Unique photos reveal Britain’s strangest tourist attractions, including a fairytale valley, a ‘house in the clouds’ and a pyramid built by Queen Victoria

With holidays abroad in jeopardy and two million seats cut from flights in May, more people than ever are looking to stay in Britain.

While it’s likely the big attractions that come to mind when you think about where to go – Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge and the like – there are plenty of other, more unusual locations around the country.

Getting off the beaten path can take you to intriguing (and sometimes completely absurd) destinations.

From a pyramid made of granite to a Victorian tourist attraction in a cave and a ‘house in the clouds’, Britain is home to some weird and wonderful delights.

The attractions are featured in a new book Weird Guide by Dave Hamilton – published by Wild Things Publishing and on sale now.

Here’s a look at some of the most bizarre ones you can read…

Lost Gardens of Heligan, Mevagissey, Cornwall

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Mevagissey – in Cornwall – are some of Britain’s most popular gardens, and they are also home to a number of unconventional outdoor attractions.

The house found here was previously private property and also served as a base for American troops during World War II.

After this point, the gardens fell into disarray – that is, until the 1990s, when volunteers and staff worked to refurbish them.

Today you can visit the garden’s exhibitions, ranging from a Mud Maiden, a ‘living’ moss-covered statue of a woman lying in the earth, and a gigantic 20-foot statue of a leaping fox, carved from a 150-year-old red rhododendron.

Fairy Glen, Uig, Isle of Skye

Located on the Isle of Skye, Fairy Glen may not have much of a mythology, but that doesn’t make it any less magical.

The green hills and jagged landscape were created by an ancient landslide and smoothed to create this mystical valley.

It’s more than just old: it dates back more than 100,000 years ago.

Rock House, Kinver Edge

If you think 100,000 years is old, wait until you see this: a rock-cut house that was formed 250 million years ago, when England was still underwater and much further south.

Over time the buildings were converted into homes – and are now owned by the National Trust.

The caves act as a living museum, showing what life would have been like inside, with fireplaces and dramatic views to explore.

Kelvedon Hatch nuclear bunker, Essex

Kelvedon Hatch Nuclear Bunker was built to withstand any possible attack during the Cold War and can accommodate 600 military personnel, civilians and a Prime Minister.

From the outside it looks like an ordinary bungalow.

But once you follow the tunnel underground to the three-story bunker, it becomes a different story.

It’s the size of 33 regular British houses, and that’s right home to one of the largest Cold War museums in the world, with living areas, an office space, a BBC studio, a kitchen and a medical room.

Little Italy, Gwynedd, North Wales

Italy-mad chicken farmer Mark Bourne had one goal: to recreate the beauty of his favorite country in his home.

Italy’s small collection of more than 30 sights includes a 1.8-metre-long Rialto Bridge from Venice, a mini Duomo from Florence and a smaller version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

It was crafted for 25 years by the late farmer and his wife Muriel next to their 19th century cottage in Gwynedd, North Wales.

When you see pyramids, the first thing you probably think of is Egypt.

But the 13 meter high Albert’s Pyramid was commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate the death of her husband.

It is located in Balmoral in Scotland and dates back to 1862.

Surrounded by countryside, the Balmoral Pyramid, known as Prince Albert’s Cairn, is one of eleven structures built to represent the life of Queen Victoria and her descendants.

Margate Cave

Beneath Margate’s Northdown Road is a network of chalk caves – and they were once a very popular Victorian tourist attraction, known as Vortigern Caves.

They have been the subject of many myths and legends, including an 1863 “fake news” story that claimed a man accidentally came across them when the ground gave way and he fell in.

Today you can visit, with tickets from just £2.50, and discover the previously abandoned chalk mines that used to be adored by visitors.

House in the Clouds, Thorpeness, Suffolk

Originally built as a water tower in 1923, the House in the Clouds was designed to stand out – a goal that clearly fails today.

But after the 1980s it no longer functioned as a water tower and was converted into a real house.

Nowadays you can even do the house with five bedrooms Airbnb from £700 per night.

It is described as ‘a truly unique place to stay, one of England’s most famous follies’.

A House for Essex, Manningtree

A House for Essex, with its geometric design, gold roof and red door, barely blends into the landscape.

It was created by artist Grayson Perry and architect Charles Holland for Living Architecture, a company founded by philosopher and writer Alain de Botton in 2006.

The goal? Creating beautiful holiday homes that pay tribute to modern architecture – and we have absolutely succeeded.

Perry said: ‘How strange it seems in the landscape and at the same time it fits in with it.’

Lennox Castle, Kirkintilloch, Scotland

Lennox Castle, built between 1837 and 1841, was turned in a hospital for people with intellectual disabilities with around 1,200 inhabitants.

However, in the 1980s it fell into disarray, and negative reports circulated at the institute – some even suggesting that patients were malnourished.

It closed in 2002 and was further damaged by fire in 2008.