19 Wonderful Alternative Ways To Explore Britain

The beaten track is boring.

1. Make friends with Herb Lester in London.

herblester.com

Herb Lester create the most exciting illustrated city maps. Explore London's writing history, or clandestine London in case you need to lurk in a hidden alcove and make a quick getaway.

2. See some street art in Bristol.

wherethewall.com

The Where the Wall Street art tour in Bristol gives you an insider view into the street art home of BANKSY and share 30 years of street art history.

3. Guide your way around Glasgow.

shop.herblester.com

There are 49 entries across The Glasgow Companion, covering parks, Art Deco galore and a fish and chop shop owned by an opera singer.

4. Explore Edinburgh.

shop.herblester.com

There are 34 entries on the Edinburgh Companion, covering Korean food, bookshops, a Wild West Town and, of course, a lot of whisky.

5. Play detective in London.

Jon Wilkes

Part murder mystery, part treasure hunt, part accidental pub crawl, A Door in a Wall run London adventures with a team of actors poised with clues and drama to entertain as you play detective.

6. Have a culinary adventure in Manchester.

eatinglondontours.co.uk

Eating London takes you on a trip around the East End with some of the best food and drink that London has to offer. Up north? Join Manchester Food Walks and nibble your way around the Northern quarter.

7. Have a cocktail in the capital.

bluecrowmedia.com

Whether your preferred tipple is wine, coffee or a something a little stronger, Blue Crow have your covered with their London drinks maps.

8. Unmask a hidden city in York.

inthehiddencity.com

Hidden City run treasure hunts across York, London, Brighton and Manchester. You're guided by text message clues so you can do your chosen treasure hunt whenever you like and stop for a cuppa along the way.

9. Go green in London.

insider-london.co.uk

Insider London run unusual walking tours around London. Check out their sustainable architecture walk, or book a place on their cutting edge green tour.

10. Peel back the layers of Edinburgh's history.

etsy.com

Historian Eleanor M Harris has created Layers of Edinburgh, a map that goes much deeper than its beautiful illustrations. There are quotations, historical facts and information about the city's nature and architecture and there's even a walking tour. The detail is incredible.

11. Discover a fictional London.

curiocity.org.uk

Curiocity are all about sharing London's secrets with curious people. Fictional London is the latest addition to their collection and shares tales from Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear and London's finest writers.

12. Whizz around Belfast on a Segway.

segwayni.co.uk!segway-titanic-tours/c15g

The Segway Titanic tour is the only segway city tour in the UK and if you can stay upright on your two wheeled transport, it'll take you all over Belfast's Titanic quarter.

13. See your city clearly with a Silky Map.

Gintare

Whether you're a glasses wearer or photography fanatic, Silky Map will clear up your lenses and show you exactly where in London you are.

14. Get on your bike in London.

alternativeldn.com

The Alternative London Bike Tours offer street art and photography tours of East London. If you're still not done exploring London's art scene on two wheels, check out Artourride's Cycle Art Sunday.

15. Discover a hidden gem in Birmingham.

alternativetours.co.uk

It's thought that over 40% of jewellery in the UK is made in Birmingham's jewellery quarter. Alternative Tours offer bespoke tours of the area. Save some money for something sparkly.

16. Screw up your city map.

anthropologie.eu

Crumpled City maps are waterproof and crumple proof. Just screw it up into a ball in your bag when you've found your way across London. Also doubles as a hat when it rains.

17. Go underground in Brighton.

Ed Robinson

Hard hats at the ready, the Brighton Sewer Tour takes you underground for a Victorian adventure. It's the only place in the UK where you can explore the sewer system and you'll see a snippet of the 30 miles of tunnels, some big enough to fit a double decker bus.

18. Take the kids on an adventure in London.

adventurewalksbooks.co.uk

There are 20 walks on the illustrated Adventure Walks London map and they're all suitable for children.

19. And don't forget to send a postcard!

webuilt-thiscity.com

Instead of buying a boring postcard, Beatriz Sanches' My London for You Postcards are a beautiful and surprising look at the city (yes, we really do put vinegar on our chips). Buy them from London's most exciting souvenir shop, We Built This City.