Whatley Lodge

Couples and small families will find Whatley Lodge works well for a break away from it all. The detached house sleeps four across two bedrooms—a kingsize and a room with zip-and-link single beds—and has one bathroom with a bath and shower. The whole property is yours alone, set down a private drive in a small valley near Winsham, with parking for two cars on site.

Downstairs, a living room and kitchen-diner both open onto an enclosed garden with patio, furniture and a barbecue; a hot tub for five sits in the private grounds. The kitchen has an electric oven and hob, dishwasher, and microwave for cooking from scratch or keeping things simple. Heating is underfloor, and there's a woodburner in both main rooms. Essentials like bed linen, towels, electricity and Wi-Fi are included. One well-behaved pet stays free of charge.

A river runs alongside the garden where deer and kingfishers appear regularly. Walking country and coastal paths are within reach, as are Forde Abbey and Gardens, the Fleet Air Arm Museum near Yeovilton, and Haynes Motor Museum. Chard Reservoir nature reserve, local farm shops, cider producers and a golf club are all close by. The property does not allow smoking.