Set off on blissful walks, trek home to crumpets and tea. There’s no better place to escape the 21st century than rural Devon

Walk, ride, bike or canoe, climb a mountain, head for Hay, then return to a comfortable bar, warm bedrooms and delicious food

Provençal charm floats through the ground floor of this 18th-century home in a vineyard near Lorgues. Walk, cycle, swim in the pool, enjoy the peace

A glorious spot in the Wolds for a big family get-together in style, with your very own indoor heated pool, sauna, games and hot tub

Tranquil apartment in an art nouveau building near the historic centre, with congenial hosts, spa-like bathrooms and breakfast in your room

An elegant one-bedroom apartment with lovely medieval church views, set within a stunning Georgian property in the Wye Valley AONB

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

Down by the shore of Clew Bay, enjoy peace, space and modern comforts (kitchens are excellent) and discover this magical watery world

Sumptuous bedrooms and a cheering big fireplace above these old stables on the Egton Estate, great for walks and wildlife, a hop from Whitby

Beautiful, fresh townhouse with spoiling touches just outside the city walls of Canterbury. Whitstable close by, eateries a walk away

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

Come for much comfort in both buildings which face each other across the garden, plus a pool, lake, yoga and fitness studios

A majestic renovation of a Victorian 'model' farm with underfloor heating, open plan design, light bright lines and not a whiff of IKEA

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

A warm retreat in a charming Sussex backwater, with a changing menu of fabulous food, and well-furbished bedrooms upstairs

Winter fires, a summer pool, and gorgeous food all year round... Live slow in the hills of "the new Tuscany": the peaceful, pastoral Marche