For over five centuries, the vast forests of Exmoor were protected by royal decree, as it was where the royal family took their exclusive hunting trips. Today the area is a national park and protected landscape. The trails of Exmoor take you through stretches of dramatic, rocky coastline, through verdant valleys along the River Exe, and through quaint sheep farming villages renowned for their wool for centuries. Exmoor National Park is a glimpse of Somerset and Devon at their very best.
North West England is the second-largest urban area in England, which includes Manchester, the UK`s third-largest city; Liverpool, on the River Mersey, known for its seafaring traditions and The Beatles; Blackpool, one of the most popular seaside resorts in England; and Chester, perhaps the best-preserved walled city in Britain.
Beautiful North East England consists of such cities such as Durham, which boasts a 1,000-year-old old town; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, developed around an old Roman settlement and once one of the most important shipbuilding centers in the world; and Sunderland, which grew around the 7th-century Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey.
Yorkshire is the quintessential Northern English travel destination. Yorkshire is known for its scenic landscapes, especially at the North York Moors, the Peak District National Park, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is also known for its bustling cities such as York, Sheffield, Leeds, and Bradford.
The English Midlands are often overlooked but are alluring to travelers. The region is full of history; many cities were founded over two millennia ago, and are some of the oldest cities in England. The Midlands was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, helping to cement the British Empire`s global influence.
The history of East Anglia (Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire) is vivid and rich; the oldest structures still standing in England, dating from the Bronze Age, are located in East Anglia. A number of large, ornate former monasteries-turned-cathedrals dot Cambridgeshire, from Peterborough to Fenland and the Isle of Ely.
South East England is a large and geographically diverse region, much of which sits in the Thames River Valley, and here you can experience such sights as the New Forest, the Chiltern Hills, and the White Cliffs of Dover, in addition to Blenheim Palace, Windsor Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, and the list goes on.
South West England is filled with exciting sights such as Stonehenge, the world-famous prehistoric stone circle; the Roman-era hot springs of Bath; the coasts of Dorset and east Devon; and the tin mines that dot the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. All of these popular attractions are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Captivating, expansive, and breathtaking are all words that describe Dartmoor. The moorlands, the largest area of granite in Britain, are dotted by tors, massive granite hilltops that tower over peat bogs and oak woods. Dartmoor is known for its archaeological finds as well; more Bronze Age remains can be found here than anywhere else in the UK.
Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-colored stone; take in splendid, lively market towns, and visit some of the country`s greatest castles and country houses in the Cotswolds, a collection of small, rural villages with acclaimed reserves and some of the most breathtaking landscapes available in England.
New Forest National Park is the largest contiguous forest in the United Kingdom, spread out across over 200 square miles. William the Conqueror proclaimed New Forest a royal forest in the 11th century. The biodiversity in the New Forest is immense, featuring lowland species of flora and fauna that died out in all other parts of Great Britain.