England on the Backroads

Your holiday starts with a trip to England’s North Norfolk Coast. Prepare yourself for vast skies, welcoming villages, medieval churches and beaches just beckoning you to stroll for miles on end.

Your Accommodation in North Norfolk

At the heart of this close-knit village community for many years, your accommodation is a Victorian ex-farmhouse, expanded and remodelled into a superb place to spend a few days. Overlooking the RSPB reserve and distant beach, this stylish 26-room hotel features sumptuous accommodation, a secluded and peaceful garden and a relaxed fine-dining restaurant serving an acclaimed menu of imaginative dishes making excellent use of the abundance of local produce.

It’s just a five-minute drive this morning to the quayside for your first excursion. Boarding the charming little vessel guided by a friendly local skipper, you’ll set off on a voyage of gentle discovery along the North Norfolk coastline, taking in Scolt Head Island, the waters and landscape around it, crucial to wildlife and the local ecosystem.

The tour lasts around two hours, giving you plenty of time to continue discovering at your own pace for the rest of the day, perhaps heading to Burnham Thorpe, the village where Horatio Nelson was born and bred – a peaceful, almost mystical spot and far contrast from fierce overseas battles.

A fine day on the road today, first taking in the coast around the Wash before heading in to the flat expanse of rural Lincolnshire. You’ll cross Robin Hood country as you skirt the edges of Nottingham on your way to the tumbling landscape of the Derbyshire Peak District and your base at the village of Rowsley, where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent.

Your Accommodation in Rowsley

In our opinion, quite a treat is in store for the next two nights at this historic country retreat. On the vast Haddon Estate, rubbing shoulders with Chatsworth, this 15-room hotel dates back to 1652. Period pieces and art are everywhere you look, though bedrooms feature every convenience to make your stay as relaxing as possible. As famous for its food as its accommodation, dining here is a rare indulgence, with superb service complementing the acclaimed fine-dining menu.

Take the long way round today, crossing the heart of the Peak District and making your way in to Yorkshire. Travelling north-east, you’ll skirt Barnsley, Leeds and York, and the edge of the Howardian Hills on your way to you base for the next three nights in the market town of Pickering.

Your Accommodation in Pickering

On the hilly main street of this cute settlement, your accommodation is a centuries old ex-coaching inn run by the friendliest of families. After a day on the road, drop your bags in your spacious en-suite room then find yourself a cosy nook by a log fire, choosing a tipple from the bar. Later, enjoy dinner (included during your stay here) prepared by the hotel’s chef of 20 years – we can’t wait to get back to enjoy Yorkshire lamb from the charcoal oven again.

Just a moment’s walk from your hotel, Pickering Railway Station is something of an event in itself, its classic features frozen in time. Here, board the steam train for an evocative journey across the North Yorkshire Moors to the classic harbour town of Whitby. You’ll have a Freedom Ticket, allowing you to hop on and off, giving you the chance to explore stations recently made famous by TV’s Heartbeat and the Harry Potter movies. At Whitby you’ll find one of the UK’s liveliest harbour towns, rich in history, the ruined abbey overlooking colourful winding cobbled streets, and the place where the locals will tell you this is where to find the world’s best fish and chips.

A last loping day behind the wheel, through some quite magnificent scenery. Our favourite route skirts the Moors before heading through rural north Yorkshire, onwards to historic Barnard Castle and crossing the staggering North Pennines on your way to proper Hadrian’s Wall country and the village of Haltwhistle.

Your Accommodation in Haltwhistle

Near the centre of this prettiest of Northumberland villages, this five-room, family owned B&B is owned and run by some of the friendliest people you could hope to meet. Recently created from the Victorian village schoolhouse, each of the en-suite rooms is a simple, comfortable haven, perfect for a peaceful night. Breakfast features daily homemade bread and the very best ingredients from the rich local larder.

End of Touring