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.
November events: Experience Kendal’s version of the Oscars
Kendal is a magnet for mountaineers who don’t just come to climb, but to gather and celebrate all things mountainous at its annual festival.
Location: Kendal, Cumbria
May events: Put your best foot forward at WalkFest
Put a spring in your step over the spring bank holiday weekend at the North York Moors National Park’s annual walking festival.
Location: North York Moors, North Yorkshire
October events: Lace up your boots for Dursley’s Walking Festival
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the undiscovered south Cotswolds and take part in the annual Dursley Walking Festival, which takes place every October.
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire
Take a guided walking tour of Mortimer Country
Strap on your walking shoes and explore the Mortimer Country with the county’s Walking Festival this summer.
Location: West Midlands