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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Walking in the Cotswolds
Join a walking route from Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters.
Location: Oxfordshire
Visit a family run vineyard in the heart of the Chilterns
Explore the vineyard and sample the wine and beer produced in this truly independent brewery in Oxfordshire.
Location: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Explore the Hanson Way on National Cycle Route 5
Enjoy a gentle bike ride along cycle tracks or quiet country roads in the fresh air to discover the delights of Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot.
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Uncover history and heritage at Blenheim Palace
Home to the 12th Duke Marlborough & birthplace of Winston Churchill, Blenheim is a super family day out.
Location: Woodstock, Oxfordshire
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
Explore the Midsomer Murders locations
Follow in the footsteps of Inspector Barnaby as you explore Causton, Midsomer Newton and more on the trail of the Midsomer Murders locations.
Location: Wallingford, Oxfordshire
Eat delicious seasonal food at the Wild Rabbit Inn
Pop in for a drink by the fire or a locally-sourced meal, and then stay over at this charming inn in the idyllic Cotswold village of Kingham.
Location: Chipping Norton, Cotswolds
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
Discover the UK's only crocodile zoo
Come face to face with some of the most feared predators on the planet - Nile crocodiles, American alligators, black caiman and more!
Location: Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
Enjoy a touch of class in a riverside Cotswold inn
The kind of place you dream of but seldom find – an old stone inn, full of charm and history, in the beautiful Cotswold village of Burford.
Location: Burford, Oxfordshire
Try your hand at falconry at Millets Farm
Ever marvelled at a soaring bird of prey and wondered how they are trained? Find out on a special Advanced Entry visit to Millets Farm Falconry Centre.
Location: Frilford, Oxfordshire
Recreate the real Alice in Wonderland’s river trip
Take an Oxford River Cruise trip along the Thames just like the real Alice in Wonderland many years ago.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Meet Downton Abbey's farmyard animals at Cogges Manor Farm
A place of family fun and learning and one of the idyllic settings for ITV’s Downton Abbey, Cogges is a wonderful family attraction in Oxfordshire.
Location: Witney, Oxfordshire
Escape to a country cottage in picturesque Oxfordshire
Oxford Country Cottages are situated on Lower Farm in Noke in a stunning courtyard garden.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Enjoy a romantic escape to Broughton Castle
Stroll hand in hand through the beautiful gardens and grand Elizabethan manor of Broughton Castle on a romantic break in Oxford.
Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire
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