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.
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
Small pleasures come free at Dimminsdale Nature Reserve
Just a few small snowdrops bring cheer to the colder, shorter days of England’s winter, and seen at Dimminsdale, they’re simply breathtaking.
Location: Staunton Harold, Leicestershire
Discover wildlife and the history of Derwent Reservoir
Spot red squirrels, adders and bog plants at Derwent Reservoir and Pow Hill Country Park in the Durham Dales.
Location: Durham Dales
Get close to the deer at the Red Deer rut
The majestic red deer is our largest land mammal: a beautiful creature, from hoof to antler, whose iconic silhouette has captivated us for centuries.
Location: Minsmere, Suffolk
Go wildlife spotting at Hastings Country Park
Explore over 660 acres of countryside, and uncover the rare wildlife that inhabit the area all year round.
Location: Hastings, East Sussex
Get back to nature at Attenborough Nature Reserve
The tranquil waters of the beautiful Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottingham set the landscape for discovering and watching wildlife at its best.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Bird watching in St Bees
The largest seabird colony on the west coast of England is at St Bees Head.
Location: St Bees, Cumbria
Explore Romney Marsh
This patch of pristine wetland near the south east coast covers a whopping 100 square miles and is packed with wildlife – including the curious ‘laughing frogs’.
Location: Romney Marsh, Kent
See nature come to life on the Somerset Levels
See the Red Arrows equivalent for starlings in stunning Somerset countryside.
Location: Somerset
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