Our pick of the most remote holiday cottages

Find calm in the Lake District

While the Lake District is obviously one of the most popular spots in the UK, there are still little pockets of calm to be found there if you know where to look. Bracken Barn is hidden in the hills between Coniston and Windermere, with 33 acres of bird-filled woodland to explore and a hikes to Tarn Hows, Black Crag and up Limstone beck, for spectacular views over Esthwaite Water. You might bump into the owners, who will happily arrange yoga classes and meals or just leave you to your own devices; and there may be guests in the other barns, but there’s a feeling of solitude here that comes from being surrounded by countryside. Of course, there’s never a pub far away, so if you need a break from all that peace and quiet, walk down to the famous Drunken Duck Inn for some fine food. For those seeking remote holiday cottages in the Lake District that balance solitude with comfort, Bracken Barn strikes an ideal middle ground.

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Go wild in rural Wales

Narrow green lanes lead you down into a lush valley, where the whitewashed cottage of Glan yr afon stands lost in the trees at the edge of a scattered hamlet in the coastal countryside of central Wales, where the lane running past is a quiet back road that’s barely used. This is a deeper level of rural isolation, where the loudest sound is often the nearby river rather than passing cars. When the weather is fine, stroll down through the woods to the beach or sit out in the tumbling garden. When it turns, which it probably will, this being Wales, light the wood burner and settle in under the beams, up in the reading nook in the loft space. A few miles down the road at Llangrannog, you can find good fish & chips or pub food at the Pentre Arms, though the appeal of this remote, isolated holiday cottage lies in simply turning up, closing the door and leaving the world behind.

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Unwind on a beach all to yourself in Scotland

Saltwater Chronicles looks as if it could have washed up into its current position from the sea. The winding road down to it can be an adventure, but the reward is well worth it. Here, remoteness means scale. All yours on the sprawling Dunskey Estate are two waterfalls, two lochs and three beaches, giving guests remarkable freedom to roam without crowds. Walks along the coastline are sublime, taking you through patches of rhododendrons that surround the lochs, or down a glen, past a waterfall and brook to the beaches from which dolphins and seals are often spotted. For a truly wild experience, wait until the tide is out and wade to the rocks to harvest pepperdulse seaweed, which tastes like oceanic truffles! Few UK stays offer this level of privacy combined with dramatic coastal scenery, making it ideal for travellers seeking a fully immersive remote coastal escape.

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Revel in the wild beauty of Northumberland

Northumberland is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s best destinations for remote holidays and The Old Barn’s isolated location puts you right at the heart of the national park that makes up most of its centre. Despite the name, the style inside is a pared-back, lightly modernised version of country charm. There’s a four-poster in the bedroom, a wood burner in the lounge and minimalist sophistication throughout, except in the welcome hamper, which is maximalist at its very welcome finest. There’s an enormous amount to do nearby, from Alnwick’s famous Barter Books to Holy Island and the beaches of the east coast, but walking from the door and stargazing in the Dark Sky reserve at night, maybe even throwing in a trip to Kielder Observatory, might be more than enough. This is remoteness defined not by hardship, but by quiet abundance.

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Get lost in the Scottish hills

The Woodshed is an amazingly peaceful spot in a place you might not think to look. The Pentland Hills Regional Park, just south of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s lesser-known beauty spots and The Woodshed sits down a track on a sloping hillside in the south east corner. It’s got the simplicity of a cabin to its design – pale brushed wood and a subtle muted colour palette – which gives it a frontier feel, augmented by the woodburner’s crackle and glow. The surrounding hills are ideal for hiking and wildlife spotting, with walks right from the door, making this an excellent choice for travellers seeking a remote Scottish escape that still feels accessible. Outside you’ll find a hot tub from which you can look down over the valley as you soak. It might slightly break with cabin tradition, but makes a wonderful end to a day of fresh air and stunning scenery.

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