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.
Dine like Lords and Ladies at Langley Castle
For those with a taste for the finer things in life, Langley Castle Hotel near the historic market town of Hexham is the ideal gastro getaway.
Location: Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland
Get a True Taste of Derbyshire
Tuck into a delicious experience in Bakewell, home of the world-famous Pudding...
Location: Bakewell, Derbyshire
Pick your own at Parkside Farm
Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries... time to get picking and fill those baskets at Parkside Farm.
Location: Enfield, London
Enjoy luxury by the lake at Storrs Hall Hotel
Perched on the edge of the famous Lake Windermere, this Grade-II-listed Georgian mansion is surrounded by 17 acres of neatly trimmed grounds – plus the obligatory folly (in this case a temple).
Location: Windermere, Cumbria
Experience a revival of Cotswolds’ culinary traditions
Perfect your culinary skills at Thyme at Southrop’s cookery school, then explore some of the Cotswolds’ best restaurants in Bibury and Nailsworth.
Location: Southrop, Gloucestershire
Raise a glass of English sparkling wine to the South Downs
Bathed in the sunshine and shelter of the South Downs in Sussex, enjoy some fine English wines direct from grape to glass.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Enjoy afternoon tea in a thatched Cotswolds cottage
Tour the Cotswolds’ hidden gems and receive a warm welcome at the Secret Cottage, a private home where you are invited to traditional afternoon tea.
Location: Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Cheese-y does it now…
Discover the captivating and often emotional story behind Wensleydale cheese and find out how Yorkshire’s art of cheese making evolved.
Location: Hawes, North Yorkshire
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
Fill your belly on a gourmet break in Bakewell
Enjoy a delicious culinary experience in Bakewell, home of the world-famous Pudding, and hone your hands-on skills on a specialist cookery course.
Location: Bakewell, Derbyshire
New Michelin stars make Cumbria foodie heaven
Sample delicious menus of quality produce at four different Michelin star restaurants.
Location: Cumbria
Sleep in a Yurt in the middle of the Peak District
Wake up in a yurt in the middle of the beautiful Peak District countryside on a relaxing rural escape.
Location: Cauldon, Staffordshire
