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
Underground & over ground adventures at Go Ape
Release your Tarzan and journey to the centre of the earth on an epic double adventure in Derbyshire’s beautiful Buxton.
Location: Buxton, Derbyshire
Swing through the trees at Leeds Castle
Clamber the treetops of 'the loveliest castle in the world'.
Location: Maidstone, Kent
Get lost in the twists and turns of Wistow Maze
Over the summer, pay a visit to the famous Wistow Maze, a versatile puzzle in the English countryside that changes shape each year.
Location: Wistow, Leicestershire
Travel across Hampshire’s countryside on the Watercress Line
Witness the sights, sounds, smells and magic of steam travel from a bygone age and journey through Hampshire’s countryside on a restored steam train.
Location: Alresford, Hampshire
Spy on endangered wildfowl at Rutland Water Nature Reserve
Visit Rutland Water's famous wildfowl sanctuary, covering a 1,000 acres of bird hides, mucky nature trails and interactive visitor centres.
Location: Rutland Water, Rutland
Ride on down to the Didcot Railway Centre
Enjoy a trip to Didcot Railway Centre, whose magnificent restored engines will take you steaming through most of the Oxfordshire countryside.
Location: Didcot, Oxfordshire
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
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
Walk barefoot through the woods at CONKERS
From teddy-bear picnics to jumping on crunchy leaves, England’s woodland is brimming with things to do with toddlers - and award-winning CONKERS, in the heart of The National Forest, is no different.
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire
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
Run wild at BeWILDerwood Norfolk
Delve into an adventurous world of make-believe, inspired by local children’s author, Tom Blofeld.
Location: Hoveton, Norfolk
Let loose at WildRootz
Let the kids get up close and personal with nature, in all its muddy glory, at WildRootz, in Pensthorpe Wildlife and Gardens.
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk
Get the kids active at Mendip Snowsports Centre
Set in the beautiful Mendip Hills, action never stops at Mendip Snowsports Centre with kayaking, climbing, caving, archery, snowboarding, and more.
Location: Churchill, North Somerset
Live like a mediaeval knight at Warwick Castle
Experience an exclusive sleepover in your very own themed Lodge, set in a picturesque woodland grove on the river bank within the Knight's Village of Warwick Castle.
Location: Warwick, Warwickshire
