Pet friendly holiday cottage, sleeps 6 - Harbottle, Northumberland

A spacious country house set within a huge garden within a national park – what more could you ask for in a holiday home? Stay at this charming property and revel in the comforts of a true rural retreat. The house, equipped with games, books and dressing up clothes for the children, is a home away from home with its stone exterior and cosy décor.

It sleeps six (plus two dogs), so there's space for a group of extended family or friends. The house is brimming with farmhouse-style features; a stable door in the kitchen and vaulted ceilings upstairs. In the lounge, a warming wood burner sits within the original fireplace.

Outside, there's a charming wooden veranda to relax on where you can rest on a bench – grabbing a blanket for your knees if it's chilly – and study the Ordnance Survey map for the following day's walk. On the patio, equipped with a dining table and chairs, enjoy a leisurely fresh-air meal (perhaps with a few glasses of wine) on warm evenings. Before bed, why not have a long, hot soak in one of the freestanding bathtubs as a holiday indulgence?

There's a range of pretty walks to be accessed straight from the house – take a packed lunch and plenty of water, and prepare to be wowed by sweeping valleys and vast expanses of land. Harbottle is an extremely picturesque village – visit the remains of a 12th-century castle then pop in for a pint at the friendly local pub. In nearby Rothbury (9 miles), wander along the River Coquet and pop into some independent shops.

The sea at Alnmouth is a 25-mile drive away, with an award-winning coastline waiting to be explored.