After trekking Offa's Dyke, return to a cosy wood-burner stocked with logs and a sumptuous bed - you'll love this country retreat for two

A family-run, environmentally friendly bistro with rooms near Grasmere: climb to the nearest viewing spot. Dogs welcome too

A historic Cornish farmhouse, sitting pretty in its own land at the side of a valley, with comfortable bedrooms and an independent feel

A smartly refurbished 500-year-old coaching inn with very comfortable bedrooms, good food and the Peak District at your feet

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

A spiritual, rustic retreat for nature-lovers, writers, artists. In protected woodland, well away from bustle, close to the lapping river

An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

Very private and comfortable rooms with their own entrances at this generous B&B with glorious gardens and views to the Black Mountains

Delightful almshouse, steeped in history, in a peaceful churchyard setting with far-reaching countryside views

The views are sensational, the bedrooms full of charm and higgledy-piggledy beams. Sip Perigord Noir on the terrace and amble to the market

A striking cabin, drenched in light, with views over open countryside to the Sugar Loaf in the distance

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

A fine old stone mill, the river rushing by, kingfishers, kayaking, swimming: it’s a dream place with Provence and the Cévennes at the door

For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

A contemporary country-house hotel with a lovely spa and peaceful gardens - Sandringham and the north Norfolk coast are close