Pretty villages in England to add to your bucket list
From Cornwall to the Lake District via the Cotswolds
There's nothing better than meandering around a pretty village, with it's quaint stone cottages, homemade cake shops and cobbled streets.
Whether you're after a romantic weekend for two or want to bring together all your closest friends under one roof, we are a big fan of the staycation.
No stressful international travel involved, no airport queues or packing woes, instead you get to sit back, relax, and soak in the beauty of your surroundings in just a few hours.
Whether you're into browsing antique markets, strolling down to the beach, or if hiking the surrounding countryside, each of these little gems makes for a perfect escape from the city.
When can we go?
Clovelly, Devon
Wind back the clock in Clovelly, Devon, where cars are banned from the quaint cobbled high street that winds its way down the steep hillside to the ancient harbour. Park at the top of the hill before making a leisurely descent through the traditional whitewashed cottages draped with vibrant fuchsias and geraniums, making sure to sample the array of charming cafes and souvenir shops along the way.
Where to grab a drink: The Cottage Tea Rooms (High Street; 01237 431781). Bask in the (hopefully) sunny courtyard overlooking the bay with a cool drink or fresh pot of tea.
Where to stop for lunch: New Inn Hamlyn (High Street; 01237 431303). Traditional English fare, using fresh local produce – comforting home cooking at its best.
Where to stay: The Big House Devon – Brimming with retro-cool vibes, The Big House in nearby Ilfracombe boasts a huge kitchen complete with an Aga, a private garden, stunning original features and quirky, personal touches throughout. Fresh baked scones, anyone?
Abbotsbury, Dorset
Nature-lovers need look no further than Abbotsbury for a flora and fauna fix. Thatched roofs and stone cottages are flanked by a myriad of natural wonders, including an eight-mile long lagoon, known as the Fleet, that’s home to rare coastal invertebrates and seabirds.
The impressive Abbotsbury swannery is the only place in the world where you can walk among breeding, nesting and hatching swans – a wonderful opportunity for bird enthusiasts. When you’ve grown tired of their squawking, there’s a 20-acre garden to explore at the Subtropical Gardens, teeming with exotic plants first introduced to this country by descendants of the Countess of Ilchester in 1765.
Where to grab a drink: Ilchester Arms, (9 Market Street; 01305 871243) - a 17th-century coaching inn with fine views of local countryside and coast.
Where to stop for lunch: The Old School House Tea Rooms and Tea Garden (1 Back Street; 01305 871808) – 1930/40s-inspired tea rooms offering light lunches, cream teas and tempting home-baked cakes.
Where to stay: The Bull Hotel – An old Regency coaching inn packed with roll-top baths, feature beds and signature wallpaper, with a notable restaurant championing local Dorset produce. It's also ideally located for a stroll east along Chesil Beach or pottering around Bridport market of a Saturday.
Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Tucked away in a Cotswolds valley enveloped by thick woodland lies Castle Combe, one of the most beautiful and authentic villages we've come across. Dating back hundreds of years (look out for the 15th-century clock which used to ring the hours) this is the village that time forgot – the perfect place to escape the stresses of modern life for a few days.
Where to grab a drink: The Salutation Inn (The Gibb; 01249 783014). A tythe barn once upon a time, the spacious bar area is still full of original features. Expect a friendly and informal vibe.
Where to stop for lunch: Bybrook Restaurant, Manor House Hotel (Castle Combe, Nr. Bath; 01249 782206). Best for a special occasion, expect a seasonal menu and professional service.
Where to stay: The Lamb at Hindon – Inglenook fireplaces, flagstone floors and heavy wooden beams characterise this quaint former coaching inn. Visitors return time and again for hearty breakfasts, rustic dinners and the rather lengthy whisky list.
Painswick, Cotswolds
You can’t do the Cotswolds and not err a little on the chocolate box-y side. And sure enough, Painswick (like Bibury, which William Morris called the ‘most beautiful village in England’, Chipping Campden and Bourton-on-the-Water), looks precisely the sort of place that tends to pop up on Christmas cards and cake tins.
We’ve chosen it in our pick of pretty English villages, though, not just for its streets and houses (lovely though they are), but because of its churchyard with its famous 99 yew trees, for the nearby Rococo Gardens, and for the great autumn walks to be had out along the Cotswold Way footpath and up into the Cotswold Hills.
Where to grab a drink: The Royal Oak (Saint Mary’s Street; 01452 813 129) – a classic 16th-century pub of warm Cotswold stone and a wood-panelled snug that’s perfect for whiling away a rainy afternoon.
Where to stop for lunch: A straight choice between decent pub grub at The Royal Oak (above) and the hipper, haute-r offerings at Cotswolds88 (below).
Where to stay: Cotswolds88 – a handful of wildly stylish rooms in a grand Palladian mansion.
Mousehole, Cornwall
In fairness it could have been any one of half a dozen… And while it’s perhaps not quite as wildly picturesque as Polperro, Megavissey or tiny, remote-feeling Sennen, Mousehole gets the nod from us because its stone cottages are almost perfectly contained within its pretty horseshoe of a harbour. Oh, and because it’s home to the extraordinarily cute Gylly Cottage (see below).
Where to grab a drink: The Ship Inn (South Cliff; 01736 731234) – a great place to hole yourself up in if/when a storm rolls in from sea.
Where to stop for lunch: 2 Fore Street (01736 731164) – fabulously fresh seafood (prepared by a Raymond Blanc-trained chef) and a harbour-side location.
Where to stay: Gylly Cottage – a cosy but contemporary holiday cottage. The perfect place for a long, romantic weekend away.
Rye, Sussex
From its bright white windmill (the first thing you see as you approach the town) to the cobbled streets that spill out around its charming churchyard and down the hill to the marshes, Rye is prettiness personified.
Aside from photo opportunities, antique shops are the town’s other stock in trade, and in Glass Etc, H G Gasson and Hunter Jones Vintage Home (and countless others), there are hours of happy browsing to be had if the weather turns ugly.
Where to grab a drink: In summer, the Ypres Castle Inn (Gungarden; 01797 223 248) for its lovely gardens; in winter, The Mermaid Inn (Mermaid Street; 01797 223065) for an open fire in a lovely 600-year-old inn.
Where to stop for lunch: The Globe Inn (10 Military Road; 01797 227918), or failing that, make for the The George (below) for mouth-watering Romney Marsh lamb.
Where to stay: The George in Rye – owned by Katie Clarke, Red favourite The George in Rye blends stylish rooms, an authentic inn-vibe downstairs and an excellent restaurant for the perfect weekend away package.
Clare, Suffolk
With its Augustinian abbey, the motte of a medieval castle, its 100-plus listed buildings – amongst them the elaborately pargoted, Grade I-listed ‘Ancient House’ (now a museum) in Church Street – and a location on the banks of the River Stour, Clare in South Suffolk is certainly easy on the eye.
But, recently voted Suffolk Village of the Year, and with a busy community and something of the feel of the working (wool) town it once was, it hasn’t become either overly gentrified or merely ornamental for the benefit of the tourist trade.
Where to grab a drink and a bite of lunch: The Cock Inn at Clare (Callis Street; 01787 277391) – a 17th-century, Grade II-listed local pub.
Where to stay: There aren’t a huge number of hotels in Clare (or indeed nearby), but just over 30 minutes’ drive away, The Swan at Lavenham and Tuddenham Mill (the same distance) are a couple of excellent bets.
Hawkshead, Lake District
Rather like eating seafood, a visit to the Lake District is generally best avoided unless there’s an ‘r’ in the month. Autumn and winter are the ideal times to visit the lovely village of Hawkshead in Ambleside, when the coach trips have largely slowed to a trickle and the narrow streets of higgledy-piggledy whitewashed houses, overhanging gables and covered archways are quieter.
It’s the setting, though – and the views from the churchyard out to Esthwaite Water, Latterbarrow, Claife Heights and the Langdales – that really wow.
Where to grab a drink: The Swan Inn (Main Street; 01539 436236) – an atmospheric old pub of roaring fires and a location in the heart of the village.
Where to stop for lunch: The Drunken Duck (Barngates, Ambleside; 01539 436347) – a five minute drive from Hawkshead, it’s worth it for the low ceilings, cosy atmosphere, excellent views and decent gastro pub food.
Where to stay: Randy Pike – two rooms and a very warm welcome from owners Andy and Chrissy await at this fabulously located boutique B&B.
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