A handsome house with breath-taking mountain views: perfect for summer holidays and walking in spring and autumn

A pair of historic houses with far-reaching views of the Cotswold Hills and walks from the gate

A converted coach house and stables, now one long cottage with much space, a country house feel and your own walled garden

Dorset unfurls all around you: walk the coast path, hunt for fossils, gaze at Durdle Door, explore Weymouth from this sea-facing pub

Delightful, rustic retreat for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely

A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

Hike down secret paths and along the Suffolk coast before a superb lunch or supper at this friendly inn; sweet bedrooms too

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

A beautifully-restored Georgian farmhouse at the end of a lane, with ancient pastures and orchards filled with wildflowers and streams

Tucked down a high-hedged lane on a working farm with gorgeous walks from the door and stunning views of the unspoilt Exe valley

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

Elegant house deep in the countryside with wild garden, dreamy pool, and bags of vintage charm. A promise of peace and perfect solitude

A spacious and bright old sandstone farm building with private garden, all one one level and with lovely views over fields and countryside

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

Peaceful, traditional country house just 2 miles from central Dorking. Relaxed hosts, good food, beautiful gardens, walks galore - a retreat

Rooms with rooftop and mountain views, luxurious in their simplicity, heavenly breakfasts out on the terrace, and a cultured, caring owner

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples

A surprisingly roomy interior for this pretty chocolate-box cottage in the middle of the village, just a ten-minute walk from Lulworth Cove