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.
Explore the English Riviera Global Geopark
Spot rare wildlife, go coasteering, and discover stories of drowned forests at South Devon's Global Geopark, a fascinating area with rich historical and geological heritage.
Location: Torquay, Devon
Take a bargain break with all the trimmings at Totland
On the west coast of the Isle of Wight, YHA Totland has the beach, heaps of countryside walks and great local attractions on its doorstep.
Location: Totland, Isle of Wight
Sip Earl Grey where it was created: Howick Hall
Earl Grey tea is enjoyed – usually at around 4pm – all over the world, but few know it was invented in Northumberland for Charles, 2nd Earl Grey.
Location: Howick, Northumberland
Tuck into a home cooked meal at The Kirkstile Inn
Enjoy a delicious menu made from the best Cumbrian produce, washed down with a pint of freshly brewed ale at the Kirkstile Inn in the heart of the North Lake District.
Location: Loweswater, Cumbria
Journey back to the 1920s at Coleton Fishacre
A 1920s Art Deco house and garden in the beautiful Devon countryside.
Location: Kingswear, Devon
Take in magnificent views from Bempton Cliffs
Bempton’s towering chalk cliffs skyrocket to over 100 metres (109 yards) in points, with awe-inspiring views overlooking the coast of East Yorkshire.
Location: Bempton, East Yorkshire
Discover spectacular Lundy Island
A rare experience is to be found on the beautiful and wild Lundy Island just 12 miles off the North Devon Coast in the Atlantic Ocean.
Location: Lundy, Devon
Travel the Solent Way
Get your boots on, pick up some treats and strike out on The Solent Way.
Location: Lymington, Hampshire
Go seal and puffin spotting on the Farne Islands
Visit Farne Islands to see thousands of seabirds and a huge Grey seal colony.
Location: Farne Islands, Northumberland
Bird watching in St Bees
The largest seabird colony on the west coast of England is at St Bees Head.
Location: St Bees, Cumbria
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
Take a visit to Looe Island
Looe Island Nature Reserve is a haven for diverse and fascinating wildlife, from silver-washed fritillaries to grey seals.
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Rise above it all with a stay at Chewton Glen’s treehouses
Escape to your very own luxury treehouse for panoramic views and nature at your fingertips at Chewton Glen.
Location: New Milton, Hampshire
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
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
Take a walk through Tresco Abbey Garden
Tresco Abbey Garden has unique climate conditions that allow for the growth of exotic and unique plant life.
Location: Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
Seal watching in Arthur Ransome’s ‘Secret Water’
Explore Walton’s ‘Secret Water’, the setting for Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons’ book.
Location: Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
Enjoy a rural escape at Kitley House Hotel
This 500 year old country house is set in the heart of the South Devon countryside making it the perfect destination for a relaxing and enjoyable break.
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Cycle country and coast along the Crab and Winkle Way to Whitstable
With 7 miles of almost traffic-free cycling, the Crab and Winkle Way trails between Kent’s historical heart, Canterbury, and Whitstable on the north Kent coast.
Location: Canterbury, Kent
Cycle along the old coastal railway line to Whitby
Ride 21 view-filled and traffic-free miles along the ‘Cinder Track’, the old coastal railway line between Scarborough and Whitby.
Location: Whitby, Yorkshire
Enjoy an eco-friendly stay in green and pleasant Dorset
Come and enjoy Dorset’s incredible scenic beauty and rich wildlife this spring on a sustainable seaside holiday.
Location: Dorset