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.
June events: Enjoy a flutter on the horses at Royal Ascot
Enjoy a quintessentially British day out at Royal Ascot – a highlight of the summer social calendar and one of the most exciting events of the year.
Location: Ascot, Berkshire
June events: Country fair fun at the Royal Cheshire County Show
Spend the day tasting delicious local produce, watching monster truck displays and meeting birds of prey at the Royal Cheshire County Show.
Location: Knutsford, Cheshire
August festivals: Kendal Calling
Kendal Calling is the most fun you can have in the countryside with fields full of activities and attractions.
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
July events: Holmfirth Art Week
Over 400 artists combine art, music, comedy, theatre and literature for the UK's largest open art exhibition.
Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
May events: Celebrate nature at Keswick Mountain Festival
Enjoy outdoor activities, world class speakers, sporting events, camping, and live music at this unique festival in the heart of the Lake District.
Location: Keswick, Cumbria
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
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
November events: See Longleat in a different light
Experience the magical Festival of Light with hundreds of illuminated displays after dark before staying in a luxury Longleat spa hotel.
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Herald the coming of spring with a real old English knees-up
Marsden welcomes the cuckoo back to rural West Yorkshire with traditional English dancing, music and sunshine at the Marsden Cuckoo Festival in April.
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
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
May events: Don your tweeds for the Nottinghamshire County Show
May is usually your first chance to enjoy the spring sunshine, so spend it wisely with an action-packed day at the Nottinghamshire County Show.
Location: Newark, Nottinghamshire
May events: Get down to The Suffolk Show
Take your family on a weekend break to Suffolk’s biggest and barmiest event near Ipswich and see the Shetland Pony Grand National.
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
All the fun of the fair with Dorset’s summer festivals
Dorset entertains the whole family all summer long hosting an array of amazing events and festivals that are unique, nostalgic or just plain fun!
Location: Dorset
August events: Shrewsbury Flower Show
Flowers, fireworks and two fun-packed days of celebrity chefs, floral displays and family attractions at the Shrewsbury Flower Show.
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Spread the joy at the World’s Original Marmalade Festival
Unleash your inner Paddington Bear on a visit to the World’s Original Marmalade Festival, which will be held on the historic Dalemain estate in Penrith.
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
June events: Revel in music at Westonbirt Arboretum for Forest Live
England’s forests turn into atmospheric music venues for Forest Live, offering an eclectic range of artists & an amazing night out.
Location: Westonbirt near Tetbury, Gloucestershire
July events: Tewkesbury Medieval Festival
Originally one of the world’s biggest battle re-enactments, this event in the normally quiet village of Tewkesbury has grown into a festival recreating all aspects of medieval life.
Location: Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
October events: Sample local delights at the East Midlands Food Festival
The East Midlands Food Festival in Melton Mowbray is one of the largest regional food festivals in the country. Running for over 15 years, lots of loyal and new visitors can enjoy edible delights from some of the country’s finest producers, many from the East Midlands.
Location: Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
October events: Be wowed by Abbotsbury's Illuminate
Discover an illuminated winter wonderland at one of Dorset’s finest annual events.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
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