Pippa tells you where to find wild flowers, babbling brooks and butterflies... and hike, bike and swim. Magic for families

Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

Spacious rooms with lovely linen, plus top-notch food in a wonderful setting, this is the best A303 stopover for miles

Come for a big gathering of friends or family and take the whole house plus an extra cottage in the pretty gardens – swim in the pool, relax

Victorian country house for 8-15 with gardens overlooking the Howgill Fells for happy reunions with family and friends

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

Manor house in the grounds of a quintessential 18th-century French château with pretty gardens and lots of space just 3kms from Bayeux

Tea in the summerhouse, breakfast by the fire, fresh flowers all around this warm family home. Step out to historic Shrewsbury high street

Wrapped in fields and woods, this big traditional house has crisply furnished interiors and plenty of gadgets. Terraced gardens and pool too

Serene retreat in the French countryside with elegant interiors and impeccable hosting from the lovely Anne-Laure

You are treated like nobility in this gorgeous Manoir, enveloped by the towering cliffs and Aurélia and Julien's generous hospitality

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

It's quiet among the lavender plants... bees humming, sun shining. Splash in the shared pool, visit lovely villages, taste local wines

An 18th-century cottage for four on a working sheep farm: walk the Pentland Hills, get the bus to Edinburgh for culture

Three simple, traditional apartments in an ancient convent building with a beautiful botanical garden in the heart of the historic centre

Lose yourselves in this picturesque castle, magical with its luxurious rooms and timeless atmosphere. Count and Countess are brilliant hosts

Come to unwind in nature, surrounded by sun-drenched fields in this large, rustic but elegant villa with courtyard, garden and pool

A stately retreat, an oasis of calm and beauty. Picnic on the lawns, enjoy a glass of home-produced prosecco beneath a centuries-old tree