Lesta Cottage

Lesta Cottage works well for small families or couples after a quieter break. The two bedrooms—a double and a single accessed through it—sleep three, and there's a travel cot and highchair on hand. One pet stays free. You have the whole place to yourself, with a living room centred on the wood burner and a compact kitchen where you can actually cook rather than just heat things up. Bed linen, towels and wifi are sorted, and initial logs for the burner come with you.

The layout makes good use of the space: ground floor holds the living and kitchen areas with their original wooden beams and solid oak flooring, while upstairs are the bedrooms and bathroom with its freestanding bath. An undercover passage between the front gate and the main cottage has hooks and shelving—useful for coats, pushchairs and muddy boots—plus a separate cubby hole housing the washing machine. Out the back is an enclosed courtyard garden with patio and furniture.

The village of Bielby is quiet, but Pocklington Lock and the Pocklington Canal Walk are a short walk away, making it handy for those who like gentle walks or cycling. The market town of Pocklington is close by, and York, Hull and the east Yorkshire coast are all reachable as day trips. No smoking inside.