United Kingdom

Off the Beaten Track

Isles of Scilly

These balmy rocky islands, slap in the middle of the warm Gulf Stream, have a pace of life just one slow heartbeat away from total extinction. There are no cars on any of the five inhabited islands, but all have white, sandy beaches, gin-clear waters and a swag of shipwrecks for treasure-loving divers.

New Forest

Wedged between Southampton and Bournemouth on the holiday South Coast, this huge patch of woodland is the largest area of natural vegetation left in England. It has been that way since William the Conqueror gave the area its name in 1079.

Northumberland

This is one of the wildest and least-spoilt counties in England. There are probably more castles and battlefield sites here than anywhere else in the country, testifying to the long and bloody struggle with the Scots. The most interesting and well-known relic is Hadrian's Wall. The Northumberland National Park has a windswept grandeur that is distinctly un-English in character. The grassy Cheviot Hills, part of the park, are a lonely, beautiful and challenging hiking area. The main town in the area is Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England; the prettiest villages are Corbridge and Brampton in neighbouring Cumbria.

Shropshire

The 'blue remembered hills' of Shropshire form one of the most beautiful, peaceful and underrated areas of Britain. The gentle terrain and the low population density make it perfect cycling or open walking country, and the county's capital, Shrewsbury, is probably the finest Tudor town in England.