Staying in a quintessential English village is such a delightful addition to any trip to England. While I love London, you get a true taste of British life when you stay in the English countryside.
Planning a Trip
It’s essential to get outside of London if you can to see the real England. The quaint British towns with their pubs and cottages are so fun for kids and adults. I like to schedule 5 days in London and then 5-7 days in the countryside on long vacations. It’s a good balance.
Here are some questions to ask while planning your stay. Be sure to scroll to the end for two examples based on our trips.
Where
Take a look at the map of England and pick a central spot that allows you to see a broad swath of interests. Americans tend to think of distances in our terms, but in England, it is quite easy to pop over to different areas in a short drive or train ride. Three hours here will barely get you out of some states while three hours there can get you across the country!
- Do you want to concentrate on Stonehenge and the coast? (Look around Salisbury)
- Or are you interested in college towns and Shakespeare? (Check out the Cotswolds or North Hampton)
- Are you interested in hiking or literary pursuits? (Investigate the Lake District or York area)
- Do you want to be in a little village or out in the country? (Villages are fun to walk around and provide an easy food source. The countryside is beautiful!)
Check out my England Travel Guide for more information on the various options around England.
When
Summer is a great time to do an English countryside trip. The days are long – darkness doesn’t fall until 10 pm! It’s a dream of mine to stay in a little cottage during the holidays, though. How picturesque!
How
Logistics can scare you away from planning this trip. Here are some tips:
Transportation:
- Cars: Staying in the countryside almost always requires a car. Note: most English cars are manual but an automatic is usually available in larger cities. I recommend renting at Heathrow (do your London touring and then come back to the airport to get the car) where they will have an abundance of automatic cars. Be sure to ask about the proper numbers to call for roadside assistance and get the tire insurance as you are likely to hit lots of curbs! Cars are much smaller in the UK especially the trunk (boot) so plan accordingly with luggage. Don’t be intimidated about driving on the other side of the road – you’re going with the flow so it’s easier than you think!
- Trains: If you opt to stay in a smaller city, you might be on a train line that will enable you to avoid driving. Good examples are Oxford, Bath, or York. You can always rent a car in that town for the few times you want to venture into the countryside or investigate a tour company/driver who will take you.
Lodging: With the proliferation of rental sites, it’s easier than ever to find a quaint cottage. When we had young kids, we liked using a baby-friendly site like Baby Friendly Boltholes to ensure the cottage had toys and child-appropriate bedding. Another good option is Kid & Coe. You can also check out the options on Plum Guide (affiliate link) and AirBnb.
Food: One of the best things about renting a cottage is the option to have some meals at home. My kids absolutely love going to the UK grocery stores and seeing how different the items are. Most villages have a nearby Tesco or Sainsbury’s which are comparable to our large grocery/box stores. Our favorites for prepared foods are Waitrose and M&S Food Hall. Of course, local shops are often the best option, and don’t forget to check out the local pub. It’s often a memorable experience!
Activities: Many little villages have an adorable town center with a playground or other family-friendly green space. They often have small museums or attractions like petting farms that are fun. While the big tourist sites beckon, don’t forget to explore the local ones.
Two Example Trips
Salisbury area:
When our kids were 2 and 6, we spent a week at a cottage in Dorset which allowed us to travel to Bath, Stonehenge, and the Jurassic Coast. It was a great trip with littles! Our cottage was located in the little village of Farnham and was perfect for kids with toys and a cot (crib).
We could walk down to the little playground which was near a sheep pen that delighted my then-two year old.
Our little train enthusiast loved taking the Swanage Railway to the beach and we even found a little amusement park with rides. We visited historical sites like Stonehenge and my kids had a blast running around Old Sarum.
This is also a perfect site to take a day trip to Bath or the Cotswolds.
Other than all of us catching a stomach bug, this was a perfect trip! Check out my sample itinerary on my England Travel Guide for more details on this area.
North Hampton area:
In 2022, we spent almost a week in the little village of Castle Ashby in North Hampton, which is a great central location if you want to visit the college towns of Oxford and Cambridge as well as the Cotswolds or Stratford-upon-Avon. Our cottage was run by the family who lives in the castle so that was neat!
We spent the days traveling to Oxford, Cambridge, Stratford, and Chipping Norton (part of the Cotswolds). We also planned a day where we just walked around the little village shops and toured the next-door Castle Ashby.
While the castle is still a private home, the gardens are open for touring. It was so lovely! I felt like I was in a novel while walking its pristine grounds.
There is a beautiful Orangery and Arboretum to see as well.
A unique offering at Castle Ashby is the menagerie with its adorable meerkats! Kids will love it!
The gardens also offer a great playground and quaint tea room where we had scones and tea.
There is also a beautiful local church to explore – St. Mary Magdalene.
We also enjoyed shopping at the Rural Shopping Yard for delectable treats and memorable items.
The little village itself was so pretty. We walked its lanes amidst sheep fields and around the WWI memorial which you can find in most little villages. There was also a well-known hotel with a great restaurant which made for a good meal!
We loved our respite from the craziness of London, and my kids said this was their favorite part of our entire two week trip! It was the perfect place to rest up for our next stops in York and Edinburgh.
Many people plan a trip to England and stick to just London and the main tourist sites. Get off the beaten path and find a quaint English village to call home for a few days. Your kids will love it!
Books to Read:
All links below are Amazon affiliate links. Be sure to check out my Bookshop.org shop where you can check out my list of British books.
Adult/Young Adult
- The English Village: History and Traditions
- Hidden Villages of Britain: Histories and Tradition Past and Present
- My Love Affair with England: A Traveler’s Memoir
- Sarum
- The Forest
- Wives and Daughters
- The Castle Keepers
- The House at Riverton (or any Kate Morton book)
- Ashton Hall
- The Winter Garden
- The Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery
- All Creatures Great and Small
- Year of Wonders
- Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand
- The Summer Before the War
Middle Grade
- The Secret Garden
- A Little Princess
- The Enchanted Castle
- A Place to Hang the Moon
- The War That Saved My Life
Picture Books
That would be a dream come true