Incredible UK landmarks you didn't know existed

From Buckingham Palace to The White Cliffs of Dover – we have some amazing landmarks here in the UK. But what about the lesser-known places that are somewhat off the beaten track?

Here, we list some of the UK’s less popular tourist attractions that you might not have even realised existed. These places are likely to be less busy during peak seasons too, so you can enjoy keeping them as your best kept secrets!

This Easter, why not book a train ticket to explore the best that the UK has to offer.

Brixton Windmill, London

The next time you catch the train to London, why not pay a visit to London’s very last working windmill? Brixton Windmill is over 200 years old and is situated in Windmill Gardens at the top of Blenheim Gardens just off Brixton Hill. It’s full of heritage and interesting facts, and you can even take a tour to find out how it was maintained and once used to make stoneground flour for baking.

Brixton Windmill
Windmill Gardens,
London
SW2 5DA

The Radcliffe Camera, Oxford

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford

Located within the prestigious Oxford University, the Radcliffe Camera is a beautiful, light-filled library, which is circular in shape and steeped in history. Built between 1737 and 1749, it was built by the architect James Gibbs to house a new scientific library. The Latin word ‘camera’ means ‘chamber’ and it was named after the royal physician Dr John Radcliffe, who was a beneficiary of Oxford University. Today, the camera is used as the main reading room of the Bodleian Library located adjacent.

Radcliffe Camera,
Bodleian Library
Broad Street
Oxford
OX1 3BG

Humber Bridge, Hull

The Humber Bridge

Stretching across the Humber estuary, near Kingston upon Hull, The Humber Bridge is an impressive 2.22km single-span suspension bridge, which held the record for the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world for 16 years! The bridge gained Grade I listed status in 2018, 36 years after it opened and links Lincolnshire and Yorkshire on the A15. You can always drive your car across it, but why not leave the car in the viewing area car park and walk across it using the public walkway? The views are spectacular across the Humber on a clear day and it’s the best way to appreciate the sheer scale of the construction in all its glory.

Humber Bridge,
Ferriby Road,
Hessle,
HU13 0JG

Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Lindisfarne

Looking like a fantasy island out of The Lord of the Rings, Lindisfarne (or Holy Island as it’s otherwise known), is a tiny tidal island off the northeast coast of Northumbria. Cut off twice-daily by fast-moving tides, Holy Island was once at the epicentre of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon times, and still remains a place of pilgrimage today. Rising from the rockface is Lindisfarne Castle, which you can visit via the National Trust and which underwent extensive restoration in 2017. There is also a wealth of wildlife to explore here, attracting thousands of visiting birds from thousands of miles away.

Lindisfarne,
Northumberland,
TD15 2SE

Margate Shell Grotto, Margate

One of the biggest mysteries in Margate is the Margate Shell Grotto. Discovered in 1835, this ornately decorated subterranean passage features 4.6 million shells, local mussels, cockles, whelks, limpets, scallops and oysters, which are lined besides each other to form detailed mosaics of suns, moons, stars and other geometric patterning. However, nobody knows why or by whom this secret shell grotto was built. Winding passages and arched ceilings lead to an altar chamber, which for many years remained concealed. Today the Grade-1 listed landmark is open the public to explore.