The Home Counties describe the main areas which surround Britain's capital city, London. 

Counties like Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire are well situated - close enough to London but far enough away from the city.

Here, there's a real contrast - from the controversial concrete of Milton Keynes to the pleasant Black and White Trail of  Hertfordshire - villages where black and white half-timbered houses are a feature. 

The area also includes Britain's world renowned university towns - Oxford and Cambridge. Both are packed full of impressive buildings, gardens and, of course, students. 

The area also boasts some outstanding natural beauty spots, particularly the Malvern Hills, tucked away on the border with Wales. Blow away the cobwebs with an invigorating walk up these peaks and gaze across to Herefordshire and Wales. It's an area which inspired that most English of composers Sir Edward Elgar to write pieces like Pomp and Circumstance and Land of Hope and Glory.  Standing atop the hills it's easy to understand why.