Stand among Secrets

STONEHENGE, SOUTH WEST

A visit to our famous prehistoric monument provides a tantalising glimpse into the secrets of the stones and the lives of those who constructed the stone circle on Salisbury Plain 4,500 years ago.

Stonehenge visitor centre is currently operating a one-way system, allowing you to safely explore the site and examine some of the hundreds of artefacts discovered in and around the stone circle. Just outside the visitor centre, you can take a stroll among a number of replica Neolithic houses before completing your visit with a walk around the iconic stones.

You might also enjoy: Avebury, Old Sarum, Tintagel Castle

Lose track of time in amazing gardens

BELSAY HALL, CASTLE AND GARDENS, NORTH EAST

Prepare to be charmed by Belsay, with its 30 acres of gardens bursting with exotic plants and seasonal blooms surrounding a medieval castle and an imposing 19th-century Greek-revival mansion.

While the hall and castle are closed, the gardens are open to explore. Much of what you’ll see was designed by Sir Charles Monck (1779–1867), who was keen to enhance the planting that he’d inherited. The Quarry Garden, created by the excavation of the stone for the Grecian hall, is a dramatic setting of ravines and pinnacles. More formal gardens can be found nearer the hall, including the Yew Garden and Magnolia Terrace. The gardens are being replanted this year under the expert eye of acclaimed landscape designer Dan Pearson and this is your chance to see them in their autumnal glory.

You might also enjoy: Wrest Park, Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Witley Court and Gardens

March in the footsteps of Roman soldiers

HADRIAN'S WALL, NORTH OF ENGLAND

Dating back to AD 122 and standing on the longest remaining stretch of Hadrian’s Wall, Birdoswald Roman Fort is one of the best places to admire the scale of this frontier. Roam the ruins and get young visitors to imagine they’re Roman soldiers on patrol.

Once you’ve explored the fort itself, take a short walk through the rugged countryside to discover the wall’s other defences, such as a turret and a milecastle.

You can also imagine military life on the Wall at Housesteads and Chesters and Roman Forts. Or, step foot in what was once a bustling Roman town at Corbridge, site of the Corbridge Hoard. 

You might also enjoy: Wroxeter Roman City, Lullingstone Roman Villa

Roam brooding ruins

WHITBY ABBEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE

The ruins of 13th-century Whitby Abbey are an iconic sight. The site’s religious significance stretches back to the 7th century, and it has survived storms, Viking raids and shelling in the First World War.

Our visitor centre and museum is open, displaying artefacts from the Bronze Age onwards. These tell the story of the site, which has provided artistic inspiration for JMW Turner and Bram Stoker. The extensive grounds are also perfect for family picnics.

You might also enjoy: Kenilworth Castle, Witley Court and Gardens