Northamptonshire

With excellent road and rail links it's easy to find your way to the county often described as the Rose of the Shires. Here you can choose to step into the traditional rural lifestyle typified by Northamptonshire's numerous pretty villages with their thatched cottages, country lanes and parish churches. Northamptonshire is home to some of the most beautiful countryside in England.

There are miles of walks, beautiful country parks, and substantial areas of ancient woodland just waiting to be explored. Miles of cycle path follow the landscape of the Brampton Valley Way. Rockingham Castle perches on its hilltop with views stretching to Rutland Water. Stately homes and ancestral seats, including that of the Spencer family at Althorp, are all part of the local heritage.

The network of canals and waterways that interweave the county through the Nene Valley are perfect for exploring. In and around the main market towns there are excellent leisure facilities with great shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, theatres and cinemas, health clubs and spas, and a thriving nightlife for anyone with the energy. You can choose to find out more of the history of the region and visit the birthplace of Radar, or any of the county's numerous museums showcasing the boot & shoe industry, life on the canals, and aviation heritage. Northampton's 78 Derngate has been re-crafted back to the way it was remodelled in 1916 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and is well worth a visit.

Throughout the summer, the gardens of many of Northamptonshire's historic homes form the back-drop and scenery for many types of entertainment: classical, jazz and pop music, living history re-enactments, and open-air theatre. Steam fairs, country fairs, craft and antique fairs take place throughout the season.

The county also has lots of fun activities on offer ranging from roller coasters, water rides, and playgrounds at Wicksteed Park, hands-on farm attractions in the countryside, and regular steam train rides offered by the Nene Valley and the Northampton & Lamport railways.