An airy, well-designed hideaway for two in an ancient barn on a quiet farm. This is prime walking country with Hadrian’s Wall nearby.

One of the loveliest houses in a very lovely village. Pretty rooms have parquet floors and white walls, the food is a delight

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom

An 1820s farmhouse at the end of a quiet road in the North York Moors National Park, overlooking a forest and surrounded by fields

The farm is up its own track with wake-up Cheviot views over pine forests and fields of sheep. Luxurious bedrooms, large airy living space

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

A lovely old house, remote, peaceful. Nature lovers and birdwatchers will relish staying in one of the most biodiverse areas in Europe

An old chapel, smartly and sustainably converted, with a hot tub to soothe tired limbs after country walks through fells and dales

On the banks of the river Avon, a handy Park & Ride from Georgian Bath, this charming pub is hugely popular, and rightly so!

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

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

A small, charming house with ravishing sea views within walking distance of a bohemian coastal village at the foot of the Teix mountain

A serene restaurant-hotel on Chesil beach, with a perfect view of the big blue sea. How restorative can a hotel be?

Loved by estate-workers, visitors, well-heeled locals, and walkers, this spruced-up pub is a friendly launchpad for Chatsworth

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

An 1800s former watermill, now elegantly converted to give B&B rooms plus a self-catering cottage in the Côte d'Opale, superb for walking