Cotswolds temple of love
Rumour has it that in 1815 Reverend Purnell-Edwards, the owner of the stately home at Stancombe Park, fell in love with a local gypsy girl and built a temple for their trysts. The result was a Grade I-listed Doric folly, which could only be accessed via a labyrinth of tunnels that were too narrow for his portly wife. The current owners have retained the intimate atmosphere of this hidden hideaway and couples will enjoy its unique location with serene views over the lake. After exploring the grounds – complete with Chinese tea house and Egyptian ice house – if you’re still feeling energetic, you can make use of the tennis court. Steeped in romance, the temple is ideal for a proposal – particularly as the welcome hamper provided includes a bottle of champagne.
What to do: Stancombe is a great base for touring the southern Cotswolds, the Slimbridge Wildlife Sanctuary, Tetbury and the Westonbirt Arboretum. Bath is 35 miles away.
Wild beauty in Cumbria
Settings don’t come much more idyllic than High Park, a 17th-century renovated stone cottage near Crummock Water in the northwestern corner of the Lake District National Park. Robust but cosy, it has plenty of original features, such as old oak beams, slate staircase and wood burners (with oil central heating if the weather gets blustery). Red squirrels are likely to be your most regular neighbours.
What to do: The local pub, the Kirkstile Inn near Loweswater, serves superb grub and ale, and there are enough walks, treks, hikes, climbs and strolls around High Park to tempt the laziest couch potato. On longer excursions you can visit Windermere, Wordsworth’s Cottage at Grasmere, picture-perfect Ullswater or serene Derwent Water.
