About East Midlands

Eat at room temperature with a dollop of English mustard or piccalilli. Never refrigerate as it ruins the pastry's texture.

Don't miss Nottingham's Goose Fair (October), Leicester's Diwali celebrations (the largest outside India), or Welland Valley Beer Festival in June.

Pack layers as weather changes rapidly, wear sturdy boots for rocky terrain, and carry an OS map - phone signals can be unreliable in valleys.

Always ask permission before photographing in working factories like Derby's Silk Mill. Many textile mills have strict photography policies.

The Great Central Railway offers combined tickets, many museums are free, and Derbyshire's country houses often have joint tickets for multiple properties.

Look for traditional 'Derbyshire neck' (local dialect) in rural pubs. Many serve 'cobs' (rolls) with fillings - try the local cheese or pork.

Visit D.H. Lawrence's birthplace in Eastwood, follow the Tolkien trail in rural Nottinghamshire, or explore the Brontë links to Derbyshire.

In Leicester, it's illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day - a Puritan law from the 17th century that was never repealed.

Hire a narrowboat on the Trent & Mersey Canal, or try stand-up paddleboarding at Rutland Water - Europe's largest man-made lake.

Use the extensive bus network, support local farm shops and producers, and consider cycling holidays along the many converted railway paths.