Green escapes
You gaze up at a blue sky slashed with vapour trails as you sip home-made elderflower cordial in the wild meadow behind the hotel in the heart of the Cotswolds. The map across your knees curls in a slight breeze, and you smooth it down to study the cycle routes that weave across the landscape. You couldn’t help but feel good as you arrived yesterday on your mountain bike, the short ride from the railway station reinvigorating you after the soporific train journey. The hotel itself has won awards for its environmental policies, and you just feel so much better knowing you’re doing your bit. You look up to see two more slashes on the pristine sky, and look forward to leaving your mark not on the environment but on the mud.
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These days, eco-friendly breaks aren’t only for the sandals-and-beard brigade; they’ve entered the mainstream as more and more of us feel we want to reduce our impact on the environment.
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Whether your inclination is to explore the great outdoors on two legs or two wheels, England’s unique variety of landscapes means you don’t have to have travel far to make the most of its walking and cycling routes.
More about walking and cycling
Farmers’ markets have begun to appear in many cities and towns throughout England. Today, there are over 350 and their popularity is indicative of people's changing attitudes towards food.
More about farmers' markets
Lick luscious dairy ice cream on a Devon beach, crunch crisp stalks of celery in a Fenland pub or bite into a warm, floury scone in a tearoom overlooking Windermere in the Lake District.
More about regional produce