Help us find a regular location for weekends away - starting in Birmingham, UK - by public transport

August 15, 2007 12:37 PM

We want to find somewhere we can regularly visit, that is accessible from Birmingham by public transport (up to 3 hours) and not too expensive. Seaside would be the best option. A guesthouse or perhaps a caravan site. Where can we easily get to in that timescale?

We like unpretentious places, we're not interested in jacuzzi baths or 5 star food - a nice B&B and fish'n'chips on the pier is more our style.

The problem we have is finding out where we can actually go and get there by public transport. I miss the seaside and would like to be able to get there. Quiet out of season seaside is just as good as the bright lights of Blackpool!

posted by LyzzyBee to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

"a nice B&B and fish'n'chips on the pier is more our style."

A kindred spirit! Quite a chunk of the Welsh coast is within a 3 hour drive - places like Barmouth, Porthmadog and Aberdovey will definitely offer what you're looking for but may be a little too far?
posted by ceri richard at 1:23 PM on August 15, 2007

Erm... when I wrote "drive" I meant "train ride" (I did check journey times, honest!)
posted by ceri richard at 1:54 PM on August 15, 2007

in the opposite direction, you could always consider skegness. the train ride is a little over 3 hours in my recollection, and you'll probably need to change at somewhere like nottingham. skeggy is sneezed at by many but i enjoyed it's run down and tatty feel. weston near bristol is probably the quickest to get to bona-fide seaside town from brum, although i believe the cambrian coast of wales is closer as the crow flies. the weather is probably more predictable on the bristol channel than the north sea too. i would also recommend swansea in south wales--journey time shouldn't be much longer than 3 hours. swansea itself is not that seasidey, but the mumbles just a couple of miles west is a charming fishing village with tons of pubs; just beware the student hordes that invade every weekend during term time. beyond swansea is the gower peninsula that is accessible by public bus service from swansea; rhossili is particularly special, and natural beauty abounds in this relatively unspoilt area.
posted by iboxifoo at 7:58 PM on August 15, 2007

I've never been there, but Burnham-on-Sea is just under three hours on the train from New Street.

The beaches are supposed to be nice, and it's got a pier!
posted by roomaroo at 9:24 AM on August 16, 2007