1. Lancashire

The latest addition to the UK’s growing gastro-tourist scene is Lancashire’s Ribble Valley Food Trail, which "opens" today.

The trail is dotted around the market town of Clitheroe and the Forest of Bowland. Visitors create their own route between 36 hand-picked pubs, restaurants and local producers in a corner of England often overshadowed by its more famous Lakeland neighbour.

Featured purveyors range from Lancashire's superb artisan cheese and ice-cream makers to a microbrewery in a barn and the Michelin starred restaurant at Northcote Manor. Look out for Peter Ascroft’s purple carrots and golden beetroot on the area’s menus.

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(ribblevalleyfoodtrail.co.uk)

2. Devon

Exeter sets up a restaurant trail at the first big event of the UK food calendar each year, the South West Food and Drink Festival (April 13-14). But the best trails are the routes offered by the county tourism organisation Discover Devon that cover the South Hams, East Devon and the Tamar Valley. Sharpham vineyard, an oyster shack, South Devon chilli farm and communal lunches using fresh-from-the-field produce at Riverford Field Kitchen, in Buckfastleigh, all feature on well-mapped routes that can be followed by public transport.

(0870 6085531; discoverdevon.com/foodanddrink)

3. Herefordshire

The Flavours of Herefordshire Food Trail takes in asparagus and soft fruit farms, the orchards of cider and perry makers and the rising uplands on either side of the River Wye, home to some of the best lamb and mutton in the country.

(01432-260621; www.visitherefordshire.co.uk)

4. Yorkshire

Gourmet Yorkshire has devised six drive-yourself trails that start and end in York. Absorbing pit-stops include a water buffalo farm in Brompton, Stanforth’s Celebrated Pork Pie Establishment in Skipton, and Ryelands of Helmsley who make locally grown lavender and brown bread ice cream. Markets and lunch venues are well chosen, such as the Good Food Guide’s readers’ restaurant of the year 2008, the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill. (www.gourmetyorkshire.co.uk)

5. The South East England Wine Trail

More of a map than a trail the region’s wine producers have published a colourful leaflet showing 20 of the best vineyards from south Oxfordshire to Kent. Many offer tours, tastings, restaurants and even “destination” B&B style accommodation such as at Denbies Estate, near Dorking. Sample sparkling wine to rival French champagne at RidgeView Estate on the Sussex Downs, German grape varieties at Leeds Castle Vineyard and the unlikely pinot noir reds from Bookers Vineyard in West Sussex. (www.BuyLocalFood.co.uk)

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