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There is so much more to England than most visitors (and natives) ever see. The majority of overseas tourists to England will spend much of their time in the capitol London, which is an excellent experience all by itself, but to really appreciate the vast array of sights and sounds of this little country, it is necessary to step off the beaten track.

Whatever your interests, England has something to offer. A common reason to visit is to experience some of the historic buildings liberally scattered across the whole county. An Englishman's home is his castle, but for some a castle was literally their home, and many still stand in varying states of repair from atmospheric crumbling ruins such as Beeston Castle situated 11 miles east of Chester in the county of Cheshire, to fully operational family homes like the majestic Eastnor Castle in Ledbury Herefordshire, the current home of the Hervey-Bathurst family. Many of the country's castles are owned or maintained by the government organisation English Heritage, and entrance fees apply. However, if you intend to visit several different sites during your stay, a multi-entry pass is available at a reduced rate which can save a considerable amount of money.

England has many homes that, while they do not necessarily count as castles, still stand impressively in town and country. Stately homes are often owned by the National Trust, originally established in 1895 as means of protecting the countryside from increased industrial development, and like English Heritage, the Trust charges admission fees to its properties but also offers discounted rates for members. The range of properties that the Trust owns means that a visitor is never more than an hour away from a site considered worthy of preserving for future generations in England. From Georgian town houses such as Peckover House in the centre of Wisbech in Cambridgshire with its walled garden and orangery, to small properties like the cottage birthplace of George Stephenson (inventor of Stepehnson's Rocket, the first steam powered passenger vehicle to travel on rails) in Wylam, Northumberland, there are plenty of restored and period-furnished buildings to wander around, particularly on days when the sun doesn't shine.

Both English Heritage's landscape division known as Natural England, and the National Trust, along with the National Parks Authority maintain a vast amount of land within England. Some of it is restricted from public use for reasons of species sensitivity,

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