Meadow Keeper’s Cottage, near Rye, East Sussex
Set on a 40-acre farm, between two wildflower meadows, this idyllic little holiday home is the perfect base for a taste of country life – children can become junior farmers, helping out at animal feeding time.
The “cottage” itself looks like it’s been lifted straight from a children’s storybook and put on wheels. Hand-made by a local craftsman, it’s as cute as can be with flowers in boxes under blue-framed windows, a wooden door and wood-burner indoors to keep you toasty.
Not one for a large family or older kids but perfect for young ones, with a double bed and two singles that double up as benches, a fold-away dining table between them and indoor cooking area. The loo and (wood-fired) shower are outside.
The wide stretches of beach at Camber Sands are only nine miles away and Bodiam castle, which also looks like it’s been lifted from a fairytale with its crenellated towers and drawbridge.
• £660 for six nights from 10-16 February (sleeps four),
Walking in the Lake District
If you’ve got kids who need to burn off energy every day, how about a dedicated walking holiday? This group trip features a choice of three child-friendly walks a day ranging from an easy option at six miles to a full 13-mile hike. In the evenings, activities are geared towards children; there’s also a games room.
The four-day trip, departing 13 February, costs £279 per adult (saving £50), with children (aged 11 to 17 and sharing with an adult) paying £194 each (under-11s go free), including full-board at the company’s Derwent Bank Country House on the shores of Derwentwater through HF Holidays.
A cottage in Wales
Wayside, Near Dolgellau, Snowdonia
Sheepskin, which specialises in luxury homes – the majority of which are in Wales, is offering 10% off its larger properties this half-term, including Wayside, near Dolgellau in Snowdonia, a charming cottage with an open-plan living area and cosy sofas around a wood-burning stove, looking out over a valley of fields and forests. It sleeps six and costs £1,328 for the half-term holiday (including the 10% discount), arriving on 10 February.
Alternatively, Bantwen, a traditional cottage in Carmarthenshire, is on offer through Under the Thatch; it sleeps six and costs just £224 for four nights starting 13 February.
