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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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
Swing through the trees at Leeds Castle
Clamber the treetops of 'the loveliest castle in the world'.
Location: Maidstone, Kent
Full steam ahead on the Kent and East Sussex Railway
Bring out your inner Casey Jones by stepping onto the footplate and heading out across the stunning Kent countryside.
Location: Tenterden, Kent
Unleash your inner explorer at Hatfield Forest
No other venue provides a better backdrop for young budding explorers than Hatfield Forest.
Location: Takeley, Essex
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
Get up close with the farm animals at Staunton Country Park
Come and meet friendly farm animals, have a rainforest experience in Victorian glasshouses or get lost in the maze.
Location: Havant, Hampshire
Fairytale Farm: a farm park with a difference
A sensory and learning wonderland, Fairytale Farm will delight the whole family.
Location: Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Family fun at Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
The appeal of Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens goes way beyond its remarkable wildlife collection to breeding programmes and exuberant gardens.
Location: Burford, Oxfordshire
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
Get to grips with nature & play in the trees at Tree Runners
Get Dad out of the house, take the kids off the computer and climb, swing or hug a tree at Tree Runners.
Location: Test Valley, Hampshire
Plan a New Forest adventure
Remember family holidays? The rain hammering down on the caravan roof; the endless games of cards, and interminable bickering? All that can be a thing of the past.
Location: Hampshire
See flowers in bloom at The Savill Garden
Enliven your senses with a walk around one of Britain's finest ornamental gardens.
Location: Windsor, Berkshire
Rise above it all with a stay at Chewton Glen’s treehouses
Escape to your very own luxury treehouse for panoramic views and nature at your fingertips at Chewton Glen.
Location: New Milton, Hampshire
Enjoy a family day out at Batsford Arboretum
Experience the wild beauty of Batsford Arboretum in autumn and the splendid sight of rare birds of prey soaring above the surrounding Cotswolds Hills.
Location: Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Cycle country and coast along the Crab and Winkle Way to Whitstable
With 7 miles of almost traffic-free cycling, the Crab and Winkle Way trails between Kent’s historical heart, Canterbury, and Whitstable on the north Kent coast.
Location: Canterbury, Kent
Go wild and become a zookeeper for the day at Marwell Zoo
This unique once-in-a-lifetime experience will allow you to get up close to some of nature’s most endangered species for a memory you’ll never forget.
Location: Winchester, Hampshire
August events: Discover the English countryside with BBC Countryfile Live
Head to the spectacular grounds of Oxfordshire’s iconic World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace, for BBC Countryfile Live, which will be hosted from the 1 - 4 August.
Location: Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Play Pooh sticks in Ashdown Forest
Take a walk through the magical wood where Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Tigger and Eeyore roam.
Location: Hartfield, East Sussex