Set loose your inner castaway on your very own island with enthralling views and much wildlife a short boat ride from Skye

Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

A light and bright converted milking parlour in a rural idyll with a barbecue hut, a spa overlooked by horses and a shared hot tub

Come for big, peaceful bedrooms with views, delicious home cooked breakfasts and riverside strolls through ancient beech woodland

This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

Come to be cosseted in this gloriously peaceful retreat among beautiful gardens with much old-fashioned charm and excellent food

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

Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

A 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse in a very sheltered spot facing south and with a pretty garden surrounded by fields and meadows

One of five cottages on the Wern Estate, all comfort and charm, with a garden for kids, rockpools at Black Rock Sands and a mountain railway

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

Historic and impeccably presented apartment in charming Stockbridge, a stroll from shops, restaurants and Botanic Gardens

Families can unwind at this lovely old higgledy-piggledy farmhouse in typical southern Algarve style, with a big pool and lush greenery

Remote wartime research station turned stylish retreat with knockout views, wild walks and a front-row seat to the weather

Two peaceful olive grove farmhouses, a shared pool with incredible views, hours of hiking along beautiful trails, Pisa and Lucca nearby