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.
Filter By:
- Regions
- Type
- Seasons
Discover The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Explore hidden paths and bamboo tunnels on this aristocratic Cornwall estate.
Location: Heligan, Cornwall
Discover Cornwall's Eden Project
Five biomes nestled under five giant bubbles in the hills of Cornwall make for one of Britain's most impressive indoor eco-attractions.
Location: St Austell, Cornwall
Take a stroll around Shearwater Lake on the Longleat Estate
Enjoy the sights and blooms of the Longleat Estate.
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Recreate film scenes at Stourhead gardens
See the changing colours on a visit to breath-taking Stourhead, where you can see the beauty of nature through the seasons.
Location: Mere, Wiltshire
Journey back to the 1920s at Coleton Fishacre
A 1920s Art Deco house and garden in the beautiful Devon countryside.
Location: Kingswear, Devon
Kingston Lacy: an Italian palace in Dorset
Home to a rather fabulous collection that includes pieces by Rubens, Van Duyck, Titian.
Location: Poole, Dorset
Slow things down in Hidcote Manor Gardens
Forget about the outside world for a few hours in this perfect spot of Gloucestershire.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Head to Lanhydrock for a splendid woodland picnic
Head to finest house in Cornwall for a relaxing picnic with magnificent panoramic views and 900 acres of parkland and woodland.
Location: Bodmin, Cornwall
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
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
Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat
Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.
Location: Longleat, Wiltshire
Explore the rooms and grounds of Snowshill Manor
From suits of Samurai armour to antique bicycles of all shapes and sizes, there are about 22,000 reasons to take a nose round Snowshill Manor.
Location: Snowshill, Gloucestershire
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
Discover all the treasures of Bowood
Explore the historic parklands at Bowood, and uncover a laboratory, a spa, and even a round of golf.
Location: Calne, Wiltshire
Visit one of Capability Brown’s finest landscapes
Celebrate Capability Brown’s tercentenary as you explore 42 acres of Sherborne Castle's beautiful gardens and soak up the beauty, peace and tranquility of this natural setting.
Location: Sherborne, Dorset
Admire sculptures under blue skies in Dorchester
Get up close to beautiful works of art while exploring the glorious Dorset countryside at Sculpture by the Lakes.
Location: Dorchester, Dorset
October events: Be wowed by Abbotsbury's Illuminate
Discover an illuminated winter wonderland at one of Dorset’s finest annual events.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
Take a nature break at Westonbirt Arboretum
Venture into Westonbirt’s leafy grounds for a touch of nature’s magic and see the English countryside at its verdant best.
Location: Tetbury, Gloucs
Discover the Gardens of Cornwall
With over 70 gardens Cornwall is often described as the garden capital of the world, visit for yourself to see the greenery at its finest.
Location: Cornwall
A Tale of Two Gardens and a Lasting Friendship
Experience two world-famous gardens just 6 minutes’ walk from each other - the Arts and Crafts masterpiece Hidcote Manor and historic Kiftsgate Court.
Location: Gloucestershire
Get lost in Capability Brown’s stunning gardens
Did you know that Bath and the surrounding area is home to five striking gardens designed by England’s greatest gardener Lancelot “Capability” Brown?
Location: Bath, Somerset