Middle Cottage sits in Shilbottle, a village four miles from Alnwick in Northumberland and forms part of a small row of three cottages. It sleeps six across three bedrooms and has a woodburner in the living room for cooler evenings. The master bedroom has its own en-suite with a walk-in shower and sits conveniently on the ground floor. Outside there's a large enclosed garden with a patio and garden furniture, plus private parking for two cars and an electric vehicle charging point on site.

Shilbottle gives you easy reach of both the Northumberland Heritage Coast and the Cheviot Hills. The coast runs for 20 miles east as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, while the Cheviots to the west offer heather-capped hills for walking. A secret spa is just a two-minute walk away, offering spa days and hourly treatments. The pub and restaurant are both only 100 yards from the door and a shop sits 500 yards off. Buses stop right outside the cottage, running to Newcastle, Alnwick and Amble.

The ground floor holds the kingsize master bedroom with en-suite, a separate toilet, the living room and kitchen-dining room. Upstairs are two more bedrooms: a double room with its own bathroom and a twin room with two 3ft single beds. The kitchen comes with an induction hob, dishwasher and coffee machine. One small or medium dog is welcome and charges apply.

Alnwick lies four miles away and holds Alnwick Castle (10 minutes), home to the Duke of Northumberland and a filming location for the Harry Potter films. Alnwick Gardens (10 minutes) has a grand cascade waterfall and a treehouse restaurant said to be the largest in Europe. Alnmouth (10 minutes) has a golden sand beach and a 9-hole golf course by the sea. Further north, Seahouses (30 minutes) runs boat trips out to the Farne Islands to see puffins in season.

This is a solid pick for families or friends wanting coast and countryside within easy reach, without giving up a proper pub on the doorstep. The spa two minutes away is a genuine bonus for a lazy afternoon. Middle Cottage rates 4.9 out of 5 and has won Customers' Choice three years running. Book today for a great break in Northumberland.