Top 40 UK staycations to enjoy before you're 40

Canal boats set off from the Melbourne Arms on Pocklington Canal to navigate a new two-mile stretch of the canal

New research has revealed the 40 UK travel experiences to try before you turn 40 – including a night under Northumberland’s International Dark Sky Park, a road trip along Scotland’s North Coast 500 and Birmingham’s Balti Triangle – as shortlisted by travel experts and voted on by Brits.

The research, commissioned by bank NatWest to launch of their new Buy Now Pay Later product, found 84% of the nation admitted there are many places they have ‘yet to explore’ in the UK, with 56% keen to rectify this before they reach the big 4-0.

Other experiences include walking round the picturesque village of Portmeirion, Wales, and visiting Devon and Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast to discover prehistoric fossils.

Top 40 UK travel experiences to try before you're 40 are ...

Stay the night at the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and stargaze into the darkest skies in England

Take the ultimate road trip on Scotland’s North Coast 500 and see spectacular wildlife, landscape and imposing Dunrobin Castle

Travel to Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, the culinary birthplace of the famous Balti, for a uniquely British-Asian foodie experience

Explore the UK’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers with a staycation on a canal boat

Learn bushcraft and survival skills on a wilderness course in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District

Go seal spotting for common and grey seals at Blakeney Point Nature Reserve

Bask in the early morning sunshine on the golden sands of Porthcurno Beach after an overnight stay in Cornwall

Savour world class English wines and book a vineyard tour in Kent

Explore the Puzzlewood in the Forest Of Dean, the landscape that inspired Tolkien’s ‘Middle Earth’

Climb the basalt steps of the Giant’s Causeway in Country Antrim, Northern Ireland

Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Pentle Bay, Tresco, and stay by the white sandy shores on the Isles of Scilly

Go hiking in the vast, wild Epping Forest, Essex, and get back to nature in a camping pod

Take a stroll round the picturesque and colourful Italian style village of Portmeirion, Wales

Watch the headline act at Glastonbury Festival, Somerset

Hire a traditional punt and sail under the Bridge of Sighs on the River Cam, Cambridge

Visit the Turner Contemporary Gallery in the trendy and kitsch seaside town of Margate, Kent

Enjoy nature with a touch of luxury whilst glamping in the New Forest

Hike up Mount Snowdon in the Snowdonia National Park, Wales – the highest mountain in England and Wales

Taste-test a cream tea from Devon and neighbouring Cornwall and decide which is best!

Sandboard down ‘The Big Dipper’, Europe’s second largest sand dune, in Methyr Mawr, Wales

Visit Devon and Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast to discover prehistoric fossils

Tour a former mine 300ft underground at the Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon, Wales

Breathe in the fresh sea air during a coastal hike along the Seven Sisters, Sussex

Take a scenic drive from Glasgow to Fort William up the A82 for peak Scottish views

Cycle along a former railway line, the Tissington trail, in the Peak District

Join the parade at Notting Hill Carnival in London, celebrating the UK’s Caribbean history

Get a taste of the upper class and visit the real Downton Abbey; Highclere Castle in Hampshire

Take a trip to Windsor Castle, Berkshire, and see one of Her Majesty’s residences