Food and drink
A nation that invented afternoon tea to satisfy that long gap between lunch and dinner is clearly a nation obsessed with food. Fresh-from-the-sea fish ‘n’ chips and sizzling Baltis, vibrant street food and Michelin-starred establishments: you’ll find a treat to suit your tastes in England. Tuck into regional specialities, from pikelets to pork pies, stinky cheeses to sizzling sausages. Wash it all down with a carefully crafted real ale, cider, G&T or award-winning wine. England is also famed for its gastro pubs, buzzing food festivals and quirky celebrations of produce – asparagus festival or garlic fiesta, anyone? You’ll find the best food and drink in England.
See the oldest independent brewery in Buckinghamshire
The emphasis at Chiltern Brewery has always been to produce natural, wholesome beers using the best, class A malt and hops sourced in England.
Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Get kippered in Craster
Craster is the acclaimed home of the kipper – a breakfast favourite of the Queen. But there’s more to Craster than fishy tales.
Location: Craster, Northumberland
Enjoy a drink at England’s oldest pub
Built into a cave system underneath Nottingham Castle, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (or ‘The Trip’ as locals call it) is a legend among English inns.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
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
Medieval Banquet in Nottingham
Loosen your belt and head to the Galleries of Justice and the Sheriff of Nottingham, where you can experience your very own Medieval knees-up.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Enjoy an afternoon tea in the house the Brontës loved
Enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea at the historic house the Brontës knew and loved, then take a tour of the real-life setting for Wuthering Heights.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Sampling England’s national dish in historic Whitby
The traditional taste of fish and chips still comes out on top in the picturesque seaside town of Whitby.
Location: Whitby, North Yorkshire
Enjoy a pint in ‘England’s oldest pub’
Experience a meal at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, ‘England’s oldest pub’ according to Guinness World Records, where Oliver Cromwell dined in the 1600s.
Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire
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
