If you’re planning an engagement in 2022 and asking yourself ‘where can I propose?’ look no further than our guide to some of the most romantic destinations in the UK to pop the question this February 14th.
The Pump Room, Bath
The gorgeous Georgian surrounds of the Pump Room in Bath have extra romantic resonance as a key setting in Jane Austen’s novels. In the place where fashionable society once flirted at balls, you can still sit under chandeliers, listen to the resident pianist and enjoy a champagne brunch or afternoon tea, waiting for that perfect moment to pop the question. There are many other romantic spots to promenade about the city, and the Roman Baths, next door to the Pump Room, are a great place to relax together and plan your own next chapter.
National Trust snowdrop gardens
Most flowers are still waiting in the wings in February, but snowdrop ‘drifts’ can create spectacular backdrops for Valentine’s Day proposals in the UK. Though the flowers naturally spread across woodlands, your safest bet is a National Trust property where the bulbs have been planted in thousands. Snowdrop hotspots include the seven-acre winter garden at Dunham Massey in Cheshire; Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire, where there are over 3000 varieties; Shropshire’s Attingham Park; and Castle Ward in County Down, where you may also spot basking seals.
Warren House Inn, Dartmoor
February is a fine time to snuggle up with your partner in front of an open fire. One place where a welcoming hearth is guaranteed is the Warren House Inn, isolated amid the spectacular scenery of Dartmoor, Devon. The fire here has remained perpetually lit since 1845! Once a haunt of local tin miners, the pub is now a popular stop between Princetown and Moretonhampstead. Snowdrifts permitting, you can hole up here with a mulled wine or whisky and get set for a cosy proposal, hoping your own love is an eternal flame.
Shakespeare’s Globe, London
Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth NightandAs You Like It are just some of the great romances penned by Shakespeare, so why not plan a London city break around a proposal at the Globe Theatre? A guided tour (Thursday to Sunday) will lead you through the ‘wooden O’ and onto the famous open-air stage – a truly dramatic place to drop to one knee! On Valentine’s Day itself, you could propose in the Globe’s Swan Bar and Restaurant over cocktails or the prettily themed Romeo and Juliet afternoon tea.
BA i360, Sky Dining Flight, Brighton
You’ll be that much closer to cloud nine when you propose 450ft above the twinkling lights of Brighton on a BAi360 Sky Dining flight. This Valentine’s Day you can enjoy a special three-course dinner over three flights in the romantically lit viewing pod. By the time you’re deciding between churros with a chocolate ganache or a passion fruit Pavlova, you’ll hopefully have a ‘yes’ to make the night even sweeter. If you’ve a different date in mind for your engagement in 2022, then check out the BAi360’s year-round proposal package. You can mark your memorable engagement in Brighton with local Nyetimber sparkling wine plus chocolates and red roses for your fiancé. Book Valentine’s Day Sky Dining Here.
‘Castle on the Hill’, Suffolk
If your partner is an Ed Sheeran fan, consider a trip to the ‘Castle on the Hill’ made famous in what he described as a ‘love song for Suffolk’. The teenage haunt the singer refers to is 12th century Framlingham Castle, which appears in the final scene of the music video. You can take a romantic stroll around the 10-metre high castle wall, or beside the picturesque lake in the surrounding parkland. If your proposal is music to
your other half’s ears then you’ll be able to tell people you got engaged, ‘When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill…’
Bridgerton locations, across England
If your lockdown was enlivened by the raunchy romance Bridgerton, why not rekindle that spark with a proposal at one of the UK locations used in the Netflix series? The drama is set in Regency London and the Ranger’s House in historic Greenwich posed as the Bridgerton family home. Numerous other heritage sites across England also had a starring role, including Holburne Museum and the Royal Crescent in Bath, Castle Howard in Yorkshire and Wilton House in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where the ornate interior doubled as the Queen’s throne room.
West Coast sunset spots
If you’re seeking the most romantic destinations in the UK for a sunset proposal, the West Coast is your best bet, to watch the colours reflected across the sea. Stand out spots include the craggy Gower Peninsula in Wales; La Corbiere Lighthouse in Jersey, especially at low tide when the causeway is exposed; looking towards St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall; or on the white sand beaches of western Scotland, with the Inner Hebrides silhouetted against the light. Wrap up warm, take a flask of hot chocolate, or something stronger, or scout out a local pub with a view.