Lorna Thompson Cumbria is a very large county in northwest England, nearly all of it is rural. The Lake District is England’s largest national park, home to not just the biggest body of water (Lake Windermere, which confusingly is not actually a lake). There are campaigns to stop sewage being pumped into it by water…
on your doorstep
a guide to Essex, naturally
Jo Grundy Essex is not just Bluewater shopping centre, the Dartford Tunnel and cheeky boys! In fact, most land is home to pretty villages and beaches (after Devon, this county has the longest coast in England at over 350 miles – along with the world’s longest pier at Southend). You’ll even find hidden spots like…
a guide to Bedfordshire, naturally
Jo Grundy Bedfordshire is a small and mostly rural place set amid the Chiltern Hills. The town of Bedford (birthplace of both Ronnie Barker and John Le Mesurier) is home to more Italians than anywhere, due to an immigration drive back in the 60s. So you won’t have far to look for a good plate…
a guide to Cambridgeshire, naturally
Barbara Peirson Cambridgeshire is towards the north of the East Midlands, the university founded by a group of scholars fleeing Oxford, over 800 years ago. Its famed mathematical bridge is so-called as it’s an arch shape, yet built with straight timber (a ‘feat of engineering’). The Fens are boggy marshland with fertile soil that means…
a guide to Norfolk, naturally
Whistlefish Norfolk has miles of wide sandy beaches and dunes (the green shoots provide habitats for natterjack toads and endangered seabirds), so always follow paths to avoid stepping on dunes and don’t drop litter or light barbecues). Many seaside resorts are home to pretty pastel beach huts (originally designed for people to discreetly change into…