What's on inLincolnshire

Lincolnshire is one of those counties that often used to go unnoticed, but thanks to the sheer number of period and Merchant Ivory films that have used its historic homes and beautiful landscapes in recent years, people have begun to sit up and take notice.

The landscapes are truly beautiful and varied as you would expect from Englands fourth biggest county, with everything from vales and wolds, fen lands, fertile agricultural land, gentle hills and charming seaside resorts. The Wolds are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and provide the only uplands terrain between Yorkshire and Kent, serving up woods of beech, deep valleys and undulating hills, broken up by streams and rivers.

Towns and villages of note include Somersby (birthplace of Tennyson) and Spilsby, Market Rasen, Louth and Alford. Up in the northern part of the county the gorgeous Ancholme Valley joins the rolling chalk of the Wolds and walkers can join the Viking Way, a wonderful trail that goes from the Humber Bridge (Europe's longest single span suspension bridge) to Lincoln.

For history buffs, the town of Epworth was where Methodism first began and Brigg features a horse fair dating back to the 13th century. The City of Lincoln itself is one of the Uks historic highlights, packed with medieval buildings and featuring the famous triple towered Cathedral and the Norman Castle (built in 1068) which also holds one of only four remaining copies of the original Magna Carta in its prison. Other sites worth visiting include Grimsthorpe Castle and Burghley House in the Vales of south west Lincolnshire.

Lastly, when youve tired of history and hiking, why not put your feet up on the beach at one of the award winning resorts of Mablethorpe, Chapel St. Leonards, Ingoldmells or Skegness.