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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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
Plan an extravagant getaway to Bovey Castle
Indulge in a extravagant getaway to a chic and welcoming castle perfectly positioned in Dartmoor National Park.
Location: Dartmoor, Devon
Alice in Wonderland at Antony House
Just over the Tamar, Antony House was the location for the hit 'Alice in Wonderland' 2010. Here you can explore its formal gardens, sculptures and the National Collection of Daylilies.
Location: Torpoint, Cornwall
Explore the Regency spa town of Cheltenham
This pretty spa town in Gloucestershire is the perfect place to explore and base yourself for a Cotswold sojourn.
Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Discover spectacular Lundy Island
A rare experience is to be found on the beautiful and wild Lundy Island just 12 miles off the North Devon Coast in the Atlantic Ocean.
Location: Lundy, Devon
Explore the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
Combine art and the great outdoors as you follow a charming sculpture trail through woodlands in Gloucestershire.
Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Discover Laurie Lee Country
Take inspiration from the BBC adaptation of the classic novel ‘Cider with Rosie’ and follow in the footsteps of author Laurie Lee through the Slad Valley.
Location: Slad village near Stroud, Gloucestershire
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
Make friends at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre
Home to over 250 rescued and endangered primates, this sanctuary lets you get up close and personal with all kinds of monkeys, gorillas and apes.
Location: Wareham, Dorset
Retreat to Ruthern Valley
Get some peace and quiet in a wooded valley inhabited with squirrels and wild rabbits.
Location: Bodmin, Cornwall
Go wild camping on Dartmoor
When it comes to experiencing the unspoiled and unique environment of the wilds of Dartmoor, nothing compares to wild camping.
Location: Dartmoor, Devon
Find romance in the depths of Thomas Hardy Country
Enjoy woodland walks and cosy inns, and immerse yourself in the romantic landscape that this renowned writer called home.
Location: Dorset
Cycle The Camel Trail to Bodmin Gaol
The Camel Trail provides access to the beautiful Cornish countryside along a disused railway line.
Location: Padstow to Bodmin, Cornwall
Have yourself a Famous Five adventure
Follow in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five with some castle capers and a seaside adventure by steam railway.
Location: Corfe Castle, Dorset
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
Take to the slopes in Dorset
The Snowtrax alpine activity centre will transport you to the mountains for the day.
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Enjoy high-wire and two-wheeled adventure in the Moors Valley
Enjoy adrenaline-fuelled activities for all the family in Moors Valley Country Park in the lovely Dorset countryside.
Location: Ashley Heath, Dorset
Take a walk through history in Cranborne
Explore the landscape of Cranborne Chase which inspired the father of modern archaeology, William Fox Pitt.
Location: Cranborne, Dorset
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
