The Barn

Larger groups and families will find The Barn works well for holidays where everyone wants space to spread out. It's a converted hay barn on a working sheep farm within the North York Moors National Park, where mountain biking, walking and Go Ape are all nearby. The whole property is yours alone, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms spread across two floors—enough that different parts of the group can have genuine privacy.

Four bedrooms have king or super-king beds with their own ensuites; upstairs, a fifth bedroom with a super-king overlooks a galleried study. The ground floor holds a large living room with a woodburner, a separate kitchen and dining space, and French doors opening onto an enclosed, split-level garden with a courtyard and BBQ. Essentials like heating, electricity, bed linen and towels are included; the kitchen is properly equipped for cooking. One well-behaved dog stays free, and there's even a dedicated shower room for rinsing them off after muddy walks. You can arrange stabling for horses at cost. Parking covers three cars with room for more by arrangement.

The setting suits people who want to be in genuine countryside rather than a village. Note that fireworks aren't permitted because of the farm animals nearby.