It recently dawned on me that London is the ideal base from which to explore the countryside. The Green Belt architects and campaigners halted the spread of the suburbs in the 1930s and 40s, so true countryside can be found close to London, even within the M25.
Furthermore, England’s train lines shoot out from the capital and make a large circle around London easily accessible for walking day trips. This ring stretches from the border of Suffolk in the north to Beachy Head in the south and from the North Wessex Downs in the west to Broadstairs and Margate in the east.
