Andre - Glad to hear you will be starting next year. I hope you will enjoy it. When I started I really wasn't sure I liked flying after 5 hours, but I continued on and am now very glad that I did.
There are a lot of experienced ppruners out here who are giving you wise advice. My two penneth is that despite the antics of bureacrats and little airports who want to introduce more controlled airspace, most of the UK is still 'Class G' uncontrolled airspace where you can do what you want with few restrictions. Sure, you can't fly low and buzz people (there are other rules as well like this), but you can pootle around wherever the hell you like in Class G and can change your mind and divert off to somewhere else instead. If you want to land away, it is always polite and often required that you phone the airfield before you take off to tell them you are coming (prior permission required or PPR), though some will accept PPR over the radio. This also means they will probably alert search and rescue if you don't appear - which is nice if you've not had a good day.
And speaking of the radio, it is still mercifully possible to fly around in Class G without a radio. So, there's nothing to stop you qualifying as a PPL, buying a Piper Cub and slowly (60-70 knots) exploring amost of the UK in splendid isolation. Others will doubtless harang me for saying this as it does of course make sense to talk to ATCUs and make sure your aircraft is transponding in response to radar sweeps, but it is not mandatory for Class G.
The obvious enthusiasm of your post is very uplifting. Very best wishes with your flying next year. Your first solo will be a thrill you will never forget.