Countryside
Both genteel and wild, there’s nothing quite like the English countryside for rural escapes with its patchwork hills, dramatic dales, ancient woodlands and winding country roads. All well and good, but what is there to do in England’s countryside exactly? Quite a lot, actually. Admire the grand interiors of a stately home before catching a play in the surrounding gardens, travel back in time with visits to ancient stone circles and crumbling castles, or step into a chocolate box of quaint villages and market towns and live like a local, trying farmhouse cheeses, cream teas and real ales along the way.
Discover Cornwall's Eden Project
Five biomes nestled under five giant bubbles in the hills of Cornwall make for one of Britain's most impressive indoor eco-attractions.
Location: St Austell, Cornwall
Rainy Day Activities: Embark on an expedition into Cheddar Gorge
This ultimate indoor activity will have you venture deep into the famous caves at Cheddar to see where the Cheddar Man, Britain's oldest skeleton, was discovered.
Location: Cheddar, Somerset
Create your own goodies at The Chocolate Factory Hawkshead
Take the family on a sweet adventure with a hands-on experience at the Lake District's own Chocolate Factory.
Location: Hawkshead, Cumbria
Rainy Day Activities: Uncover history at the New Forest Centre
Learn more about one of the UK's oldest and largest royal forests at the indoor New Forest Heritage Centre.
Location: Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Rainy Day Activities: Look into outer space at Jodrell Bank
Cutting-edge astronomy and interactive displays wow visitors to the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, home of the magnificent Lovell Telescope.
Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire
Peep into Durham’s locomotive past
Discover Durham’s role in the development of the railways at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon.
Location: Vale of Durham
Rainy Day Activities: Visit much-loved author Beatrix Potter’s home
Uncover the life of the children’s author and illustrator as you explore the enchanting landscapes that inspired her.
Location: Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Cumbria