Spring is even more special this year. It heralds the Countryside is Great Campaign and the Year of the English Garden…two inspired events to get us to enjoy the best of what Great Britain has to offer.
Let’s make an effort to get out there. This year your visits can do much more than just rekindle your love affair with all that’s great 
about Great Britain. Your trips will show confidence in the flood ravaged areas of the country and see much needed support for the struggling rural economies. Seeing how Mother Nature is getting things in order helped by those whose lives are the countryside will be inspirational.
The Countryside is Great Campaign wants us to position our great outdoors as the place to enjoy modern culture, top quality food and first class accommodation.
The Year of the English Garden celebrates one of the country’s greatest attractions. Visit as many as you can. This is the time to tick off those gardens you always wanted to admire. Stay at B&Bs who belong to the National Garden Scheme or have Gardens of Special Interest
And things get better. 2016 marks the 300th anniversary of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the landscape architect who transformed so many of our parks and gardens. Some that are not usually open to the public will welcome visitors this special year. See here for details of all the above.
Sheffield Park landscaped by Capability Brown
Meanwhile, our 15 National Parks flaunt their untamed wilderness. The watery wonderland of The Broads; the poetic Lake District; the majestic Cairngorms and the Pemrokeshire Coast’s seaside spectacular are just a few.
A fun way of discovering new parts is to join in the activities organised by the National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland. Wildlife is up and about early this year. Do visit our hundreds of nature reserves. These websites will give you plenty of ideas: (www.rspb.org.uk) (www.wildlifetrusts.org) and (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk). Spring is a grand time for walking the lanes, wood, moors and heaths. The Ramblers have again organised festivals (www.ramblers.org.uk). And how about walking part of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way? See (www.visitireland.com).
A few more ideas can be seen by looking at the following on our Days Out Diary Here are some: April 1st – 3rd Morpeth Northumbriana Gathering; April 17th – 24th Hartland Abbey Bluebells, Bideford; April 23rd – 24th Belfast Spring Fair; April 27th – May 2nd Cheltenham Jazz Festival; April 29th – May 1st Fossil Festival, Lyme Regis; May 1st Maldon Mud Race, Essex; May 1st – 2nd Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival; May 6th – 8th Garden Show Ireland, Antrim; May 19th – 22nd Keswick Mountain Festival; May 21st – 22nd Crab and Lobster Festival, Cromer, Norfolk; May 26th – June 5th Hay Literary Festival; May 27th – June 5th Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival; May 28th – 30th Walkfest 2016, The North York Moors; May 27th – June 11th International Arts Festival, Salisbury; May 30th Cheese Rally Festival, Gloucester
You might also find these websites useful:
- bedandbreakfastnationwide.com/information/tourist-information.
- nationaltrust.org.uk.
- nts.org.uk.
- english-heritage.org.uk.
- heritageireland.ie.
- visitwales.com
- visitscotland.com
There is so much to do and so many places to visit. And it’s so easy to find great places to stay in them. Use our brochure of bed and breakfast accommodation – The Little Green Book.
The more than 500 B&Bs, and cottages have been specially selected and inspected and provide high quality accommodation. They range from country cottages to town houses, manor houses to farm houses – all offering a warm welcome and good value. The hosts are all keen to promote their part of the country and suggest trips out and how best to get there.
See www.holidaycottagesnationwide.co.uk for self-catering.