5 London Escapes That’ll Make You Say “Wow!”

If you’re visiting London for the first time you certainly want to hit the iconic sights: Big Ben, the British Museum, Piccadilly Circus and so on. And if you do venture into the hinterland (what locals call the Home Counties), it’s probably to other well-known spots like Windsor Castle or Canterbury Cathedral.

But what if you’re an old London hand? Does it feel like you’ve already “been there, done that” with just about everything in and around the British capital. Here are five under-the-radar places within an easy drive or train ride from central London.

South Downs: England’s Newest National Park

Established in 2010, South Downs National Park flows over the hills and vales and through the woods, heaths and chalk grasslands of Sussex and Hampshire. Its most iconic attractions are the Seven Sisters Cliffs overlooking the English Channel and the South Downs Way, a 100-mile (160-km) hiking, biking and horseback riding trail along a route that humans have trekked for at least 6,000 years.

Among the park’s many historic sights are Cissbury Ring — England’s second largest Neolithic hillfort — the Amberley Museum with its vintage steam train and omnibus, and the Monk’s House cottage where Virginia Woolf once lived and wrote. As well as a 700-acre deer park, Pentworth House boasts masterpieces by Van Dyck, Turner and Gainsborough, and an 18^th-century garden designed by celebrated landscape architect Capability Brown.

Getting there: 60-90 minutes by trains from London’s Victoria or Waterloo stations or 1.5-2 hours by car.

More info: www.southdowns.gov.uk

Staying overnight: Blackwood Forest Cabins (www.forestholidays.co.uk/locations/hampshire/blackwood-forest/)

Hever Castle: Lay Down a Gauntlet

Built in the 13^th century, this quintessential medieval castle is where Anne Boleyn spent her youth and where American tycoon William Waldorf Astor and his family spent their English holidays. Nowadays, this meticulously preserved fortress-residence is home to all sorts of summer fun.

In addition to guided castle tours, the Kent estate flaunts Tudor, Rose and Italian gardens, several hedgerow mazes to navigate, a military museum, miniature model houses, Japanese tea house, boating on a small lake, archery lessons, a golf course, and medieval jousting on horseback by the Knights of Royal England historic re-creators and their trusty steeds.

Getting there: 1-hour by train from London Bridge Station or a 1.5-hour drive via Sevenoaks in Kent.

More info: www.hevercastle.co.uk

Staying overnight: Hever Castle Bed & Breakfast (www.hevercastle.co.uk/stay/)

St. Albans: Blast From the Past

Located about 20 miles (32 km) north of London in Hertfordshire, the old Roman town and medieval cathedral city offers great dining, eclectic architecture, leafy urban trails, and plenty of history.

In addition to the walls, gates, mosaics and other remains of a Roman city founded around 50 A.D., Verulamium Park is just a great place to take a stroll, through the woods or around the lake. A museum offers insight into life in ancient Verulamium while the quaint little Inn on the Park offers snacks for humans and canines.

Crowning a hill overlooking the park, St. Albans Cathedral features Saxon, Norman and medieval architecture, including a soaring nave that harbors a magnificent Choir, solemn Lady Chapel, and the intricate, exquisite 15^th century Wallingford Screen.

Check out the centuries-old houses (and the Lower Red Lion pub) on Fishpool Street and enjoy a seafood or free-range meal at Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen before returning to London.

Getting there: 20 minutes by train from London’s St. Pancras Station.

More info: www.enjoystalbans.com

Staying overnight: St. Michael’s Manor on Fishpool Street (https://stmichaelsmanor.com).

Lavenham: England’s “Finest Medieval Village”

This charming Suffolk village rose to fame in the 15^th and 16^th century as a booming “wool town” that flourished on making woven cloth. St Peter and St Paul’s — the town’s impressive “wool church” and one of England’s finest examples of Late Medieval architecture in England — speaks to that prosperity. There’s also a 16^th-century Guild Hall and a town museum in the 14^th-century Little Hall.

Lavenham’s meandering High Street is flanked by original half-timbered buildings filled with antique shops and modern art galleries, as well as excellent places to eat or drink like The Greyhound with its sunny back patio (ideal for Sunday brunch or shared small plates) or the old and venerable Angel pub (built in 1420).

Getting there: 2-hour drive from central London via Colchester or Stansted.

More info: www.visitsuffolk.com/destination/lavenham

Staying overnight: Rectory Manor Hotel (www.rectorymanorhotel.co.uk)

Burnham Beeches: Harry Potter and Robin Hood

If this heavily wooded nature park in Buckinghamshire looks familiar, that’s because it has “guest starred” in many well-known movies, from The Princess Bride and Goldfinger to several Harry Potter films and two cinematic versions of Robin Hood.

Although it’s technically a City of London Wood, the heavily forested nature park is well west of the sprawling British capital. Declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by the English government, the park provides a home to more than 60 plant and animal species that are either under threat or highly endangered.

Trails wander through thick woods to the ancient Druids Oak (more than 800 years old), the remains of an Iron Age hillfort, and the Beeches Eco Café (try the filled croissants).

Getting there: 1-hour drive from central London via the M4 Motorway or 20-minute train from London’s Paddington Station and then taxi or rideshare to the park.

More info: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/burnham-beeches-and-stoke-common

Staying overnight: Burnham Beeches Hotel (https://corushotels.com/burnham-beeches-hotel).