Places to Visit When in England

England is small enough to cross in a day by train, yet it packs in a surprising variety of landscapes, accents, dishes and moods. Planning a first visit, or a long-overdue return, usually comes down to choosing a few regions rather than trying to see everything. Here are some that reward the effort.

Yorkshire for food and wide skies

Yorkshire is a big county with a big appetite. Its market towns are known for proper bakeries, farm shops and pubs that take their Sunday lunch seriously, and the region has built a strong reputation for fine dining as well. Between meals, the Dales and the North York Moors offer heather, drystone walls and views that have drawn painters and walkers for generations. York itself, with its walls and medieval streets, is an easy base.

The Cotswolds at a gentle pace

Golden stone cottages, village greens and rolling hills make the Cotswolds look almost too neat to be real. The joy here is slowing down: a walk between villages, an afternoon browsing antiques and galleries, a long lunch in a pub garden. Local festivals and small museums add plenty to do when it rains.

Devon, the Lakes and the eastern coast

Different visitors want different kinds of countryside, and these three cover most tastes:

• Devon mixes rugged coves with surf beaches, cream teas and quiet harbour towns. Dartmoor offers bracing walks for anyone happy to swap sand for open moorland.
• The Lake District is the place for mountain scenery, with fells, woodland and long stretches of water. Boat trips, lakeside paths and steep climbs suit every level of energy.
• Norfolk and Suffolk curve along a coastline of wide beaches and dunes, where there is always room for a kite, a game of cricket on the sand or a picnic, even on a busy summer day.

A seaside city with character

For a coastal break with more bustle, the city of Brighton is a favourite. Its pier, pebble beach and Regency terraces sit alongside the narrow Lanes, packed with independent shops and cafés, and a lively music and arts scene that keeps the place buzzing into the evening. The Royal Pavilion, with its extraordinary domes, is worth seeing even if you only glance in from the gardens.

Planning where to stay

England's regions are well connected by rail, but distances add up once you leave the main lines. A few tips make a trip smoother:

1. Pick one or two bases and take day trips, rather than moving every night.
2. Book ahead for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, when seaside and lake towns fill quickly.
3. Consider a mix of stays: a city hotel, a country inn and a coastal guesthouse each show a different side of the country.
4. Pack for changeable weather whatever the season.

With a little planning, a week can take in moorland, a market town, a stretch of coast and a city night out, which is a fair sample of what makes the country such a rewarding place to explore.