Dog friendly holiday cottage, sleeps 2 - Bream, Gloucestershire

Completely picturesque, this charming cottage is a romantic bolthole for two in a Forest of Dean village. Bream is just 5 miles from the England-Wales border, ideal for those eager to explore both English and Welsh countryside on a memory-making getaway. The couple's cottage dates as far back as 1475, a fact that's evident in the characterful stonework and original beams maintained throughout its two floors.

Get cosy by the wood burner or sun yourselves in the garden, weather-dependent, always planning for fun-filled days in the forest itself, in the Wye Valley (2.5 miles) or along the River Severn (5 miles) throughout your stay. Pass through the delightful garden with a bistro set before crossing the threshold into the cottage's lovely lounge. Here you'll find cushy seating, a wood burner and a TV/DVD, a space made for curling up with a good book or a favourite film on.

Meals can be prepared in the adjacent kitchen, just two steps up, and the dining table for two can be found back in the lounge. For a unique summer mealtime, you're also welcome to rent the BBQ hut just opposite the property. Heading back inside, a double bedroom with a fully fitted bathroom can be found on the first floor, complete with handsome oak furniture and fresh linens.

Snaking along the country's borders, the Offa's Dyke Path (5 miles) offers an exceptional route for hiking the Wye Valley countryside and ticking off attractions in both England and Wales. Along the way visit Monmouth (9.5 miles), a vibrant town with a castle, a local theatre and a small selection of local businesses. Further away yet still accessible in the car, Abergavenny (25 miles) is a vibrant town that borders the world-famous Brecon Beacons National Park, an area filled with unmissable rural Wales beauty.