Barningham Estate- 3 The Reading Room Cottages

Barningham village sits between Richmond and Barnard Castle in a conservation area that was named Durham Rural Community Council's Best Small Village in 2010. The village has a green, a church, a bakery and a shop, plus a pub next door to the cottages serving locally sourced food. The Reading Room Cottages take their name from their original use as a place where villagers gathered to read the daily newspaper delivered to Barningham Park.

The cottage sleeps four across two bedrooms—a king on the first floor and two singles upstairs. Downstairs there's a living room with a 32-inch smart TV and a separate kitchen-dining room with an electric oven and hob, microwave, dishwasher and washer-dryer. The bathroom has a bath with shower over. Heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and wi-fi are included, and one dog stays free. You have private parking for one car, with additional free spaces available on site. No smoking inside.

This part of County Durham works well for walking, cycling, birdwatching and exploring the Yorkshire Dales. The cottage is set among the grounds of the historic estate, shared with other properties but entirely your own inside.