East of England

Not far from Cambridge you'll find Anglesey Abbey, a Jacobean style house with gardens and watermill. A little further afield you'll discover the working estate of Wimpole with its mansion and farm, the distinctive fenland landscape of Wicken Fen and views of one of the last working mills on the River Ouse.

From the Norfolk coastline with its abundance of wildlife to the houses and gardens at Blickling, Felbrigg and Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk's popularity is well deserved. The landscaped parkland at Sheringham Park and the wide expanse of the Norfolk Broads is well worth a visit too.

With a landscape made famous by the artist John Constable to the royal burial ground at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk has a fascinating history. There's lots of variety too, from the coastline in the east to the picturesque wool towns in the west. And you won't want to miss Ickworth with its Italianate garden and parkland.

Tucked away in Essex you'll find hidden gems like Paycoke's House and Garden, Blake's Wood and Danbury Common, as well as some of our more well known places like Hatfield Forest. Over the border in Bedfordshire, enjoy the view from Dunstable Downs and in Hertfordshire, Ashridge Estate is ideal for walks with the family.

With vibrant displays of flowers and long, warm days, summer is the perfect time to get outside and explore some of the beautiful gardens in the East of England. Smell the fragrant flowers, take in the vibrant colours around you and listen to the bees buzzing by. You might even get some inspiration for your own green space.

Whether you're seeking peace and quiet or want somewhere special where the family can get together in the great outdoors, we know of some picture perfect locations in the East you might want to try. So pack up your picnic and enjoy a day out eating alfresco.

Living on an island, we all have a deep emotional attachment to the sea. Whether you're looking for somewhere to build a sandcastle or enjoy a shoreline stroll - from the golden sand at Brancaster Beach to the shingle shores at Dunwich Heath, we care for 117 miles of coast in the East of England.

Looking for something to do with the family? Whether it's taking the kids to Wimpole Home Farm, exploring Anglesey Abbey's recently re-opened Hoe Fen, hiring bikes at Ickworth or enjoying a wildlife adventure at Sheringham Park. Plan your day out with the kids and go home feeling happy tired.

Cycle routes for little legs or rides that offer more of a challenge. To help you enjoy the great views from your saddle, we've picked out some of the best places to visit by bike in the East of England.

Artists, writers, royalty and important historical figures – whose footsteps will you follow in? Whether your looking to exercise in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk or Suffolk, here are a selection of local walks to try, all of which vary with the seasons.

Looking for the best places to see wildlife in East Anglia? From one of Europe's most important wetlands, which attracts thousands of migratory birds to the largest seal colony in England, here's a few places to add to your list.

Some of the smaller places we care for are now offering special guided experiences or you may need to travel by boat to reach them, so you’ll need to pre-book ahead. Come and discover places in a new light from a top secret military testing site to the home of playwright George Bernard Shaw.

Two of the most important Anglo-Saxon archaeological discoveries to have ever been made are to be reunited in this new exhibition. Swords of Kingdoms: The Staffordshire Hoard brings together original treasures from the Sutton Hoo Great Ship Burial alongside objects from the Stafford Hoard – the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found. 19 May until 30 October 2022

The largest known painting by artist John Constable, the Embarkation of George IV from Whitehall: the Opening of Waterloo Bridge, 1817, has been brought back to its full glory by our conservators, revealing a long-vanished Thames skyline view. Now back on show at Anglesey Abbey, discover the painting's story and explore more of the Constable collection with an object trail in the house. 29 April until 31 October 2022

We know our scones are rather popular. So we asked our teams to share some of their recipe ideas that you can try at home. From the traditional to the quirky, which will be your favourite scone?

Go behind the scenes with our podcasts. Tread the boards at Shaw's Corner as part of our literary series, explore Humphry Repton's vision for Sheringham Park in our garden series and find out more about the ancient wetlands of East Anglia in our walking series.

We care for one of the world's largest and most significant collections of art and heritage objects, but did you know that you can explore many of them online from the comfort of your home?