The county of Dorset is the quintessential rural English idyll. No holiday in Dorset would be complete without fossil hunting at the world famous Chesil beach, visiting The Cobb pier at Lyme Regis, and of course, experiencing the landscape of Thomas Hardy’s novels.

Jurassic Coast (with a Durdle Door on the left side), Doset, England, UK by Tom Maloney

Dorset’s spectacular Jurassic Coast encompasses every kind of coastal wonder – sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, sand dunes, natural rock arches (a visit to the gravity-defying arch at Durdle Door is a must), rare wildlife and fossils galore (Lyme Regis, Chesil and Charmouth beaches top the list for ammonite seekers)… You could happily spend an entire holiday never straying far from Dorset’s shores, but leave time to explore Dorset’s inland charms as well.

Idyllic hamlets with timber-beamed country inns and chattering streams set against a backdrop of rolling green hills make Dorset the perfect antidote to the city and an excellent choice for a rural getaway. It’s easy to see why the Dorset Downs are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A walk up Eggardon Hill, crowned with the ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort, affords king-of-the-castle-views across the Dorset countryside and out over the Lyme Bay coast. Visit in September to see the skies over Eggardon Hill alive with colour at the annual Eggardon Kite Festival.

Eggardon Hill, Dorset, England, UK by G1MFG

There is plenty to see and do in Dorset all year round. History lovers will be spoilt for choice. Dorset is home to the iconic Corfe Castle ruins, Maiden Castle (Britain’s largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort) and ancient towns such as Dorchester where Roman, Medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings jostle for space.

Corfe Castle, Dorset, England, UK by David Bunting

But Dorset is not all about the past. There are plenty of activities rooted very much in the 21st Century to keep the most adventurous of souls entertained. On land, zorbing, llama trekking, rock climbing and jeep safaris are guaranteed to get the blood pumping. There are ample opportunities for getting out on the water in Dorset too, and sailing, windsurfing and kite surfing will get the pulse racing. You can even experience Dorset from the air, a hot air balloon ride over one of the picturesque towns of Sherborne, Blandford Forum or Shaftesbury will give you a buzzard’s-eye view of the rolling landscape so vividly described in Hardy’s novels.

There are endless places to visit with the family, including the Dinosaur Museum and Burngate Stone Carving Centre, where you can try your hand at stone carving, making Dorset a firm holiday favourite with the kids too. With a holiday cottage in Dorset as your base, you’ll never be far from a slice of history, or a slice of the action.

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Hill-walkers will face far more difficult climbs for much less scenic reward – these really are some of the most spectacular views to be found in this part of the country.

Shropshire Plain, UK by Dpaajones

Legend has it that The Wrekin was the work of giants who still live somewhere below the surface. The name derives from the Celtic ‘wre’ and ‘ken,’ translated as ‘most conspicuous hill.’

One-time capital of the ancient British Cornovii tribe who recognised the value of its strategic position, The Wrekin rises 1,335 feet above the northern panhandle of Shropshire’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Cornovii’s iron age hill fort stretches almost 20 acres across the summit.

For history lovers

Just a few miles from The Wrekin, one of the largest remaining examples of a Roman settlement exists at Wroxeter, where ‘The Old Work’ is an eight-metre high wall that once formed part of the fourth largest city in the province.

Originally part of a basilica in Viroconium – built beside the old Roman road of Watling Street – the Wroxeter Roman City was once home to 5,000 people in the 2nd century AD.

Extensive remains still visible today of this early feat of architectural engineering include parts of a market hall and tavern, and an underfloor heating system which once graced the communal bath-house.

For walking enthusiasts

Shropshire offers some seriously superb walking country, with over 3,500 miles of rights of way to choose from including Offa’s Dyke and the Severn Way.

From September 7th to 9th, the Oswestry Walking Festival offers five separate walks over varying distances, including the 12-mile Oswald’s Ring, nine-mile quarry and Offa’s Dyke, and a four-mile trip to the old hill fort and Hengoed.

Visit www.oswestrywalkers.co.uk for further information.

What else to see

Stokesay, Shrewsbury and Ludlow Castles, the Seven Valley and Telford Steam Railways, the Ironbridge Gorge Museums….there’s plenty for everyone in this most picturesque and diverse of counties.

For smaller visitors, the Hawkstone Park and Follies offers a fantasy land of cliffs, chasms, caves, labyrinths and woods – sharp-eyed youngsters will recognise many of the scenes from the BBC’s TV series Chronicles of Narnia.

The park’s Feather Falconry gives kids a chance to experience a nature lesson up close with owls, hawks and falcons, and a medieval weekend here from August 25th to 27th will take them back in time to experience life as it was in the 12th century.

Nicki Williams is a copy writer for Gear-Zone – on-line, outdoor specialists in walking and hiking footwear, wet weather clothing, and down jackets

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Tryfan, Nant Ffrancon Valley, Snowdonia, Wales, UK by Stuart

Named after the 1,085 meter tall Snowdon peak which can be found within the park’s boundaries, the park is a popular destination in the area. Originally known as the Great Throne, Yr Wyddfa is filled with legends that have been formed throughout the ages. In the old days, the region was part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd which was considered by many to be the heart of Wales.

There are a total of nine mountain ranges that can be found within the park’s boundaries. As a result, more than 52% of the area is covered by ragged rocks and mountain peaks; some as high as 915 meters above sea level. You will also find more than sixty kilometres of coastline within the park; some of which are sandy beaches.

The Snowdonia National Park is currently inhabited by more then 26,000 people. Most of the residents of the park speak Welsh. Those numbers soar as more than six million visitors make their way to the park every single year. Since there are a number of places and ways to sleep within the park, many visitors choose to visit the park for longer than just a simple day trip.

Cwm Idwal, Snowdonia National Park, Wales, UK by Les Haines

One will notice is that in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park, there is a region which has not been included as actually part of the national park. This hole as some refer to it includes the prosperous town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The town’s main industry is its thriving slate quarry. The town was purposefully left out of the development of the park so that it could continue to grow in the future.

You could spend more than a week just visiting the park and seeing the many sites throughout. You will find ancient castles and ruins that date back to the earliest known settlements in the region. There are also several archaeological sites that can be found within the park’s boundaries.

Known for its beauty and splendour, the Snowdonia National Park is one of the most visited locations in the United Kingdom.

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The entire region not only includes the peninsula, but covers an area of more then 188 kilometres. In the north, you will find the Loughor Estuary and to the east one can find Swansea Bay.