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.
Take a tour of England's wine country
Sample some of the best wine, cider and juices in the country in Kent.
Location: Tenterden, Kent
Choose between red, white or rosé at Sealwood Cottage
Sample the fruits of this Derbyshire vineyard in the charming countryside of The National Forest, and then go to sleep in a pyramid-roofed bedroom.
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire
Visit a family run vineyard in the heart of the Chilterns
Explore the vineyard and sample the wine and beer produced in this truly independent brewery in Oxfordshire.
Location: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Beer tasting with the Britain's oldest brewer
Celebrate one of Kent's finest exports - the humble hop - with a beery-break in Faversham in Kent.
Location: Faversham, Kent
Enjoy fresh, local produce on The Vale Trail
Have a unique horticultural experience in one of England's most fertile lands. Sample fresh produce from local food and drink producers.
Location: Evesham, Worcestershire
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
A foodie break in the forest
Get a taste of the New Forest where locally produced and caught food takes pride of place on the menu.
Location: New Forest, Hampshire
Sample Surrey’s top tipples
Surrey has a wealth of drinks producers creating delicious award-winning wines and beers right across the county.
Location: Dorking, Surrey
Sample wines at the scenic Sedlescombe Organic Vineyards
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard is one of the most idyllic tourist attraction locations in 1066 Country, near Hastings.
Location: Sedlescombe, East Sussex
Take a walk round Cumbria with Jennings Adventure Ale Trails
Stunning scenery, cosy accommodation, good food and real ale are all on offer with Jennings Adventure Ales trails in the Lake District.
Location: Ambleside, Cumbria
Raise a glass in the South Downs countryside
English sparkling wine is enjoying a renaissance.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex
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
Taste ice cream straight from the farm
Savour the delights of ice cream straight from the farm, in the pretty rural Nottinghamshire countryside.
Location: Southwell, Nottinghamshire
Head to Lanhydrock for a splendid woodland picnic
Head to finest house in Cornwall for a relaxing picnic with magnificent panoramic views and 900 acres of parkland and woodland.
Location: Bodmin, Cornwall
Eat delicious seasonal food at the Wild Rabbit Inn
Pop in for a drink by the fire or a locally-sourced meal, and then stay over at this charming inn in the idyllic Cotswold village of Kingham.
Location: Chipping Norton, Cotswolds
Experience wine-making the way in Bradford-on-Avon
Enjoy an organic tipple among the vines of an English country gem.
Location: Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
A warm welcome awaits weary travellers at the Victoria Inn
Reward yourself after a bracing walk along the coast with a pint in one of Cornwall’s oldest watering holes.
Location: Penzance, Cornwall
Eat local and stay in the luxurious rooms at The Pig
Foraged food and beautiful shabby chic décor are the order of the day at this unusual, but luxurious, country house hotel.
Location: Brockenhurst, Hampshire
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
Enjoy a taste of Grasmere Gingerbread
Stock up on one of the Lake District’s most famous exports: Grasmere Gingerbread.
Location: Ambleside, Cumbria
Discover Biddenden Vineyards in Kent
Making wine in the Garden of England.
Location: Biddenden, Kent