English Midlands

The East and West Midlands in the heart of England, taking in the Peak District, Birmingham, Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon and many castles and country estates.

This region combines the official statistical regions of the East Midlands and West Midlands. It includes Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, as well as the Birmingham metropolitan area, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and more. It borders Northern England (Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire) to the north, South East and South West England to the south, East of England to the east, and Wales to the west. The Peak District National Park spans several counties; this entry includes it under Derbyshire. Highlights: Mam Tor ridge, Peak Cavern at Castleton and the town of Bakewell in the Peak District; Chatsworth House; Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon; Warwick Castle and Kenilworth Castle; the industrial heritage of Ironbridge Gorge (a World Heritage Site); Lincoln Cathedral; the Robin Hood legend in Nottingham and Sherwood Forest; and Birmingham's canals and Jewellery Quarter. Allow 4–6 days: fly in and out of Birmingham, link Stratford, Warwick and Ironbridge Gorge, then head north to the Peak District for 2 nights. Birmingham is about 1.5 hours from London by train; the Peak District and the country estates are best reached by car, and parking is tight on summer weekends.

Destinations

• Peak District
• Birmingham
• Lincoln
• Nottingham
• Stratford-upon-Avon

Itineraries

• Great Britain Classic Loop: England & Scotland – A classic British road trip from London, looping through Bath, the Lake District, Edinburgh, and York.
• Oxford, Shakespeare Country and the Cotswolds in – A short trip from London: Blenheim Palace, Shakespeare's hometown, Warwick Castle and honey-coloured villages.
• Northwest England Cities and the Peak District in – Take the train to Liverpool, Chester and Manchester, then walk the ridges of the Peak District.