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.
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Enjoy a weekend break in picturesque Helmsley
For a National Park town known historically for its castle and market, Helmsley these days is more about makeovers, macchiatos and boutique beds.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Sample the great outdoors in Nidderdale
The striking scenery, character, historic landmarks and wildlife of this Yorkshire Dales Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are made for adventure.
Location: Pateley Bridge/Masham, North Yorkshire
Spoil yourselves in North Yorkshire’s country hideaways
Hidden away in spectacular grounds are luxurious grand halls and country houses where you can really spoil the one you love.
Location: Harrogate/Masham, North Yorkshire
Pamper your partner with a stylish rural retreat in Yorkshire
In a serene setting on the edge of the stunning North York Moors, the Feversham Arms boasts superb dining options, elegant rooms and a full spa.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
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
Discover ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ in Yorkshire
Tour Yorkshire writer and vet James Herriot's original home, recreated to look just as it did in the 1940s, in the picturesque town of Thirsk.
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Trek across the North York Moors with a team of huskies
Set out on an intrepid adventure holiday with Pesky Husky, an adrenalin-pumping experience for active types looking to feel the wind in their hair.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Look for love in the heart of Cropton Forest
Whether it’s the sight of roe deer at dawn or the hoot of an owl at dusk, there’s animal magnetism at work at the Forest Holidays site at Cropton.
Location: Pickering, North 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
Discover North Yorkshire’s heirs and graces
Soak up centuries of style and grandeur as you discover North Yorkshire’s rich tapestry of castles, stately homes and gardens.
Location: Harrogate, Ripon, Masham and Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
Feed your soul at the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey
Medieval monks chose a serene valley in the North York Moors National Park to establish an abbey that became the richest and most powerful in England.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
On location with the world’s most popular heritage railway
Ride along with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as it takes a starring role, from Dad’s Army to Harry Potter.
Location: Goathland, North Yorkshire
Stay in a 300-year-old pub in the heart of Herriot country
Eat, drink and get a good night’s sleep at The Durham Ox; a quintessential English pub in the Yorkshire Dales.
Location: Crayke, Yorkshire
Discover the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales
A photographer’s dream, the Yorkshire Dales has many moods – from wild and windswept to quietly tranquil – each dramatically beautiful.
Location: Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
Seek out inspiring views atop Malham Cove
Follow in the footsteps of centuries of visitors – and more recently, filmmakers – to Malham Cove, a limestone amphitheatre in the Yorkshire Dales.
Location: Malham, North Yorkshire
All aboard for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Revel in the romance of steam with a trip on the world’s most popular heritage railway line, spotting film locations and amazing scenery on the way.
Location: Pickering to Whitby via North York Moors National Park
Tales of intrigue, love and war at Ripley Castle
Discover over 700 years of English history through one of the country’s oldest families, and the fascinating castle that they call home.
Location: Ripley Village, North Yorkshire
Cross the great viaduct to historic Knaresborough
Mysterious caves, a medieval castle and a magical spring that turns objects to stone are just a few reasons to visit this gorgeous riverside town.
Location: Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
Journey from coast to coast across England
A journey from coast to coast across Northern England takes you through stunning scenery and is an adventure you can make on foot or by bike.
Location: Various, North Yorkshire
Escape to the North York Moors for a cosy romantic retreat
Enjoy an idyllic romantic retreat with candlelit dinners with views of snowy woodland scenes in the North York Moors this winter.
Location: North Yorkshire Coast & North York Moors
Explore the stunning medieval Bolton Castle
Experience the incredible atmosphere of Bolton Castle where many of its rooms give the feeling that their inhabitants have just walked out of them.
Location: North Leyburn, North Yorkshire