Landscapes of beauty...in a world that time seems to have passed by. Step away from the city's hustle and bustle and into the country, where old castles and abbeys stand, where small villages maintain their charm, where the spirit of long ago still burns bright, unextinguished by the modern age. Striking photographs bring forth all the magic and romance of rural areas throughout Britain and France -- the highlands and islands; the gardens with fountains, topiary, cottage flowers, and fragrant herbs; the canals and country railways; the small pubs where one can still quaff a pint among friends. What wonderful places to be.