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.

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Rekindle your romance in the Peak District

Put a spring in your step with a tete-a-tete in a country house hotel, share a walk with heart-stopping views and chill out in a relaxing spa.

Location: Castleton, Derbyshire

 

Retrace Turner's footsteps in Durham

Durham’s landscapes and iconic buildings have inspired several of England’s great artists and writers, including the master painter JMW Turner.

Location: Durham Dales, Durham

 

Sleep in the treetops on an overnight safari in Kent

Get in touch with your wild side in Kent this spring with a true African experience that the whole family will rave about.

Location: Lympne, Kent

 

Take a bargain break with all the trimmings at Totland

On the west coast of the Isle of Wight, YHA Totland has the beach, heaps of countryside walks and great local attractions on its doorstep.

Location: Totland, Isle of Wight

 

Trip-trap along the Red Squirrel Trail

This family-friendly cycle and walking path encompasses an exciting trail of artwork, sculpture and trolls under bridges.

Location: Newport, Isle of Wight

 

Pedal along 100 miles of off-road cycling tracks

Pedal the extensive, year-round network of cycling routes criss-crossing the woodland, heathland and quiet country roads of the New Forest.

Location: New Forest, Hampshire

 

Recreate film scenes at Stourhead gardens

See the changing colours on a visit to breath-taking Stourhead, where you can see the beauty of nature through the seasons.

Location: Mere, Wiltshire

 

Walk in the footsteps of the famous Brontë sisters

Visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum and explore the beautiful home and surroundings that inspired classic Brontë novels.

Location: Haworth, West Yorkshire

 

Visit the hidden hedged gardens of Hill Close Gardens

See the rare survivals of Victorian gardens, which were used by townsfolk who wanted to an escape from the busy town centre.

Location: Warwick, Warwickshire

 

Encounter an Elizabethan legacy in Warwickshire

Discover 900 years of English history at Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, a vast medieval fortress and spectacular castle ruins.

Location: Kenilworth, Warwickshire

 

How did the leopard get his spots? Visit Rudyard Kipling’s home

Explore Bateman's, the 17th century home of the Jungle Book and The Just So Stories author, nestled in the leafy Sussex Weald.

Location: Burwash, East Sussex

 

Tuck into a home cooked meal at The Kirkstile Inn

Enjoy a delicious menu made from the best Cumbrian produce, washed down with a pint of freshly brewed ale at the Kirkstile Inn in the heart of the North Lake District.

Location: Loweswater, Cumbria

 

Follow in the footsteps of William the Conqueror

The Battle of Hastings in 1066 changed the course of English history forever. Explore the site and learn about history’s most famous date.

Location: Battle, East Sussex

 

Wander like Wordsworth around Ullswater

Take a trip to Ullswater and enjoy the fabulous lake and the crowd of golden daffodils which inspired the poet William Wordsworth.

Location: Ullswater, Cumbria

 

Frolic in the Follies at Hawkstone Park

Hawkstone Historic Park is a unique place, with an intriguing mix of follies, caves and grottos.

Location: Weston-under-Redcastle, Shropshire

 

Dine like Lords and Ladies at Langley Castle

For those with a taste for the finer things in life, Langley Castle Hotel near the historic market town of Hexham is the ideal gastro getaway.

Location: Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland

 

Find your inner zen on a detox break in Nottinghamshire

Purify the mind, body and soul with pure Japanese meditation then indulge in an oasis of relaxation at a detox retreat near Newark.

Location: Newark, Nottinghamshire

 

Take in magnificent views from Bempton Cliffs

Bempton’s towering chalk cliffs skyrocket to over 100 metres (109 yards) in points, with awe-inspiring views overlooking the coast of East Yorkshire.

Location: Bempton, East Yorkshire

 

Hunt for the witches in the woods of Pendle

Embark on the interactive Pendle Sculpture Trail, and find the witches ceramic plaques in an atmospheric woodland setting.

Location: Pendle, Lancashire

 

Take a tour of the Peak District Mining Museum

Discover the cramped and hazardous world of a Derbyshire lead miner.

Location: Matlock, Derbyshire

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