Although a small land with a population of around 60 million, Great Britain still hides unspoilt patchworks of countryside, sweeping plains, forests and beaches to get away from it all. And within a bonsai-package of village greens, ornate churches and model village-like cottages, a historical feast awaits the visitor.

Great Britain is famous for its green pastures, flock-wallpapered pubs, long summer evenings, and rain. With Manchester and Liverpool firm rivals, it is London that visitors list first on their itinerary. Most drivers who visit London park outside and explore the city by tube, where Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square and Westminster are established favourites. Picnic on the Embankment watching passing tour boats, or bask under the summer sun in Hyde Park watching street performers execute their latest stunts and you’ll soon realise why London still swings. The Tate Gallery and National Gallery are obligatory stops for art lovers, just as Oxford Street, Regent Street and Kensington High Road are for shopoholics.
 
But you don’t have to travel far from the main cities to find yourself in tranquil woodlands and National Parks, where thatched roofs, hedgerows and winding lanes pave the road ahead. For beach fun, head to Brighton and meander through the opulent Royal Pavilion with its elaborate Indian architecture, or visit the natural sea stacks at Dorset’s Swanage and Durdle Door. The pristine white sand of Poole’s Sandbanks is a family favourite, as is Blackpool for its true British beach-side culture and traditional fish and chips.
 
Steeped in mystery since the Bronze Age, Stonehenge in Wiltshire will intrigue all who dare to query. Though for true isolation, head to South Devon’s Dartmoor to see the granite tors that scar the barren landscape, frequently dotted by the famous Dartmoor ponies. North Devon’s Exmoor, home to red sandstone and red dear with endless heath and bracken, give rise to thermal-riding buzzards to make for excellent photography. Dip into the mineral springs in the Roman spa town of Bath for rejuvenation.

Stop for a cream tea in one of Devon’s picture-postcard villages before arriving in Celtic Cornwall, a wilderness of rugged cliffs that cup surf beaches embraced by skilled surfers to rival Australia’s. Labyrinthine creeks and fishing villages like the chocolate-box hamlet of Polperro make Cornwall the perfect holiday destination.

When you reach the last pub, shop and post box at Land’s End, head to the Isles of Scilly, made for summer getaways. Head to Wales or the Lake District for long-distance hiking where all you are likely to see is yourself in a mirrored lake, craggy mountains and the four seasons - often in one day.

The east coast boasts spectacular cliffs and the melancholic landscapes that make the salty marshlands of the Cambridge Fens, whilst Kent prides itself for its pungent orchard-packed gardens.

After the frenetic, world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the wild Scottish Highlands, filled with icy waters and pristine air, will brace the avid walker. And you can always traverse the heather-blanketed Yorkshire Moors before sinking into a warm country pub to experience typical northern life.

Car hire from the airport

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