Rural, Nature and Countryside Holidays in the UK

Searching for a country holiday?  If you love holidaying next to fields, farmlands or rural scenery you will want to book a country holiday, choose from the selection of rural retreats and country cottages on Country Cottages Online.

 

What Type of Rural Holiday Best Suits you?

Choices when it comes to rural, nature and country breaks include:

•    Barn Conversions

•    Country Cottages

•    Cottages in or near Nature Reserves

•    Farm Stays

•    National Park and AONB Holiday Homes

•    Remote Cottages

•    Rural Retreats

•    Secluded Cottages

•    Woodland Retreats

 

From stays in barn conversions, farms, AONBs or National Parks, find the perfect country holiday escape for you.

 

Barn Conversions

With exposed wooden beams and rural charm galore, it’s easy to see why barn conversions are so popular for rural breaks.  Whether a converted stable, a pig-stye or a grain store, barn conversions are often found on farms or ex-farms, and as such offer a chance to escape to the country or edge of village locations.
 

Barn Conversions to Rent

 

 

 

 

Farmstay Holidays 

When it comes to country holidays, few choices compare to farmstay breaks where you can rent a holiday cottage or a barn conversion on one of the UK’s farms.  Some rural retreats are on arable farms where only crops are grown whereas others are on working farms where there may be animals like pigs, cows, sheep and hens.  At most farms you can enjoy lovely country views, a more relaxed pace of life as well as peace and tranquillity.
 

Farmstay Holiday Cottages

Rural Retreats 

Do you like the idea of hiding away in a tranquil rural retreat on holiday?  Rural retreats can be an ideal choice for those who want to escape, get away from it all, relax and unwind in peace and quiet.  Often found on farms or nestled in the countryside, Britain’s rural retreats can be ideal for escaping for a while.
 

Search Rural Retreats

Secluded Holiday Cottages 

Do you want to book a stay in a hideaway where you can escape for a while?  The UK is home to some idyllic and serene areas where you can escape and hide away for a while.  Book a secluded retreat and hide away next to meadows and countryside, or a break by a lake or riverbank.  Unplug, relax and unwind on a secluded cottage holiday.

Secluded Retreats

Woodland Retreats and Forest Lodges 

Are you dreaming of holidaying in a forest of wooded area in the UK?  Maybe in a cabin, a chalet, a yurt or even a treehouse?  From the Scottish Highlands, to the New Forest and Snowdonia in Wales, the UK is home to many scenic wooded and forest areas.  Experience tranquility and solitude, escape, relax and unwind at a forest lodge or woodland retreat rental in the UK.

Woodland Retreats

 

 

Another popular option when it comes to escapes to the country are holidays with horses where you can book a holiday cottage with stabling facilities and take your horse on a break away too (ideal for those who love to ride on holiday).

From stays on farms to holidays in AONBs, National Landscapes and National Parks, discover what the UK offers for rural and countryside holidays with inspiration from Country Cottages Online.

Britain offers visitors miles and miles of unspoilt countryside, woodlands, coastline, moors and hills. With greenery aplenty along with a rich history and some beautiful market towns and villages, the UK is indeed a green and pleasant land. This naturally beautiful landscape means that the UK has lots to offer when it comes to rural, nature and countryside holidays.

 

Why Book a Rural or Countryside Break?

Although some people are ‘townies’ through and through, others love to escape to the countryside for a short break or a longer stay.  For many, the greenery of rural areas, and the sounds of nature are comforting and calming.  Whether it’s a case of relaxing by fields, farmlands, meadows, forests or woodlands on a holiday, nature has a charm and power of its own.

There is a lot of pleasure to be gained by being immersed in peaceful unspoiled areas in the fresh air, and experiencing a slower pace of life too.  The countryside can be wonderful also for enjoying outdoor pursuits like walking, cycling, horse riding or fishing, and for feeling more at one with nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the town or city.

 

 

Discover Quaint Villages Dotted Throughout Britain’s Countryside

Rural villages hold much interest to visitors exploring the countryside. In certain counties such as Suffolk, there are over 1,000 historic churches and churches were always at the centre of village life. 

The small village of Eyam in Derbyshire has a brave and tragic history from the times of the plague. There are villages all over the UK and Scotland that have their own amazing tales to tell, of smugglers, criminals, noblemen, peasants, intrigue and revolt. Delve a little deeper past the cows grazing in the fields and you may discover that the countryside is actually just as interesting as the city.

 

Discover Nature on Holiday in Britain

Each part of the UK has its own natural wonders to discover on a country holiday.  Perhaps you want to holiday in a National Park in England such as the Lake District or Peak District where you can spend time next to lakes and water, walking, hiking or boating.  Or maybe you’d like to escape to Scotland and discover the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands with its forests and glens.  In Wales, the stunning mountain scenery in Snowdonia National Park is renowned and the Pembrokeshire coast is also known for its rugged beauty.  Ireland too has its own national parks and natural beauty.

Getting the chance to see and spot wildlife too is one of the major benefits of holidaying in the countryside.  You may be lucky enough to see foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels or deer.  Book a stay on a working farm where you have the opportunity to meet the chickens and collect freshly laid eggs for breakfast, or stroke the horses.

 

Explore the Countryside with your Pooch in tow

Lots of people like to enjoy a rural holiday with dogs where you can enjoy discovering trails together, but for those travelling without pets, pet-free cottages are also available.

 

Enjoy the Best of the Season on a Rural Break

The beauty of holidaying in the countryside is that each season has its own appeal.  Visit in Spring as flowers start to bloom and carpets of bluebells appear in some wooded areas.
 
Or choose summer for long balmy summer days and longer evenings where you can enjoy BBQs and watching the sunset over fields and farmlands.

Winter too can be just wonderful, where you can enjoy a roaring log fires at a cosy cottage when the weather is cooler, and maybe gaze upon a winter wonderland where the fields and farmlands are frosted over or covered in snow.

 

Find the Perfect Rural or Countryside Holiday in Britain for you

There are so many options when it comes to rural, countryside and nature breaks in the UK.  Maybe you like the idea of renting a shepherd’s hut on a farm?  Or glamping next to fields and farmlands?  Other popular options when it comes to charming and beautiful country cottages include former farm cottages, farmhouses and stunning barn conversions.  Rural can sometimes mean rustic, but luxury rural holiday homes are very much available nowadays too.

However, the accommodation is only part of the holiday, it also helps to appreciate the countryside and possible outdoor activities around it.  You may be searching for a romantic getaway, a family holiday, a wellness retreat, a digital detox or a pet-friendly stay.

Whatever type of rural or countryside accommodation you opt to rent, we hope you find the perfect rental for you on Country Cottages Online.