousands of exceptional pubs continue to operate nationwide, with certain regions where the industry is, whilst perhaps not flourishing, at least holding steady in comparative terms.

Analysis conducted by the Express data team has revealed that drinkers in the Derbyshire Dales enjoy better access to pubs than residents anywhere else across England and Wales. This rural authority boasts 152 pubs and bars within its boundaries, based on our examination of official government statistics.

This translates to approximately 25 establishments for every 10,000 adult residents.

It represents the highest concentration for any local authority throughout England and Wales, setting aside two locations where exceptionally sparse populations distort the data – the City of London (188 pubs and bars, equating to 132 per 10,000 adults) and the Isles of Scilly (six pubs, equating to 29 per 10,000). Westminster boasts the second-highest concentration of pubs when measured against its adult population. The London borough’s 407 drinking establishments equate to 23 per 10,000 residents of legal drinking age.

Powys matches this figure with 23 per 10,000 adults across its 259 pubs.

Next comes Pembrokeshire with 21 per 10,000 adults, followed by four local authority areas each recording 18 pubs for every 10,000 adults – Westmorland and Furness, North Yorkshire, Gwynedd and Ceredigion.

Our interactive map allows you to explore the number of pubs per 10,000 adults across every council area nationwide.

When examining pub density by geographic area, London boroughs dominate the top 10. The City of London’s 188 pubs and bars translates to an impressive 169 per square mile (the area, famously dubbed “the Square Mile,” actually exceeds one square mile in size).

Westminster’s 407 establishments represent roughly 49 per square mile. Islington features 40 pubs per square mile, whilst Camden records 29, Hackney 22, and both Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham each have 20 per square mile.

Beyond the capital, Liverpool claims the highest pub density. The city’s 502 watering holes amount to nearly 12 per square mile, ranking 11th across England and Wales. Manchester’s 432 pubs equate to nearly 10 per square mile. Portsmouth’s 139 pubs amount to nine per square mile, as do Blackpool’s 114 pubs.

Norwich’s 127 pubs and Brighton’s 244 pubs both work out at eight per square mile, the same as Bristol’s 321.

Wales and England’s 25 pub capitals

1. Derbyshire Dales
2. Westminster
3. Powys
4. Pembrokeshire
5. North Yorkshire
6. Westmorland and Furness
7. Gwynedd
8. Ceredigion
9. Carmarthenshire
10. Staffordshire Moorlands
11. South Hams
12. Denbighshire
13. Monmouthshire
14. North Devon
15. Cotswold
16. East Lindsey
17. West Devon
18. High Peak
19. Malvern Hills
20. Herefordshire, County of
21. Shropshire
22. Isle of Anglesey
23. Calderdale
24. Great Yarmouth
25. Amber Valley

Jet2 passengers can take six items of luggage onboard flights this February half-term completely free of charge. Unlike some airlines, all Jet2 flights include a 10kg hand luggage allowance as standard, so passengers won’t be stung by any extra baggage fees, provided their bag is within the weight limit and is no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including wheels and handles. But passengers can take up to five extra items of luggage onboard flights as well – for no extra charge. This includes a small bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 20cm that will fit underneath the seat in front of you, such as a handbag, laptop bag or something you bought in the airport before boarding.

Jet2 also allows passengers to take a collapsible pushchair, car seat and/or a travel cot for free, up to a weight of 10kg, which is great news for families heading abroad this half-term. These items must go into the hold but the airline will allow you to take pushchairs all the way to the plane steps or airbridge before boarding.

All of this, combined with a suitcase of up to 22kg, which must go into the hold, means Jet2 passengers can take up to six luggage items in total on flights without having to fork out any extra cash.

Jet2 says: “With all our Jet2holidays, every person on your booking gets a generous 22kg hold baggage and 10kg hand luggage included as standard (excluding infants). That means you can pack all those glitzy holiday outfits and bring plenty of quirky souvenirs home with you.

“Travelling with little ones in tow? To make things a little easier, you can bring along a collapsible pushchair, car seat and/or travel cot free of charge – up to a total weight of 10kg, per travelling infant or child.”

While infants don’t get their own checked bag allowance included, the airline will add an extra 10kg to the accompanying adult’s hold baggage allowance to accommodate for their belongings so families don’t have to worry about skimping on the packing.

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Jet2 adds: “You don’t get a separate bag for your infant under two, but an extra 10kg allowance for their things can be added to their accompanying adult’s 22kg hold bag, free of charge. This is applicable for each infant-and-adult pairing on the booking.

“Plus, a collapsible pushchair/buggy and/or a car seat and/or a travel cot can be carried in the hold free of charge, as long as the total weight of these items doesn’t exceed 10kg. Anything exceeding this will be charged for in line with our excess baggage policy, subject to space and availability.

“And for your convenience, you can take your collapsible pushchair/buggy all the way to the plane steps/air bridge, where we’ll put it in the hold and you can get it back at baggage reclaim.

“If you’re carrying more than one of these items, please let us know so we can advise our local agents in resort to make sure the transfer you’ve booked will accommodate them. On occasion, you may need to change to a private transfer at an extra cost.”