Where to go on a digital detox in Britain? While it’s difficult to detach yourself from a phone at the best of times, travelling to a new destination can be the perfect excuse to step away from digital devices and your daily routine. Whether you’re ticking off bucket-list sights or marvelling at Britain’s breathtaking scenery, your next trip could be an excellent opportunity to take a break from your mobile.
Immersing yourself in a fascinating experience or absorbing the magic of a fantastic landscape can distract you from the usual tech habits. Perhaps you’re planning a digital detox and want to organise a sightseeing trip somewhere in the UK you’ve never been before.
If so, this article might encourage you to book an unforgettable tour and inspire your plan to detox for a day, a week, or even longer.
Challenge yourself to a digital break
In an age where your phone might be permanently attached to you, it can be hugely beneficial to challenge yourself to take a break. Like most people, you might admit to spending too many digital hours on a smartphone or similar, either at work or in your spare time. If so, you’re in good company with the average adult in the UK spending over four hours daily on their phone and approximately 76% of the waking hours online.
In addition, when you travel, mobile usage and digital engagement can increase as you navigate unfamiliar places, research an area’s best restaurants, and read reviews about the top attractions. With so much time spent on your screens and Keywords Everywhere reporting searches tripling in the last year for the term ‘digital detox’, holidays seem a great chance to unplug.
There’s something wonderfully liberating about switching off completely when you have to. Planning this to coincide with your travels might be easier if you’re on an exciting city break and trying something adrenaline-pumping, such as go-karting in Brighton or opting for a calmer sensory experience like wine tasting in The Cotswolds. While you might want to share photos of all the great places you see and experiences you enjoy, try to be disciplined, turn off your phone and immerse yourself in the new experience.
The benefits of a digital detox in Britain
Once you’re busy touring Britain, seeing loads of fascinating sights and delving into new opportunities, chances are that you won’t miss your mobile too much. If you are tempted to turn it on, there are many benefits to having a break from your mobile. There is compelling science-based evidence for planning an enforced detox from devices.
Switching off boosts your wellbeing
Research from Nuffield Health cites a number of benefits from having a screen break, including:
- Lower stress levels: Escape the always-on mentality of digital communications
- Improved sleep: Avoid blue light that disrupts melatonin production
- More time for self-care: Reclaim time for personal activities that recharge you
- Mental reset: Evaluate and improve your relationship with apps and social media
- Less social pressure: Break free from constant comparison and fear of missing out (FOMO)
Therefore, a digital detox on your travels (or when you’re back home) can have both physical and mental health benefits by freeing up more time to exercise or get out more into natural settings. It is well-documented that being immersed in nature is good for your mental health.
Reconnect with nature for maximum impact
When you’re travelling, enjoying natural settings, looking out for local wildlife, or simply admiring the spectacular autumn scenery, wherever you head to in Britain can be so positive and calming, like Cambridge, for instance.
Indeed, if you combine this nature therapy with a tech detox, the benefits multiply to include:
- Improved sleep quality, particularly when you’re not checking your phone before bed
- Reduced neck and shoulder tension from less ‘tech neck’ and better posture
- Lower stress levels and anxiety without the constant ping of notifications
- Better mental presence and mindfulness
- Enhanced social connections with friends or family you travel with or on guided tours
- Increased creativity and problem-solving abilities
On the flip side, an inability to disconnect from digital devices has been linked to increased stress levels, workplace burnout, and a diminished ability to fully experience our surroundings. A digital detox while travelling isn’t just about avoiding screen time – it’s about breaking free from the metrics we use to measure our worth in our professional lives and rediscovering the art of genuine exploration and connection.
Share memorable experiences the old-fashioned way
Today, only 18% of the population send a postcard when they’re away – a once favourite way to share holiday experiences. It’s worth remembering that before smartphones, people took photos, created scrapbooks of memorable adventures or simply took mental note of enjoyable locations. If you are on a tech break, think about buying a traditional card or bringing a disposable camera with you, resisting the temptation to upload streams of photos.
When you return home, you’ll likely still want to share your experiences on social media, but be aware that your digital dependency is building a culture where you measure what you love and experience via other people’s ‘likes’ or ‘shares’. So, if you’re exploring the stunning Scottish coast or other must-see attractions, savour those moments for yourself rather than simply screen-shotting them.
Research shows that creative expressions and activities are excellent strategies for dealing with stress while travelling. With this in mind, go back to basics sketching landscapes instead of photographing them, joining local craft workshops, or signing up for art or pottery classes in local studios you spot on your travels.
Socialise minus your mobile
One of the positives of travelling either solo, with friends, or as part of a small group tour is the social aspect, and this is boosted on a digital detox break. If your aim is to meet people and socialise more when you’re travelling, think about guided walking groups, researching local festivals, and attending traditional music sessions in pubs or in locations in the village, town, or city you’re visiting.
Likewise, many British museums and galleries in London and beyond the capital offer guided tours that are far more engaging when you’re not trying to log everything on your phone. The social side of tours – from group discussions to fascinating anecdotes – can be far more interesting and entertaining than anything you might read on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook.
A digital detox combined with touring the UK offers more than just a break from technology. It can be an unbeatable opportunity to reset your mental and physical well-being while enjoying many new experiences, sights, and attractions.
Whether exploring castles, hiking through national parks, or sipping tea in a quintessential English village, switching off your mobile allows you to savour more of Britain’s natural beauty and brilliance. So, next time you’re exploring, consider making your trip a little more mindful – and a little less digital.
