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.
Rediscover the house that time forgot at Calke Abbey
By their very nature gardens are emotional places and none more so than the surroundings of this once magnificent country estate.
Location: Ticknall, Derbyshire
Lunch with the deer at Bradgate Park
If you’d like a little history with your sandwiches then take your picnic to Bradgate Park.
Location: Newtown Linford, Leicestershire
Peace and quiet at Belgrave Hall and Gardens
Belgrave Hall was built in the early 18th century, in what was then a small village three miles from the town of Leicester.
Location: Leicester, Leicestershire
Visit the hidden hedged gardens of Hill Close Gardens
See the rare survivals of Victorian gardens, which were used by townsfolk who wanted to an escape from the busy town centre.
Location: Warwick, Warwickshire
Encounter an Elizabethan legacy in Warwickshire
Discover 900 years of English history at Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, a vast medieval fortress and spectacular castle ruins.
Location: Kenilworth, Warwickshire
Discover the secret garden of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Pay a visit to Anne Hathaway’s family home - the place William Shakespeare courted his future wife.
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Visit the Dorothy Clive garden
The Dorothy Clive Garden was created as a demonstration of love. Discover the intimacy and tranquillity of this special garden.
Location: Market Drayton, Shropshire
Frolic in the Follies at Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Historic Park is a unique place, with an intriguing mix of follies, caves and grottos.
Location: Weston-under-Redcastle, Shropshire
Wander a tranquil 1920s garden
The 10-acre gardens of Coton Manor sit in peaceful Northamptonshire countryside.
Location: Coton, Northamptonshire
Wig wam your way to Clumber Park
Camping in tents is so last year – why not try sleeping in a yurt or wigwam in the beautiful surrounds of Clumber Park?
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire
Explore Hawkstone Park Follies fantasy land
Spend the day exploring an historic woodland fantasy with cliffs, crags, caves, deep woods and towers built hundreds of years ago.
Location: Weston under Redcastle, Shropshire
Find your inner zen on a detox break in Nottinghamshire
Purify the mind, body and soul with pure Japanese meditation then indulge in an oasis of relaxation at a detox retreat near Newark.
Location: Newark, Nottinghamshire
Immerse yourself in Byron's Nottinghamshire
Discover why notorious romantic poet Lord Byron was 'mad, bad and dangerous to know', with a sumptuous stay at his former home.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Tour the decadent rooms and gardens of Renishaw Hall
Wander round immaculate gardens and artistic rooms at this historic family home.
Location: Renishaw, North Derbyshire
Tour the 18th century Walled Gardens at the Apley Estate
Take a guided tour of the Walled Gardens on the Apley Estate, sample its produce at The Creamery Café or buy your own from Apley Farm Shop.
Location: Apley, Shropshire
Combine culture with Warwickshire’s great outdoors
Celebrate the Arts and Crafts movement at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
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
Flex your green fingers in Derbyshire’s Peak District
Celebrate the fabulous feats of two gardening giants, Joseph Paxton and Capability Brown on classic country estates and in secret green spaces.
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Dip into a well of history in beautiful Dukes Wood
Feel the crunch of leaves beneath your feet as you enjoy autumnal walks in Clumber Park and uncover the past of the UK's first oilfield in Dukes Wood.
Location: Eakring, Nottinghamshire
