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15 Greatest Things You’ll Find In The British Countryside

Britain is so much more than just London! VisitBritain and have the time of your life in every corner.

GREAT Britain
by GREAT Britain

Brand Publisher

So Britain is home to the most amazing things. It has...

1. 6,000 islands. (No joke.)

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Britain is surrounded by over 6,000 islands (over a hundred of which are completely uninhabited). Many of them are accessible via ferry, like the subtropical Isles of Scilly (pictured above). Imagine Medieval castles and structures surrounded by ferns and palm trees!

2. 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites...like the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

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Game of Thrones was filmed along this stunning coastline!

3. Decadent food everywhere.

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There are hundreds of Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain, so you can forget everything you've heard about British food being bad. Plus, the country's coasts make for incredibly fresh seafood, and the sprawling farmland makes for amazing farm-to-table fare.

4. And decadent liquor.

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Britain has spent centuries perfecting gin, so it's guaranteed to be good. There are even "Gin Journeys" and tours. You'll find various artisan, micro-distilled spirits in every corner...so if you like to drink, you'll LOVE Britain.

5. And over 400 wineries.

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We mean, this speaks for itself. Britain even beats out France for sparkling wine awards!

6. Pristine historical villages, like Conwy.

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Conwy is a perfectly preserved medieval town in North Wales. For another charming village with an entirely different aesthetic, visit the Cotswolds, home of an amazing array of flora, fauna, architecture, and celebrities (it's only two hours away from London, after all).

7. National parks in virtually every corner, like Loch Lomond in Scotland.

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It's only 40 minutes away from Glasgow! Take a seaplane over the Scottish Highlands, go for a horseback ride, or simply take it easy with a champagne cruise on the loch.

8. Hundreds of castles and stately homes.

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They once belonged to royalty and gentry, but now they're open to anyone and everyone! There are castles and estates all over Britain; in fact, Wales is also known as the Land of Castles, boasting over 600. Pictured above are Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, where Harry Potter played Quidditch, and Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, where Mr. Darcy lived in the Pride and Prejudice movie.

9. Literary locales.

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Britain has produced so many heroes in literature. From the Jane Austen walk in Bath, to the Art Deco hotel off the coast of south Devon (pictured above) that inspired Agatha Christie, Britain is the ultimate place to make literary pilgrimages.

10. Coastal adventure sports...

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"Coasteering," the coastal version of climbing, was invented in Wales! Shore scrambling, rock hopping, cliff jumping, surfing, and caving are also amazingly fun and accessible activities along Britain's vast coastlines.

11. ...AND mainland adventure sports!

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Britain's hills, peaks, and mountain ranges are perfect for hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. In fact, there's even a "Three Peaks Challenge" that involves scaling three of Britain's highest mountains in one day: Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands, Scafell Pike in the Lake District, and Snowdon in Wales. Snowdonia is also home to Zip World, Europe's longest and fastest zipline.

12. Stunning art galleries...

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Who knew the countryside could be home to great contemporary art? The Hepworth Wakefield in Yorkshire (pictured) is the largest purpose-built museum outside of London and houses the works of some of the greatest British modernists, while the Turner Contemporary in Margate honors the landscape painter J.M.W. Turner.

13. ...and outdoor sculpture!

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"The Kelpies" are two monumental sculptures of mythological water horses in Scotland. Check them out on a day trip from Edinburgh or on your way to the Highlands.

14. Train rides that are straight out of a fairytale.

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From the railway that runs through the purple heather of the North York Moors, to the steam train that runs through the Scottish Highlands (pictured above), Britain is home to a number of incredibly picturesque train rides. Maybe you'll even find yourself at Hogwarts at the end of the ride. ;)

15. And accommodations that are fantasy come to life.

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Wherever you are in Britain, you'll find some outrageously amazing places to stay. Choose from camping in the mountains, sleeping in Mongolian yurts, booking rooms in a treehouse, and even staying in a "House in the Clouds" (it's in Sussex, which is only two hours away from London)!

Britain seriously has it all.

VisitBritain to explore all of these gems and much, MUCH more.