Might I suggest that Sheffield be your choice of home base. Sheffield is geographically "central", but also "folk music enriched" . From there you could pop up north to the north east, the north west, and Yorkshire,-------- then pop south to the Cotswolds, Devon , Gloucestershire etc,- "south" should by the way include East Anglia, as the region where traditional english box playing and stepping has continued without break since time immemorable(and hasnt been mentioned yet)

I also wholeheartedly support The suggestion to contact Morris sides (and no Im not prejudiced just because Im a morris person!!! ha ha )
Lin