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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Kingston Lacy: an Italian palace in Dorset
Home to a rather fabulous collection that includes pieces by Rubens, Van Duyck, Titian.
Location: Poole, Dorset
Make friends at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre
Home to over 250 rescued and endangered primates, this sanctuary lets you get up close and personal with all kinds of monkeys, gorillas and apes.
Location: Wareham, Dorset
Find romance in the depths of Thomas Hardy Country
Enjoy woodland walks and cosy inns, and immerse yourself in the romantic landscape that this renowned writer called home.
Location: Dorset
Have yourself a Famous Five adventure
Follow in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five with some castle capers and a seaside adventure by steam railway.
Location: Corfe Castle, Dorset
Take to the slopes in Dorset
The Snowtrax alpine activity centre will transport you to the mountains for the day.
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Enjoy high-wire and two-wheeled adventure in the Moors Valley
Enjoy adrenaline-fuelled activities for all the family in Moors Valley Country Park in the lovely Dorset countryside.
Location: Ashley Heath, Dorset
Take a walk through history in Cranborne
Explore the landscape of Cranborne Chase which inspired the father of modern archaeology, William Fox Pitt.
Location: Cranborne, Dorset
Enjoy a luxurious camping trip at Crafty Camping
Luxury glamping in a beautiful forest setting alongside Guy Mallinson’s Woodland Workshop, featured in the BBC Mastercrafts series.
Location: Holditch, Dorset
A botanical treasure trove on the Jurassic Coast
Sniff your way around the award-winning Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, a coastal haven filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
Watch Indie A-listers at the End of the Road Festival
The intimate surroundings of the End of the Road Festival give you the chance to get up close and personal with the bands and their music.
Location: Larmer Tree Gardens, North Dorset
Give your taste buds a treat at the Furleigh Estate vineyard
Explore the peace and tranquillity of the Furleigh Estate vineyard, before getting down to the real business of testing out the wines for yourself.
Location: Bridport, Dorset
All the fun of the fair with Dorset’s summer festivals
Dorset entertains the whole family all summer long hosting an array of amazing events and festivals that are unique, nostalgic or just plain fun!
Location: Dorset