Grid view List view

Showing all 10 results

Nythfa House Brecon Beacons

Brecon Beacons: Nythfa House

Not many places in the UK outshine Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park when it comes to wide open spaces and walks with incredible views. So it’s easy to see the appeal of Nythfa House.

With its name meaning ‘nesting place’ in Welsh, once you settle in you’ll never want to leave. Built in 1867 as a private residence, this charming property is perfect for those seeking a rural retreat, yet one which is just a 10-minute walk from the Welsh market town of Brecon. It sits on a hill above The Struet, one of Brecon’s oldest and most historic streets, famed for its Charles I connections who visited the town during the English Civil War.

+
Chy Morvah St Ives Cornwall

Cornwall: Chy Morvah, St Ives

This beautiful property is just steps from the centre of St Ives – the seaside town that has inspired generations of artists with its working harbour, proud fishing community, white-sand beaches, and stunning Cornish landscape. 

Enjoying an elevated position with sweeping views over St Ives Bay, Chy Morvah means ‘house by the sea’ in Cornish and you’ll find four great beaches nearby – Porthmeor, Porthminster, Harbour, and Porthgwidden – plus plenty of walking routes along the Penwith peninsula.

+
HF Holidays Country Houses

Country House Escapes

HF Holidays own and manage 16 country houses across the UK, each located in some of our best-loved national parks and National Landscapes. So whether you love coast, countryside, or a little bit of both, we’ve got cosy Victorian manors, elegant Georgian mansions, converted granaries, restored farmhouses, lakeside hideaways, and much more. And with full-board dining included, everything is taken care of.

+
Freshwater Bay House Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight: Freshwater Bay House

Chalky white cliffs and eyebrow-arching sea views set the tone for the delights that follow at this county house on the Isle of Wight – Queen Victoria’s favourite island that’s just a ferry hop from the South Coast. The location is as gorgeous as it gets; to the south of the village of Freshwater, within pebble-throwing distance of its namesake bay, and just a skip from Tennyson Down.

You’ll also be within easy reach of the area’s showstoppers, including the imposing Stag and Mermaid rocks, the multi-coloured sands of Alum Bay, the remarkable Ventnor Botanic Gardens, and the 125-million-year-old dinosaur footprints at Compton Bay. And then, of course, there’s the Needles Old Battery for the ubiquitous photo opportunity and the best views of The Needles.

+
Derwent Bank Keswick Lake District

Lake District: Derwent Bank, Keswick

Adored by poets, painters, and literary giants for centuries, the Lake District has always had an irresistible pull. It’s no surprise, then, that this country house near the market town of Keswick holds such appeal, not least for its setting in lovely grounds that slope down to the shores of Derwentwater.

The location couldn’t be more perfect; to the west is Cat Bells, to the east is Keswick, Walla Crag, and Latrigg, and to the south is the entrance to the Borrowdale valley. There’s a wealth of big-name attractions within easy travelling distance, including Blencathra, Helvellyn, and Ullswater.

Also visit-worthy for walkers is Scafell Pike for its well-trodden routes and trails and the 73-mile-long Cumbria Way for its mist-shrouded peaks, glacial valleys, and many excuses for pit-stops and picnics.

+
Peveril of the Peak Peak District

Peak District: Peveril of the Peak

Named after Sir Walter Scott’s Peak District-set novel, this characterful country house is less than a mile from the famous Dovedale Stepping Stones and on the doorstep of Thorpe Cloud – a cone-shaped limestone hill that offers impressive views over the rolling green landscape that forms the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border. Both are easily accessible from the rear of the property. 

There are plenty of big-name walking destinations nearby including the Roaches, the impressive Stanage Edge, and the Twelve Apostles – a group of rock spires best viewed from the limestone promontory known as Lover’s Leap. 

+
Alltshellach Glencoe Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands: Alltshellach, Glencoe

For a combination of mountain views, olde-worlde charm, and somewhere comfortable to sleep, this stately Scottish house in North Ballachulish has an enviable setting right on the shores of Loch Leven.

The walking opportunities here are as every bit rugged and romantic as you’d expect, especially around Glen Coe, the Mamores, Kinlochleven, Bidean nam Bian, and Ben Nevis – the 1,345-metre-high peak towering above glistening lochans and glacial valleys in the north-west Highlands. You can also spend time in Fort William and ride the Hogwarts-esque Jacobite steam train as it makes its way through beauty spots such as Loch Eil, Glenfinnan, and Arisaig to the fishing port of Mallaig.

+
Longmynd Hotel Shropshire Hills

Shropshire Hills: Longmynd Hotel

For rural calm in the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, the location of this characterful country house is hard to top. Set in a wooded hillside just a short stroll from the market town of Church Stretton (nicknamed Little Switzerland for its picturesque landscape), you’ll be within walking or driving distance of the Stiperstones, Caer Caradoc, Ironbridge Valley of Invention, and the historic towns of Ludlow and Shrewsbury.

And then, of course, there’s the Long Mynd itself – an area of registered common land that has been cared for by a group of farmers (the self-named commoners) who have grazed sheep and ponies here for generations.

+
HF Holidays Special Interests

Special interest holidays

Whether it’s art, music, yoga, Pilates, cooking, reading, or bridge that appeals, our fabulous range of special interest holidays will get you learning a new skill – or improving on one.

On our special interest holidays and activity breaks in the UK, you’ll stay on a full board basis at one of our characterful country houses. We’ve got cosy Victorian manors, elegant Georgian mansions, converted granaries and farmhouses, lakeside hideaways, and more – all of which are located in some of Britain’s best-loved national parks and National Landscapes.

Led by expert tutors, you’re assured teaching and guidance as well as ample time to practise and improve your technique. These breaks are not only a great way to meet like-minded people but can also help ignite lifelong passions for new hobbies and interests.

+
Newfield Hall Malham Yorkshire Dales

Yorkshire Dales: Newfield Hall, Malham

Looking every inch the baronial mansion, Newfield Hall sits in two acres of grounds near the village of Malham at the southern base of Yorkshire Dales National Park. Given it was this very landscape which inspired Wordsworth to write a sonnet and Charles Kingsley to pen The Water Babies, the countryside views are as gorgeous as you’d imagine. 

You’ll also have plenty of sightseeing greats within easy travelling distance, most notably Malham Tarn, Janet’s Foss, Gordale Scar, Malham Cove, and The Dry Valley of the Watlowes. And then, of course, there’s Yorkshire’s famous trio of summits: Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough, collectively known as the three peaks.

+