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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Enjoy a family day out at Wentworth Castle & Gardens
Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Park houses some of the earliest gothic follies in the country.
Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Go wine tasting at Ryedale Vineyards
Sample wines from England’s most northerly vineyard.
Location: York, Yorkshire
Get Active in Chevin Forest Park
Get outdoors and blow those cobwebs away in some beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Bathe in autumn colours close to the Falling Foss waterfall
If ever there was a magical woodland walk, it’s the two-mile circular trail through the trees from May Beck to the charming Falling Foss waterfall, all within Little Beck Wood Nature Reserve.
Location: North York Moors, near Whitby, North Yorkshire
Cycle along the old coastal railway line to Whitby
Ride 21 view-filled and traffic-free miles along the ‘Cinder Track’, the old coastal railway line between Scarborough and Whitby.
Location: Whitby, Yorkshire
Ride the Whitby train from moor to sea
Delightful villages, dramatic views and gentle country walks – do it all by train from Whitby on a ride through the delightful Esk Valley.
Location: Whitby, Yorkshire
Head to the legendary Lion Inn for a warm welcome
It’s the simple things that matter when you’re out winter walking – like a pint, a traditional Sunday roast, a roaring fire and stunning views.
Location: Blakey Ridge, North Yorkshire
Enjoy a weekend break in picturesque Helmsley
For a National Park town known historically for its castle and market, Helmsley these days is more about makeovers, macchiatos and boutique beds.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Sample the great outdoors in Nidderdale
The striking scenery, character, historic landmarks and wildlife of this Yorkshire Dales Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are made for adventure.
Location: Pateley Bridge/Masham, North Yorkshire
Spoil yourselves in North Yorkshire’s country hideaways
Hidden away in spectacular grounds are luxurious grand halls and country houses where you can really spoil the one you love.
Location: Harrogate/Masham, North Yorkshire
A luxury stay that’s a Wold away from the everyday
Leave it all behind in a quirky, cosy Shepherd Hut hideaway. Enjoy long country walks and relax together in a hot tub under the stars.
Location: Bishop Wilton, East Yorkshire
Pamper your partner with a stylish rural retreat in Yorkshire
In a serene setting on the edge of the stunning North York Moors, the Feversham Arms boasts superb dining options, elegant rooms and a full spa.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Cheese-y does it now…
Discover the captivating and often emotional story behind Wensleydale cheese and find out how Yorkshire’s art of cheese making evolved.
Location: Hawes, North Yorkshire
Discover ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ in Yorkshire
Tour Yorkshire writer and vet James Herriot's original home, recreated to look just as it did in the 1940s, in the picturesque town of Thirsk.
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Trek across the North York Moors with a team of huskies
Set out on an intrepid adventure holiday with Pesky Husky, an adrenalin-pumping experience for active types looking to feel the wind in their hair.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Herald the coming of spring with a real old English knees-up
Marsden welcomes the cuckoo back to rural West Yorkshire with traditional English dancing, music and sunshine at the Marsden Cuckoo Festival in April.
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Learn about lively Huddersfield on a walking trail
Immerse yourself in this creative town, rich in culture, stories, international food and heritage. Grab a free walking trail and off you go!
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Look for love in the heart of Cropton Forest
Whether it’s the sight of roe deer at dawn or the hoot of an owl at dusk, there’s animal magnetism at work at the Forest Holidays site at Cropton.
Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire
May events: Put your best foot forward at WalkFest
Put a spring in your step over the spring bank holiday weekend at the North York Moors National Park’s annual walking festival.
Location: North York Moors, North Yorkshire
Experience life as a Victorian Mill Worker
Be transported back to the 1800s and experience Bradford when it was the ‘Wool Capital of the World’.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
