Secret Britain

Britain is full of hidden treasures, from haunted forests to flower-filled meadows, secret stone circles and saintly volcanoes. For Country Life’s 6 January 2021 issue, Annunciata Elwes decided to take a special look at the highlights of Secret Britain.

‘We have lived for long walks this winter and have sometimes found a windy hilltop the only fit place for socialising,’ Annie wrote.

‘Without disparaging Britain’s wonderful well-known landmarks, most of us have learnt to avoid their inevitable madding crowds. By road and path (not as the crow flies), it’s 1,200 or so miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats and we could have walked that distance three, possibly four times since the first lockdown began last March.

‘This is academic, however, as it would have been unwise (and at many times illegal) to undertake such a lengthy stroll, even with a pocket full of face masks and hand sanitiser. Instead, let’s imagine we can zig-zag around, stopping as we please on this imaginary journey to discover some of this country’s secret wonders and plan for when we can really spread our wings.’

We’ll be adding a new one of the 50 places to this list each day at 7am.

Remember, if you’re planning a visit, make sure you’re sticking to the latest coronavirus lockdown rules in your area. And given the weather we’ve had of late, you might want some appropriate footwear — our choice of the best wellington boots should help with that.