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.
Tree top adventures and forest segways at Wendover Woods
Take to the trees for breath-taking views of the Chilterns and Black Park.
Location: Wendover, Buckinghamshire
Be at one with birds of prey at Rosliston Forestry Centre
There’s something special about being close to a bird of prey; those round watchful eyes on high alert, fixing you with a dominating stare.
Location: Rosliston, Derbyshire
Explore Nene Park in the River Nene Valley
Imagine somewhere beautiful, safe and unspoilt where you can explore endless meadows, lakes and woodland, and the River Nene.
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Enjoy a wild night out with bushcraft at Catton Hall
Let Woodland Ways teach you the basics of bushcraft in a fun and safe environment whilst spending time outdoors and sleeping under the stars.
Location: Catton, Derbyshire
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
See The National Forest in bloom at Yoxall Lodge
Too many hours indoors during winter’s gloomy days and you’re looking to break out into spring’s fresh air and lengthening daylight hours.
Location: Yoxall, Staffordshire
Discover The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Explore hidden paths and bamboo tunnels on this aristocratic Cornwall estate.
Location: Heligan, Cornwall
Uncover Cliveden's unique past
Discover a country house in Berkshire with a chequered past.
Location: Maidenhead, Berkshire
Explore captivating Alnwick Castle
Walk through history and admire world-class art at this fascinating castle, then stroll through spectacular floral displays at The Alnwick Garden.
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Sample over 800 years of Surrey’s history
Come and discover Surrey’s history, including the open meadows of from the internationally-know Runnymede and Hampton Court Palace.
Location: London, Greater London
June events: Enjoy a flutter on the horses at Royal Ascot
Enjoy a quintessentially British day out at Royal Ascot – a highlight of the summer social calendar and one of the most exciting events of the year.
Location: Ascot, Berkshire
Escape to Surrey’s hills and English gardens
With wonderful English gardens like RHS Wisley, the hills of Box Hill and Leith Hill and access to the North Downs Way, Surrey is a real rural treat.
Location: Dorking, Surrey
Walking in the Cotswolds
Join a walking route from Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters.
Location: Oxfordshire
Uncover a political scandal at Cliveden House
Pay a visit to the stately home in Buckinghamshire where John Profumo met Christine Keeler.
Location: Taplow, Buckinghamshire
Enjoy a boat trip on Canal River Trust's Waterways
Spend your weekend exploring Cheshire’s incredible waterways, at Anderton Boat Lift and the National Waterways Museum.
Location: Anderton, Cheshire
Follow in the footsteps of 18th Century tourists at Stowe
Explore Capability Brown’s first major commission incorporating over 40 historic monuments.
Location: Stowe, Buckinghamshire
Glide through the waterways of unspoilt Cheshire
Take in quaint villages, welcoming country pubs, majestic industrial heritage sites and even castles on a boat trip through the county’s canals.
Location: Audlem, Cheshire
An Italianate country house in the Chilterns
West Wycombe Park is 45 acres of landscaped park in the Chilterns countryside and home to the Dashwood family for over 300 years.
Location: West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Small pleasures come free at Dimminsdale Nature Reserve
Just a few small snowdrops bring cheer to the colder, shorter days of England’s winter, and seen at Dimminsdale, they’re simply breathtaking.
Location: Staunton Harold, Leicestershire
Enjoy creature comforts at the Dandelion Hideaway
Down on the farm there are tents that think they’re cottages, roll-top baths, proper beds, fresh food, plenty of fresh air, and plenty to see and do.
Location: Osbaston, Leicestershire
