Cotchford Farm

This glorious 16thC Sussex farmhouse, with its dancing swags of white wisteria, skirts of dewy lawns and blossom-scented gardens, was once the home of AA Milne. It had us at rhododendron terrace, but there are countless picnic nooks, as well as an astro tennis court and pool with a fabulous old-school diving board. Not to mention acres of ancient woodland and the adjacent Ashdown Forest to explore, the inspiration for Christopher Robin’s adventures with Winnie the Pooh. This was one of the main draws for its current owners, who are passionate about the protection of Ashdown Forest, giving 10% of their profits each year towards its conservation. You can duck into the wilderness at any time for den-building and butterfly-chasing with little ones, ears pricked for the tunes of warblers and nightjars. Or send older kids off for games of hide-and-seek that last for hours.

There are 6 double bedrooms in which to gather your tribe – be it friends or family – and history sings from every wonky eave and wooden beam. Restoring a property this sympathetically is no mean feat, but the owners have struck an admirable balance between classic and comfortably cool, choosing mossy greens and peacock-blue backgrounds to showcase stunning reclaimed finds: table lamps, classic pendants and a stone-trough sink from a church vestry. Further afield, there are vineyards for tastings, rowboats on the River Ouse, and a brace of excellent local pubs. But once you’ve settled in, there’s really nowhere else to be other than here: by the pool then on the terraces with carafes of local wine and candlelit feasts that last into the night.

Getting here: you’ll need to drive