A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

Paradise for adventurers in Scotland’s wild Torridon Hills - loch views and luxury touches surrounded by water, woodland and wildlife...

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

You have your own entrance to a private wing with a garden and an elegant sitting room. Bedrooms are beautiful and breakfast scrumptious

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

Beautiful light-filled eco-homes in Loch Lomond National Park – Scotland’s treasures are easily reached from here

A scrupulously renovated dog-friendly gate lodge with garden and outdoor dining area, a five-minute drive from Mount Congreve Gardens

A beautiful old mill straddling the river Wensum, now a peaceful inn with tasty local and seasonal food, a lovely garden and comfy rooms

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

Feel like a film star in this fun, 50s-inspired former chapel with its own record collection; walk to the coast path or the friendly local

Come to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

A privately-owned cottage, full of interesting things, on tranquil farmland within the NT Stackpole Estate a 20-minute walk to the coast

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

Spacious house with a big garden, a swimming pool and all home comforts; the beach and good restaurants are less than 10 minutes away

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

Gather family or friends and take both villa and cottage. The terraces and gardens have long views, the pool is roomy and the peace palpable

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

A comfortable and characterful 1775 gatekeeper's lodge on the Mount Congreve Estate with access to the magnificent gardens