Whether you’re looking for a fun-packed adventure holiday for the family or to relax and escape for a weekend away with your partner, then look no further than on the Great British doorstep. Only an hour from London and within easy reach of all major UK rail and road networks, Northamptonshire is a stunning showcase of all things British. 

Often overlooked as a UK travel and tourism destination, Northamptonshire is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the country. The centrally-located county offers a wealth of heritage and cultural attractions, adrenaline-racing activities and seasonal events. Plus there’s accommodation to suit every budget, from stunning rural farmhouse B&Bs to luxury spa hotels. Whether you want high speed car racing or tranquil walking festivals, celebrations of music and literature or awe inspiring art exhibitions, there’s always plenty on offer. 

Escape to the county’s mass of unspoiled countryside, with the single largest concentration of stately homes and castles anywhere in England, including the stunning Althorp, home to Princess Diana’s resting place, or the 13th century Prebendal Manor, the impressive Elizabethan house Canons Ashby or the beautiful Tudor Sulgrave Manor, ancestral home of George Washington's family. Explorers are sure to work up an appetite, allow time for lunch in one of many traditional Old English pubs, then walk it off whilst enjoying some of the county’s 2,000 miles of footpaths bordering some of the most beautiful honey-stone villages Britain has to offer. 

If you are looking for something more action-packed, then look no further – Northamptonshire, at the heart of ‘Motorsport Valley’, is home to the best in British motorsport, racing and adrenaline-filled activities. Choose from events at the world famous Silverstone track such as World Aerobatics Championships In August, or enjoy the thunder of hooves at Towcester Racecourse. Still too tame? Perhaps you fancy trying white water rafting, water skiing or gliding for the first time? 

The county town’s theatres, the Royal and Derngate, offer an abundance of productions and shows whilst Northamptonshire’s Fishmarket and Fermynwoods Galleries each offer visitors their own unique cultural experience. Go along to the Althorp Literary Festival, or let the children try their hand at making and painting their own pottery at Magnolia Studios in Northampton. 

For more information to help plan your visit to Northamptonshire visit www.explorenorthamptonshire.co.uk or for information on events festivals and special offers in the county visit www.britainonshow.co.uk