Luxury self-catering accommodation in High Weald

Just a short drive from London, this magical patch of woodland extends from Sussex to Surrey, and into the Kentish countryside, and provides bluebell-dotted, leaf-kicking walks through ancient forests for ramblers and families. 'Weald' means 'wilderness', and environmental evidence points to the area as being a Neolithic hunter-gatherer hotspot. For modern foodies, the High Weald Dairy at Tremains Farm in West Sussex provides foraging on many levels; this is the place to stock up on cow, sheep or goat cheese, or take a cheese-making course on-site.

Fancy a beer with your goat? High Weald Brewery to the south of East Grinstead has been producing artisan beers since 2012, from bitters to pale ales, and keeps several outlets in the local area well-stocked. Walkers here are never too far from a picturesque pub pulling pints of the amber nectar and serving up plates of delicious hot Sunday lunches. After refreshments, the medieval wilds are yours to be explored, with hop gardens, orchards, streams, ponds, miles of heathland and scenic flower meadows, all housing an abundance of wildlife.