The meadow loop
2 miles · flat
Out of the back gate, along the stream and back through the field. Lovely before breakfast or after supper in summer.
just outside
The area
Quiet lanes, a village that still has its bakery, and enough hills to earn your pudding. Here's what we'd do with a week.
the footpath starts at the
end of our lane
8 min walk
The village
10 min drive
Farm shop
20 min drive
Market town
55 min drive
Coast
Where everything is
Not to scale, and not remotely official — just the places we point every guest towards.
Walks from the door
Up to the beacon
5 miles · one proper hill
A steady climb to the ridge with the whole valley laid out below. Take a flask; take the dog.
Church to pub
3 miles · ends well
Field paths to the next village, lunch at the pub, and the lane home under the beeches.
Where to eat
The Bell
Proper pub, open fire, very good pies.
Willow Bakery
Sourdough, sausage rolls and cinnamon buns by 8am.
The Old Dairy
Coffee, cakes and a courtyard for the kids.
Hollow Farm Shop
Everything for the first night's supper.
A perfect day here
- 8amBakery runWalk into the village while it's still quiet and come back with a bag of buns.
- 10amOut the back gateThe meadow loop, or the longer climb up to the beacon if the sky is behaving.
- 1pmLunch at the pubRoast on Sundays, pies the rest of the week, and a fire if it's cold.
- 4pmFarm shop stopCheese, bread and something for the barbecue on the way home.
- 7pmLong supperEveryone in the kitchen, doors open, nobody in a hurry.
If it rains
A few cosy places to duck into when the clouds roll in.
- The little museum in town
- Swimming baths, 20 minutes
- Antiques barn and tea room
- The garden at Thornley House
- Cinema in the old corn exchange
- Board games and the log burner
ready to stay?
Fancy a week of it?
Tell us roughly when you'd like to come and we'll let you know what's free — and share our longer list of favourite walks and places to eat.