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.

30 Experience Results

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Take the plunge canyoning in Cumbria

Ever looked at a waterfall and rather than reaching for the camera, thought ‘I’d like to climb down that’? If so, you’re about to discover your new favourite sport – canyoning.

Location: Bowness, Cumbria

 

Enjoy a boat trip on Canal River Trust's Waterways

Spend your weekend exploring Cheshire’s incredible waterways, at Anderton Boat Lift and the National Waterways Museum.

Location: Anderton, Cheshire

 

Glide through the waterways of unspoilt Cheshire

Take in quaint villages, welcoming country pubs, majestic industrial heritage sites and even castles on a boat trip through the county’s canals.

Location: Audlem, Cheshire

 

See the light at the end of the tunnel

Standedge Tunnel, in the heart of the Pennine countryside, is the longest canal tunnel in Britain.

Location: Marsden, Yorkshire

 

Take a trip on one of England’s last horse-drawn barges

Explore the Grand Western Canal on one of England’s last horse drawn barges, and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding Devon countryside.

Location: Tiverton, Devon

 

Try a canoeing adventure along the River Wye

Become one with the water as you canoe through the rapid waters of the River Wye.

Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

 

Explore Leicestershire’s beautiful waterways at Foxton Locks

Enjoy summer walks past the colourful narrowboats and along the unique waterways surrounded by Leicestershire’s picturesque countryside.

Location: Market Harborough, Leicestershire

 

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

 

Discover The Lakes by Canoe

Canoe along the Derwentwater and discover something special about being close to the water.

Location: Keswick, Cumbria

 

Explore a living canal village

The Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne is like an outdoor museum with historic canal features to explore.

Location: Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

 

Sheffield Park Garden

The perfect place for relaxation and nature photography.

Location: Brighton, East Sussex

 

Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales

Aysgarth Falls are a dramatic set of waterfalls in Wensleydale.

Location: Aysgarth, North Yorkshire

 

Go otter spotting in Norfolk

When it comes to big game spotting in the Broads National Park, there is no prey more sleek, more rare and more exciting than the otter.

Location: The Broads, Norfolk

 

Take the River Ferry to Beeses

Enjoy a delicious Sunday roast at this scenic English riverside tea garden in Bristol.

Location: Bristol

 

Kayak the River Dart

Have some family water fun in South Devon this summer.

Location: Tuckenhay, Devon

 

Take a break on a narrowboat cruiser

Lock, stock and swing bridge.

Location: Rochdale, Lancashire

 

Set out on a family cycling break in the Heart of Devon

Enjoy a cycling break with friends or family and discover the windswept scenery of the Exe Estuary, just south of Exeter, and its abundant wildlife.

Location: Exeter and East devon, Devon

 

Recreate the real Alice in Wonderland’s river trip

Take an Oxford River Cruise trip along the Thames just like the real Alice in Wonderland many years ago.

Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire

 

Relax with a day's birding at Langford Lakes

Open bodies of water are a rarity in south Wiltshire, making Langford Lakes nature reserve an attractive stopping-off point for a host of wild birds.

Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire

 

Cycle, sail or swim in the Norfolk Broads

Sense the sounds, smells and colours of spring at Waveney River Centre in Norfolk, a serene countryside retreat with plenty of outdoor activities.

Location: Norwich, Norfolk

 

Go barging round Lancashire

Abandon the hustle and bustle of everyday life and head for the peace and stunning scenery of Lancashire, with a canal boat cruise

Location: Burnley, Lancashire

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