Central/Northern

At the southern edge of the Midlands, Stratford-upon-Avon is famous as the birthplace of the national poet. Nearby, Kenilworth has resonance for fans of the novels of Sir Walter Scott, and Warwick boasts one of England’s most impressive medieval castles. Yorkshire, 150 mile to the north, is England’s largest county, with extensive tracts of unspoiled countryside and handsome towns such as Harrogate and Richmond. The Viking city of York is home to the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. Nearby are imposing Castle Howard and the dramatic 12th-century monastic ruins of Rievaulx Abbey. The village of Haworth is famous as the home of Anne, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, who wrote most of their novels while living at the parsonage.