Get away from it all in the heart of Northumberland National Park, with walks leaving from your door and incredible dark skies at night

Independence at one end of the house with your own sitting room opening onto a courtyard garden. Good pub for food a few minutes' walk away

There's a lovely relaxed feel to this rather grand house, garden, ponds and orangery. Ashley and Amanda are easy-going hosts

Wonky floors and handmade beds in a restored coaching inn for 4, 6 or 8 - sociable evenings round the farmhouse table, walks from the door

Weaving medieval magic, this dreamy hideaway is an ideal base for nature-loving gourmands to explore the region

A light, spacious house sitting on a nature reserve for very comfortable stays and magnificent birdwatching, walking, cycling, riding

In four acres of garden and woodland (a child’s dream) a house and interlinking barn for 10 guests. Secluded but close to everything

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

Come for peace, art, photography and go out for delicious food near Galicia’s ‘seafood coast’. One of Spain’s undiscovered gems

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

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

A lovely villa with masses of space, filled with modern art and near to walking trails, beaches, shops and restaurants

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

The nicest owners, the most magical place with wild land to roam. Two barns share a pretty courtyard; Devon's delights are on the doorstep

Eight miles from York, near Moors and coast, this smart historic home is just the ticket for families and small groups of friends

Restored stone barn in 22 acres filled with special wildlife, on the edge of Radnor Forest, with walking trails, glorious countryside views