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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- Seasons
Be at one with birds of prey at Rosliston Forestry Centre
There’s something special about being close to a bird of prey; those round watchful eyes on high alert, fixing you with a dominating stare.
Location: Rosliston, Derbyshire
Enjoy a wild night out with bushcraft at Catton Hall
Let Woodland Ways teach you the basics of bushcraft in a fun and safe environment whilst spending time outdoors and sleeping under the stars.
Location: Catton, Derbyshire
Underground & over ground adventures at Go Ape
Release your Tarzan and journey to the centre of the earth on an epic double adventure in Derbyshire’s beautiful Buxton.
Location: Buxton, Derbyshire
Get lost in the twists and turns of Wistow Maze
Over the summer, pay a visit to the famous Wistow Maze, a versatile puzzle in the English countryside that changes shape each year.
Location: Wistow, Leicestershire
Gastro glamping at the foot of Belvoir Castle
Pronounced ‘beaver’ by locals and literally meaning ‘beautiful view’, the Vale of Belvoir offers the perfect place to hideaway.
Location: Near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Enjoy the great outdoors at Cannock Chase Forest
Cannock Chase is the UK’s smallest mainland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here you can ride, hike, climb or just wander at your own pace.
Location: Rugeley , Staffordshire
Spy on endangered wildfowl at Rutland Water Nature Reserve
Visit Rutland Water's famous wildfowl sanctuary, covering a 1,000 acres of bird hides, mucky nature trails and interactive visitor centres.
Location: Rutland Water, Rutland
Go bananas for Trentham Monkey Forest
Pay a visit to the only place in Britain where you can walk among 140 Barbary macaques roaming free in 60 acres of forest.
Location: Trentham , Staffordshire
Plan a day of horse riding with Country Treks
Horse riding in the beautiful South Shropshire countryside is something quite special indeed and is great way to admire the scenery.
Location: Stottesdon, Shropshire
New Ways to see Sherwood Pines Forest
Discover Sherwood Pines Forest on two wheels, with Go Ape’s Segway tours through Robin Hood country.
Location: Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire
Head off-road on two wheels in Sherwood Forest
From family cycle trails to extreme mountain biking, Sherwood Pines Forest offers the best when it comes to getting active on two wheels.
Location: Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire
Have a medieval sleepover at Warwick Castle
For a family holiday with a difference, grab your sleeping bag and head to Warwick Castle to spend the night within the castle's historic grounds.
Location: Warwick, Warwickshire
Full steam ahead on a loco driven by you
Many would love the chance to drive a steam engine, well now's your chance: become a train driver for the day at Telford Steam Railway.
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Walk barefoot through the woods at CONKERS
From teddy-bear picnics to jumping on crunchy leaves, England’s woodland is brimming with things to do with toddlers - and award-winning CONKERS, in the heart of The National Forest, is no different.
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire
Feel calmer whilst walking a llama
Go walkies South American-style with National Forest Llama Treks, an unusual “let’s-do-something-different” trekking experience.
Location: Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire
Enjoy the outdoors and its culinary delights at Talton Lodge
Surely there’s nowhere other than Talton Lodge where you could combine canoeing, Tug O’ War and sausage-making courses?
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Free-wheeling fun in Leicester & The National Forest
From a city full of fresh cycling ideas, to off-road biking excursions in The National Forest.
Location: Leicester, Leicestershire
Enjoy sculptures and breathtaking views on the Spa Trail
Enjoy a family friendly cycling route following an old section of the Horncastle to Woodhall Spa railway route.
Location: Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire
Live like a mediaeval knight at Warwick Castle
Experience an exclusive sleepover in your very own themed Lodge, set in a picturesque woodland grove on the river bank within the Knight's Village of Warwick Castle.
Location: Warwick, Warwickshire
Ditch the tent in favour of glamping at Teversal Campsite
Spend an action-packed day in rural Nottinghamshire before retreating to a luxury tent or log cabin for an evening of al fresco drinking and dining.
Location: Teversal, Nottinghamshire
Find riverside amusements aplenty in the Severn Valley
Stourport-on-Severn is a great inland resort to explore, with plenty of open green space for the whole family to enjoy, canal and riverside walks, riverside amusements and boat trips galore.
Location: Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire
