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Eleven of the UK's best cottages with pools — with availability
Eleven of the UK's best cottages with pools — with availability

Times

timean hour ago

  • Times

Eleven of the UK's best cottages with pools — with availability

Not to jinx it but if the recent weather has taught us anything, it's that Britain in the sunshine is seldom bettered for a stress-free holiday. Being near a beach or lake to cool off in is great but go one better and book a place to stay with a swimming pool and you definitely won't be sorry you're not in the airport queue. Here, then, is a mix of holiday cottages, farmhouses, country estates and contemporary villas, all with their own swimming pools and enough to do nearby to keep everyone happy. All have some availability in July, August or September (and prices given are for the same period) — but you need to act fast if you want to secure one. This isn't a race to get your towel on the lounger — it's a race to get the lounger, full stop. This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Chulmleigh is a historic market town in rural north Devon, northwest of Exeter, where on its outskirts is the Lost Manor, a charming former rectory. It benefits from some added creature comforts, including a gym, sauna, snooker room, yoga studio and tennis court, and a heated outdoor pool. Each of the six bedrooms is individually decorated, some with William Morris wallpapers, others with hand-stitched quilts. Guests will have to fight over who gets the four-poster bed. The Red Lion pub is a five-minute walk away and Chulmleigh Golf Course has tee times for non members (£12 for 18 holes; Seven nights' self-catering for 12 from £5,246 ( In the middle of the Kent Downs area of outstanding natural beauty, less than an hour's drive from the beaches at Folkestone and Whitstable, the bright and airy Woodsell Farm has several cottages sleeping between two and four, with a shared outdoor pool. Stalisfield village is just a few houses, a church and a pub (the Plough is a 15-minute walk) but the market town of Faversham is a 20-minute drive away and has its own lido, Faversham Pools ( The local Shepherd Neame brewery, said to be Britain's oldest, offers regular tours (£25; Seven nights' self-catering for four from £1,005 ( You may feel as though you are stepping into an EM Forster novel at this National Trust cottage. Set in two acres of gardens, it has views over the village church of St Mary's, as well as the Georgian-Jacobean Hartwell House, a hotel also managed by the Trust. The cottage has its own private outdoor pool but guests can use the spa, tennis courts and gym at the manor house, as well as the AA-accredited restaurant. The Bugle Horn pub is a five-minute walk Seven nights' self-catering for seven from £4,725 ( This handsome red-brick cottage in a 50-acre estate on the edge of the Cotswolds and the Teme Valley is perfect for a quiet secluded break, although the splendid isolation might also suit gregarious party hosts. There is a lovely children's play area in the shape of a wooden fort and a heated indoor pool with a timber-framed glass roof, shared with other houses on the estate. The outdoor hot tub will be much appreciated for soothing weary limbs after days of walking around the estate and beyond. The National Trust's Berrington Hall, with gardens by Capability Brown, is a 20-minute drive Seven nights' self-catering for eight from £4,126 ( with good availability in August and September. Hiding behind the modest name of this holiday house is indeed a walled garden, with an orchard of pear and fig trees, a delightful natural swimming pool and a tennis court. The garden was once part of the neighbouring Dyrham Park estate, a baroque country house and deer park now run by the National Trust, but the real attraction here lies in losing yourself among the period features of the two-bedroom cottage and its grounds. The interior is all chic whites, with a modern kitchen and pantry, and beyond the garden walls is a peaceful waterway (with rowing boat) and quietly tumbling waterfall. Bath is a ten-minute drive if you can tear yourself away from the romantic setting. Details Seven nights' self-catering for four from £2,495 ( Dating back to the late medieval period but significantly modified in Tudor times, this seven-bedroom manor house certainly deserves its grade II listing: its stone walls and exposed oak beams complement the inglenook fireplace and mullioned windows on the ground floor. Everything has been sympathetically upgraded to match the standards of modern living, from the Aga in the kitchen to the magnificent copper bathtub in the master bedroom and the outdoor heated pool. Goodwood racecourse is a 30-minute drive away andGlyndebourne 45 minutes, depending on your preferred Seven nights' self-catering for four from £6,495 ( This three-bedroom farmhouse is a good choice for active families, as the views across the Dulais valley and the summit of March Hywel in the distance would suggest. There are mountain bike trails for all abilities at Afan Forest Park, a 40-minute drive away, while the sandy beach at Aberavon is 25 minutes' drive. Small children will be kept busy with the little play park on site, while everyone will be happy with the magnificent heated indoor pool. There is a hot tub and sauna too, shared with one other Seven nights' self-catering for five from £1,275 ( Modern and stylish, the three-bedroom Equinox is part of Silverlake, a new private development of holiday homes, all of which sit in landscaped grounds around a small lake. This house has a private deck at the water's edge, plus shared use of a heated infinity pool with sauna and spa facilities. There is even a little sandy beach front near the pool. Decor is clean and minimal but not spartan: there is a wood-burner in the living room and soft, squishy sofas all round. Lulworth Cove and the Jurassic Coast are a 25-minute drive away for fossil hunting and beach Seven nights' self-catering for five from £1,740 ( Precious childhood memories often involve time spent with animals, and a farm stay can be something of a rite of passage. There are ducks and hens to feed at Higher Menadew, which has seven cottages on site, sleeping between two and six. All have use of the heated indoor pool and games room, and there is an outdoor play area with a trampoline and a nest swing. It's fair to say young children are very well catered for; parents may prefer the beach, which is only 20 minutes' drive away at Charlestown, near St Seven nights' self-catering for four from £725 ( If wilder swimming appeals, without the faff of Dryrobes or wetsuits or simply being caught out in the buff, consider the delightful swimming lake at this grand seven-bedroom country house, parts of which date to the 16th century. The garden room looks over the expansive natural pool, as well as a grass tennis court. There is a hot tub too, in case you overexert yourself. Flagstones and exposed oak beams contrast with the contemporary decor inside, lending the house a lived-in charm, perfect for large groups. Bedrooms are named after Shakespearean characters, and Stratford-upon-Avon is nearby for visiting Bard-related Seven nights' self-catering for 16 from £7,050 ( As the gentry found out to their peril, very large homes can be ruinously expensive. Conversely, renting one and filling it with friends and family can be very good value. Round up the troops for this rambling collection of red-brick buildings, sleeping up to 22, with an elegant outdoor pool surrounded by cool loungers. Formerly a Victorian stable complex, they have been converted into very comfortable accommodation, set around a courtyard and pool. If you like the modish decor (plaster pink walls, textured monochrome fabrics, framed photo of cacti, chunky antiques) then Frome, with its independent boutiques and flea market, is 25 minutes away for sourcing more of the same. Details Seven nights' self-catering for 22 from £9,250 (

Devon and Cornwall church repair concerns over grant changes
Devon and Cornwall church repair concerns over grant changes

BBC News

time2 hours ago

  • General
  • BBC News

Devon and Cornwall church repair concerns over grant changes

Fears have been raised over changes to a grant scheme that supports work on historic South West religious Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which since 2001 has allowed sites to claim back VAT on urgent repairs, has only been extended until March 2026 and had a cap of £25,000 per year introduced by the has raised concerns from people looking after venues in Devon and Cornwall about whether they would be able to afford future Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it been a "difficult decision" to make the changes but data suggested 94% of claims would be unaffected. Claire Walker, chief executive of the National Churches Trust, said the government scheme was a "lifeline" to many said: "It's not within the means of a congregation to find that extra money, so that could mean churches cannot stay wind and watertight and they can't keep themselves open." A fundraising campaign is taking place at St Grada Church on Cornwall's Lizard peninsula, which needs an estimated £450,000 worth of restoration work carried Elliot, who has been coming to the church for more than 50 years and is helping with the fundraising, said the main issue was parts of the roof falling Elliot said: "It is not going to fall under our watch, we have got to save it."The Church of St Philip & St James in Ilfracombe, which dates to 1856 and is now known as Pip and Jim's Church, is on Historic England's Heritage At Risk current phase of work to renovate its stonework is costing about £600, Reverend Mark Ruoff said the church was at the "heart of the people" of the town."It needs to be renewed and revived," Mr Ruoff added. A statement from DCMS said the changes were being implemented against a "tough financial background across the heritage and cultural sectors"."We made the difficult decision to implement an annual limit of £25,000 on the amount individual places of worship can claim in the coming year," a spokesperson said."We believe that this will continue the widest distribution of the scheme's benefits within the available means."The spokesperson added funding after March 2026 would be considered.

Devon hospital's virtual reality therapy 'helps cut chronic pain'
Devon hospital's virtual reality therapy 'helps cut chronic pain'

BBC News

time2 hours ago

  • Health
  • BBC News

Devon hospital's virtual reality therapy 'helps cut chronic pain'

A hospital in Devon has been demonstrating new technology which is helping patients manage long-term chronic pain in a different way from medication virtual reality (VR) immersive therapy at Torbay Hospital involved patients stepping into another world and moving in ways where they were not concentrating on the pain, staff Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has been offering the therapy to patients as an eight-week patients who had been using the VR system by Cureo said they had seen in improvement in the way they moved and had reduced their pain medication. Physiotherapist Phillipa Newton-Cross, the service lead for the pain rehabilitation team, said: "Working with pain is like trying to work with a central nervous system that is on high alert and hot-wired and alarmed all the time."It's really difficult to move when you are like that." "Learning these smooth calming skills allows you to work with your pain system less in a high alert fight-or-flight response."That's enough that you'll find that they [patients] can then manage to do better with conventional exercise."The team was awarded £29,000 from the NHS trust's League of Friends to support a clinical rehabilitation pathway using virtual reality Malpas is a patient with progressive myopathy who has problems moving his neck. He has completed an eight-week programme of therapy said: "It enabled me to move my body in different ways that I didn't know how to."I can't look left and right because of my neck being so pinned up and the pain."They managed to work out some different muscles in my body that I can use. So I can turn my body left and turn my body wife Claire said: "When we first started, I thought: 'It's no going to do much.' "But, after eight weeks and the input from all of the staff at the unit, the progression to moving more easily was astounding."I couldn't believe what I was seeing." Stuart Spray has chronic pain and has been taking painkillers for 23 years, ending up on the highest dose of codeine that could be attending the sessions, he said he had stopped taking codeine and was feeling a lot healthier than said: "My mind has to be occupied; that's the way am, I have to be analysing constantly. "When I put one of these headsets on, I just disappear. I'm more concerned about me now than solving the problem. I came off codeine three months ago completely." Since its introduction, 50 patients have used the system in south Devon. This particular software has been available in other countries since 2017, but Torbay's pain team is understood to be the first to use it in the UK.

Will Donald Trump stand with the democracies or side with a despot?
Will Donald Trump stand with the democracies or side with a despot?

Telegraph

time8 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Telegraph

Will Donald Trump stand with the democracies or side with a despot?

SIR – It's tempting to hope that the truth is dawning on President Trump – that Vladimir Putin has never wanted, and never will want, a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict. The offer of additional weapons to Ukraine is welcome (report, July 15), even if Europe has to foot the bill, but I still need to be convinced that Mr Trump will fully and unequivocally stand with the democracies against the despot. David Kenny Tredunnock, Monmouthshire SIR – Mr Trump has finally concluded that Vladimir Putin's words can't be trusted. The rest of us knew this more than three years ago, when Putin invaded Ukraine after repeated assurances that he had no such intention. David Vincent Cranbrook, Kent SIR – Donald Trump reportedly wants to win the Nobel Peace Prize. If he were to impose severe sanctions against Russia and provide sufficient military aid for Ukraine, the war could be ended, and the President might get his wish. But this must be done now, not after 50 days (' Trump threatens China over Russian oil ', report, July 15). Anthony Appleby Exeter, Devon SIR – President Trump should realise that China is already in conflict with the West. President Xi is providing economic, technical and military support to Russia. He appears to see the war in Ukraine as a way of weakening the West and distracting America. It is therefore in America's interest to bring the war to a close, ensuring a Russian defeat. Just as Israel has fought Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, America should see defeat of Iran and Russia as necessary steps in its contest with China. Col Ronnie Bradford (retd) Vienna, Austria SIR – Russia will not lose militarily, but only by economic collapse. It is therefore time for the UK and the EU to announce further sanctions, and the seizure of all frozen Russian assets held in London and Europe. This would bring an end to the war much closer. If the UK and Europe do not step up, I fear we will see the usual European technocratic fudge, inviting further trouble in the future. David Shadwell Little Baddow, Essex SIR – What has happened to the 'coalition of the willing', led by our Prime Minister? Not so long ago there was talk of putting boots on the ground in Ukraine, yet it now appears that the country must rely on an unpredictable US administration – just as Putin intensifies his bombing. This seems to be another abject failure of leadership from Sir Keir Starmer. Piers Pottinger London SW17

Young and the Restless Spoilers July 16: Nicholas Newman, PI
Young and the Restless Spoilers July 16: Nicholas Newman, PI

Yahoo

time9 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Young and the Restless Spoilers July 16: Nicholas Newman, PI

The Young and the Restless spoilers for Wednesday, July 16, prove that Chance isn't the only one who can investigate Damian's stabbing in France, as Nick jumps on the case – and makes a discovery the professionals missed. Nick (Joshua Morrow) hasn't had much to do in France. He's been there to tell Victor (Eric Braeden) how smart he is. He's been there to tell Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) not to worry about Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Claire (Hayley Erin). He's been there to grudgingly admit Adam (Mark Grossman) is a good climber, to urge Sharon (Sharon Case) to eat more fruit, and to tell Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) she's acting crazy and making bad decisions. So, you know, more or less the same things he does back in Genoa City. But now that Damian (Jermaine Rivers) has been stabbed in the back — and not as a metaphor — Nick thinks he knows whodunit. And, most importantly, why…. MORE: Jermaine Rivers said goodbye to Damian. But Nick isn't the only one looking over the clues and coming to conclusions. Devon (Bryton James) also wants to get into the act. He's been busier than Nick while in France. Devon has been busy telling Cane (Billy Flynn) what a bad man he is, and telling Lily (Christel Khalil) what a bad man Cane is, and telling Amanda (Mishael Morgan) how wrong she is to think that Cane isn't bad, and assuring Abby (Melissa Ordway) that Dominic will be fine back home. The kid has parents to spare! (What a shame three-fourths of them are currently out of town.) But now that Damian has been stabbed in the back — and not as a metaphor — Devon thinks he knows whodunit. And, most importantly, why…. WATCH NOW: Soap fans, don't miss this Soap Hub Says podcast! Amanda doesn't care what Devon has to say. Or Nick, for that matter. But she does care about what Cane has to say. She knows what he's done and how he's done it. But now he needs to tell her why. And the truth, this time. Know what's coming next? Prove it by emailing news@

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