Chester Lakes

If you can tear yourself away from your rural idyll, you’ll find the cracking city of Chester a mere two miles away. Jump on an open-top bus tour or join a guided walk to explore the historic centre, cruise the River Dee, or simply meander around the ancient city walls, stopping off as the mood takes you. There are museums covering Chester’s Roman and military history, a castle and a majestic cathedral, and the cobbled streets are packed with great restaurants and boutique shops (if you’re a determined shopper, the fantastic Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet is just outside the centre, too). Fancy a flutter? You can enjoy a day at Chester’s historic racecourse between May and September, also only a couple of miles away. Don’t miss the outstanding Chester Zoo just seven miles away: you’ll need the best part of a day to see all the animals (there are 8000 of them!) and ride the monorail and waterbus. Other potential days out include Tatton Park, for a tour of the elegant mansion and gardens, rare breeds farm, deer park and speciality shops; the Blue Planet Aquarium; Gulliver’s World theme park; or Cheshire Farm Ice Cream, where your little ones can watch the cows being milked, have a ball in the outdoor and indoor play areas, and get stuck into one of the umpteen flavours of delicious homemade ice cream and sorbet (make mine a Raspberry Pavlova). It’s also a really easy drive from Chester Lakes to the emerald landscapes of North Wales, or if you want to take it very easy, the Red Lion pub is half a mile from the site.