Have you ever experienced a genuine country cottage holiday? They are the best way of exploring a part of Britain that is new to you. Stay in a hamlet or village and you obtain a true impression of local life as you encounter residents during walks and trips to visitor attractions.

The British countryside is stunning and there is huge array of rural holiday homes to choose from. Where would you find tempting, beside a river, near woodlands, on a farm, in a national park or beside a Scottish loch?

Click to view country holiday cottages in the UK

Everyone can find their dream rural holiday home in the British Isles, there are lots of  cottages that sleep 2, family holiday cottages, farmhouses and thatched cottages, windmills, watermills and even boats to rent for a holiday on a canal or river. Decide on a British rural location, book a comfortable place to stay and look forward to an idyllic week or two in the country. And some good news is that it is also possible to take your dogs with you to a pet-friendly cottage in the country.

Explore rural holiday destinations in Great Britain

Take time to explore the different parts of Britain because they vary a great deal. The south east is most densely populated and yet there are absolutely fabulous stretches of farmland and woodland all within a day trip of London. East Anglia lies north east of London and includes the low-lying counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The picturesque scene of a former watermill shown below is beside a river in an Essex village. There aren’t many hills in these counties but they have a graceful beauty of their own, rich farmlands, a coastline with plentiful opportunities for sailing and amazing historic villages. Find out more about renting a holiday cottage in East Anglia.

We must not forget about  Britain's National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The British are fond and protective of these areas of wilderness and countryside. These are where nature and people dwell in harmony and people can enjoy the freedom of the countryside. They arre also popular staycation destinations.

A holiday in the British countryside brims with opportunity. It is not all about the scenery, wild flowers and wildlife, although walkers, naturalists and photographers may have a different opinion.  The physical characteristics of each are lend themselves to outdoor activities. Surfing is popular in the seaside towns of the South West of England, canoeing in the Wye Valley, cycling in the Midlands and on traffic free paths, hang gliding off the crags in Derbyshire, pot-holing in Yorkshire, white water rafting in Scotland and fishing in umpteen locations.

If you would like to enjoy a particular outdoor activity in Britain, there will be holiday accommodation to rent for your stay nearby. There are not only independent holiday cottages but also holiday parks with a large number of lodges and big houses that can accommodate self-catering groups.

Come for a rural cottage holiday

The duration of your rural break really depends on your holiday allotment and the availability of the property. Weekend breaks are popular in that they tend to maximise holiday entitlement and many more holidays are possible with a three night stay. Find the best places in England for a rural retreat and for even more seclusion, head for Scotland and the islands.