It was previously named ‘Britain’s Friendliest Town to Drive Through’.
The enchanting village is a must visit(Image: Getty)
A charming little village in the Yorkshire Dales transports you back in time, making it an ideal spot for a weekend escape.
Tucked away in a relatively tranquil corner, this picturesque village nestles beautifully within one of the most breathtaking parts of Wharfedale in North Yorkshire. Just two miles from Burnsall and five miles north of Bolton Abbey, this village is a must-see for those yearning for a serene getaway amidst nature. Appletreewick, affectionately known as ‘Aptrick’ by the locals, boasts distinctive architecture with its stunning stone houses – many harking back to the 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. A number of these homes are perched on the hillside above the River Wharfe, overlooking the village’s only through road.
These residences offer spectacular long-distance views of the dramatic rolling valleys of the Yorkshire Dales, set against the perfect backdrop of the fells. Though small in size, this picture-perfect village brims with character. It was mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book and was once a significant market town, thriving in the first half of the 14th century, reports Yorkshire Live. Remarkably, not much has changed in this exquisite hamlet, with a mere 207 residents according to the latest census in 2021.
A stroll through history
A leisurely stroll down the main street of Appletreewick feels like stepping back in time, with historic stone cottages lining the streets. A traditional red British telephone box, a sight increasingly rare these days, also stands proudly. The village has a rich history of diverse occupations, with early records revealing a mix of farmers, cobblers, tailors, schoolteachers, weavers, blacksmiths, miners, innkeepers, carters, and corn millers among its residents. Summer sees this charming hamlet bustling with activity as hikers, rambling enthusiasts, and cyclists are drawn to the area’s captivating views and stunning landscapes.
Appletreewick was once renowned for its annual Onion Fair, a nod to the significant role onions played in the village’s trade. In fact, there’s a lane in the village named Onion Lane, a lasting tribute to its historical significance. One particular Onion Fair saw a brawl erupt between two rival families – the Nortons of Rylstone Manor and the Cliffords of Skipton Castle. While the fight itself made headlines at the time, it underscores the importance of the Onion Fair in the social calendar, given that members of such prominent families were present.
Appletreewick also boasts High Hall, a Grade II Listed Tudor-style building, restored by none other than Sir William Craven, who later became Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London in the early 17th century. Craven had a personal connection to the building, having been born in a cottage nearly opposite High Hall, which was one of two eventually transformed into St John Baptist Church.
Visitors can enjoy a meal and a pint at The New Inn and partake in activities such as fly fishing on the River Wharfe, renowned for its plentiful grayling and brown trout. A 2009 study on rural driving in England named Appletreewick as ‘Britain’s Friendliest Town to Drive Through’ – perhaps all you need to know about this charming village and its inhabitants.
GOT the January blues? That’s nothing a cosy cottage can’t fix.
And if you book right now, you can bag a top bargain, as UK holiday sites are slashing their prices for not just January, but the rest of the year too.
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The grass near Florence Springs Lakeside Lodges attracts wildlifeCredit: Supplied
Here, Sophie Swietochowski shares her best deals for staycation rentals, from country homes close to pubs with roaring fireplaces to timber-beamed properties with rural walks right on your doorstep.
FLORENCE SPRINGS LAKESIDE LODGES, Tenby
HOSEASONS currently has up to 30 per cent off on more than 50,000 breaks, including dates in the summer.
Those on a budget will be spoilt for choice, with more than 130,000 properties available for under £250 per break.
Florence Springs Lakeside Lodges even has three friendly alpacasCredit: Supplied
Each of the sleek lodges comes with a modern kitchen/living room complete with fireplace and overlooks a grand lake, bordered by reeds that attract wildlife.
AVID ramblers should look no further than Weaver’s Cottage, a small but charming holiday home right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
Right now, you can bag 30 per cent off all stays booked before February 2, with up to £300 off the total on cottages.com.
The cute and cosy Weaver’s Cottage in YorkshireCredit: supplied image
Split across three levels and with a cosy log burner, the two-bedroom property is ideal for hunkering down during winter, while the enclosed garden’s furniture is perfect for soaking up the sun in summer.
On top of scenic walking trails, there’s horse riding and great fishing sites nearby.
GO: Seven nights’ self-catering is from £465, reduced from £705, sleeping up to four.
Sykes Cottages has some corking deals for January, with almost £500 off some properties.
The three double bedrooms in Barley CottageCredit: Supplied
The South West is gorgeous at this time of year, with fewer crowds and more space to roam.
Check into the six-person Barley Cottage in Axminster, a 15-minute drive from the coast.
The home features three snug bedrooms and an outdoor barbecue hut with a firepit that will keep you toasty throughout the winter nights.
If you don’t fancy cooking, there are several pubs just over a mile away, including the Castle Inn, which has weekly deals such as a burger, chips and a drink for a tenner or curry night which will set you back £12.99.
GO: Seven nights’ self-catering is from £824, reduced from £909, for arrival on January 16.
FEWER UK spots say cosy staycation quite like the Cotswolds.
Luckily for you, Cotswold Cottages is slashing the price of all 2026 stays by 20 per cent, with dates available in the school holidays too.
The exposed bricks in Robin CottageCredit: Supplied
Just make sure you book by January 31.
Robin Cottage is tucked away in the rural village of Bourton-on-the-Water, which straddles the River Windrush.
It has exposed brick walls, an open fire and great views of the water.
It’s well suited to couples, with just one bedroom, and the delights of the village are all within walking distance, including the Cotswolds Motoring Museum, where you can delve into the history of 20th-century vehicles.
GO: Three nights’ self-catering is from £442.55, down from £590.
FOR those wanting to reconnect with nature, Ashlea Pool Lodges has it all.
Buried in the rolling hills of Shropshire, this Hoseasons site has lodges overlooking a tranquil lake, thick woodland for roaming and wildlife in every direction you turn.
Ashlea Pool Lodges is next to a lakeCredit: Supplied
The activities are abundant, too, with walking trails, cycling routes and fishing spots all nearby.
The holiday park is included in Hoseasons 30-per-cent-off deal, so you can bag yourself a decent price as long as you book before February 2.
Each of the lodges blends seamlessly with its surroundings, thanks to wooden panelling on the walls and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over leafy trees.
There’s an onsite cafe selling homemade scones, tempting cakes and creamy milkshakes, as well as a pizzeria.
GO: Seven nights’ self-catering in a six-person lodge is from £399, down from £499.
Even with seven of her nearest and dearest with her, there was never a shortage of space.
Just 30 seconds from the back door, they could dip their toes in the sandy estuary bed or pump up a paddleboard (also provided) and brave the waters.
The surrounding nature is not the only luxury this stay has to offer – the pad comes with a lush garden complete with its own hot tub and barbecue.
Embellished with coastal-inspired interiors, families will be fully equipped with a kitchen, dining area, Smart TVs, Sonos speakers and child safety gates on each of the three floors.
The holiday home is not as remote as its views suggest – visitors can reach Newquay’s high street with just a five-minute drive or walk for 20 minutes.
GO: 8 Woodlands
STAYING THERE: A week’s stay ranges from £1428 – £4200 depending on the season. See Aspect Holidays.co.uk
Best holiday park for families with dogs
Parbola Holiday Park, Hayle
Parbola Holiday Park is the perfect place for a peaceful staycationCredit: Irfan Cemal
There’s no more authentic family stay in Cornwall than at Parbola Holiday Park.
Hugged by 16 acres of woodland and located just a ten-minute drive from Hayle Town, this stay gives holidaymakers the best of both worlds – a peaceful rural haven and a plethora of activities.
Writing for The Sun, Kate Jackson and Irfan Cemal described Parbola Holiday Park as perfect for families.
Highlights for their children included the heated outdoor swimming pool, a box of balls and bats to borrow and the Safari Tent, a place equipped with board games and books.
Meanwhile, the adults enjoyed the small but appreciated touches such as a package of tea, milk and delicious Cornish biscuits as they arrived or the wood-fired pizza fan that visits every Monday.
And to add to the list of this holiday park‘s many charms, Parbola is also dog-friendly.
Speaking about her stay Kate said: “The Parbola holiday park in Cornwall caters for people like us.”
Parbola offers the best of both worlds. Away from the usual hotspots, five miles inland from the north coast, it provides a haven that, despite its obvious popularity, was always peaceful.”
GO: PARBOLA HOLIDAY PARK
STAYING THERE: A week’s stay in a Standard 2-bedroom holiday home starts from £1,188 for a family of four. See LovatHolidayParks.com
Best hotel for food
St Tudy Inn, St Tudy
The St Tudy Inn serves seafood such as hake and steamed musslesCredit: St Tudy Inn
After an action-packed day on your feet, The St Tudy Inn is the perfect spot to sit back by a roaring fire and enjoy some heart-warming grub.
With the appearance of a traditional 16th-century stone cottage, many would not assume that some diners travel over 40 minutes to just eathere.
Expect exquisite sea-themed cuisine such as hake, cuttlefish and chorizo stew or steamed mussels.
And food is not the only thing this cosy Cornish pub has to offer – just across the car park, a converted barn holds four charming rooms paired with tartan bedspreads and patterned cushions.
GO: St Tudy Inn
STAYING THERE: A double room starts from £1,155 for a week’s stay. See StTudyInn.com
Best hotel in Newquay
Newquay Beach Hotel, Newquay
Named Beached Front Hotel of the Year in South-West England 2024 by Travel & Hospitality Awards, the boutique stay rests just opposite Newquay‘s main beach – Tolcarne.
With stellar beach views and an art deco interior – this stay is a feast for the eyes, from the designer velvet scallop chairs to the geometric glass.
And if you’re looking to grab a bite to eat, you will not be left hungry.
Newquay Beach Hotels offers numerous classic dishes as well as a fully stocked cocktail bar.
A nice extra is the Abangamba playroom for the kids.
Best holiday cottage for families
Bosinver Farm Cottages, Trelowth
Bosinver Farm Cottages is the winner of Visit England’s Best Family-Friendly Accommodation in 2017Credit: Bosinver Farm Cottages
You might be tempted to stick to Cornwall’s coasts but its inland valleys are just as impressive as its cliffs.
Tucked away between the quaint town of St Austell and the seaside village of Mevagissey is this hidden gem.
Here you’ll find Bosinver’s Farm Cottage – a set of 20 luxury self-catering cottages full of magical Cornish spirit.
The cute accommodation Features Writer Emma Pietras stayed in was made of straw and wood bales and its beams were taken from an old hospital – all of which added to the location’s timeless feel.
Paired with a hot tub and stunning valley views this is the perfect place to kick back and relax.
A particular highlight is the £475 worth of included activities such as a pool, animal feeding, pony rides, and outdoor and indoor play.
It is no surprise that these pads won Visit England’s Best Family-Friendly Accommodation in 2017.
In her review, Pietras had this to say: “As a mum to a toddler, previous holidays have been far from stress-free, but when you’re surrounded by 35 acres of meadows, landscaped gardens and woodland, it’s hard not to feel relaxed.”
It feels as if the owners have thought of every little detail.”
GO: BOSINVER FARM COTTAGES
STAYING THERE: A week’s stay in the Hillside cottage starts from £1700 for a family of 4. See Bosinver.co.uk
Best hotel with a sea view
Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion
The Polurrian on the Lizard was once home to political and Hollywood eliteCredit: The Polurrian on the lizard
The Polurrian on the Lizard was once the vacation spot of Winston Churchill.
More recently this beautiful piece of history was visited by The Sun writer Ellie Ross who dubbed it as ‘one of Cornwall’s best kept secrets’.
With its glamorous white exterior looming over the lizard peninsula, this enchanting stay boasts a secluded beach and sea views so good you might feel like you are in a movie.
The 1890s hotel also comes along with a tenniscourt clifftop garden, playground and even indoor and outdoor pools.
A great way to watch the sunset over the sea is at its dog-friendly restaurant which serves everything from fish and chips to wood-fired pizza.
And according to Ellie, the cocktails were a standout.
GO: POLURRIAN ON THE LIZARD
STAYING THERE: A double room with a sea view starts from £209 per night. See PolurrianHotel.com
Best spa hotel
Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa, Newquay
Fistral Beach Hotel & Spa offers spectacular sunset viewsCredit: Fistral Beach Hotel & Spa
With views that rival the Maldives or the Caribbean, Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa overlooks one of Newquay’s more private beaches.
Visitors will feel worlds away sipping speciality cocktails at the hotel’s Bay Bar – a spot particularly good for watching the sunset.
And that was in part credit to Fistral Beach Hotel’s luxurious spa that offered rejuvenating treatments he said “wouldn’t be out of place in some Balinese temple”.
All spa day packages included a pool, steam room, hot tub, sauna and refreshments.
Equally as lavish as the spa is the hotel’s beautifully presented food that nods to Cornish cuisine with innovative twists.
GO: FISTRAL BEACH HOTEL AND SPA
Best spot for camping
Trevornick Holiday Park, Holywell
Trevornick Holiday Park provides ready made tentsCredit: Trevornick Holiday Park
While Cornwall’s buccaneering pirates and smugglers are long gone, the spirit of adventure can still be found in camping.
Located on Cornwall’s north coast, you can set up a tent not far from Holywell’s pristine sandy beach.
Or if wrestling with a tent is off-putting, Trevornick Holiday Park also offers readymade tents.
These come fully equipped with lights, and even a fridge and TV.
Expect action-packed fun, as this holiday park not only includes a pool and spa but also a golf course, soft play centre, arcade and even a surf school.
As our writer soon realised: “The only problem was there simply wasn’t time to do everything the park had to offer.
“But it’s such a treasure that, like pirate ghosts, we’re sure to return.”
GO: TREVORNICK HOLIDAY PARK
STAYING THERE: A non-serviced grass pitch for a family of 4 starts from £362.18. See Trevornick.co.uk.
Best spot for glamping
Tremeer Farm, Lanteglos-by-fowey
Treemer Farm’s 18th-century Mongolian-style yurts are all uniqueCredit: Instagram
A more unconventional retreat but nevertheless more rewarding, Tremeer Farm is the ideal spot to return to basics.
Expect jaw-dropping nature, animals, playing games, an open fire, and a clear night sky.
And together with the elegant white 18th-century Mongolian-style yurts to sleep in, you might never want to leave.
Tremeer Farm’s owners have thought of everything – from a hot tub to a kitchen equipped with cooking basics, a hammock, BBQ, fire pit and even a cosy wood-burning stove.
As The Sun Online Travel found out there is no better way to immerse yourself in Cornwall’s beauty.
If you have a car, the stay is just a stone’s throw away from the untouched fishing village of Polperro and otherworldly Lantivet Bay
GO: TREMEER FARM
STAYING THERE: yurt that sleeps up to five people starts from £850 a week. See YurtsCornwall.com
Although travelling to Cornwall during its peak season is a no-brainer, we also recommend visiting this gorgeous peninsula in the winter.
THE Holiday is one of the UK’s favourite Christmas watches – and who hasn’t wanted to step into the magic of the film?
From the Cotswolds to Yorkshire, here are five of the best villages that will make you feel like you’re Cameron Diaz exploring England for the very first time.
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To feel like you’re in The Holiday – check out these beautiful English villagesCredit: AlamyIn Shere, Surrey, you can pop into one of the real-life filming locations – The White HorseCredit: Alamy
Shere, Surrey
Of course first up is Shere in Surrey which fans of The Holiday will know that it was actually used as a filming location.
Found in the Guildford district, the pretty village is considered to be most photographed of all Surrey towns.
You can actually have a pint in the pub where Amanda (played by Cameron Diaz) and Graham (Jude Law) have their first date.
The couple visit The White Horse, a cosy pub that serves up hearty breakfasts, Sunday Roasts and lunches.
You can also pop into The Dabbling Duck cafe, or take a hike around the nearby Surrey Hills.
The Holiday isn’t the only film to have set scenes in Shere – it’s also been the backdrop of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and The Wedding Date.
Kettlewell, Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire village of Kettlewell is filled with classic stone cottages – just like Iris’.
But there’s also traditional tea rooms, and a quaint High Street and incredible views of the countryside – perfect for a weekend walk.
Most read in Best of British
The village has three pubs, The Blue Bell Inn – a homely spot which serves up tasty home-cooked food by its crackling fire.
Or check out The King’s Head and The Falcon Inn.
Elterwater is a tiny village in The Lake DistrictCredit: Alamy
Elterwater
Elterwater is a village in the Lake District, Cumbria.
The village lies half a mile north-west of the lake of Elter Water – where it gets its name.
It’s tiny with around 100 residents, some of whom live in its charming slate or stone cottages along the narrow roads.
The local pub is The Britannia Inn which serves seasonal food by its log fire – and during the summer has a pretty beer garden.
The village has incredible views of the Langdale Pikes which are famous mountains in the Great Langdale Valley.
You can also go for a stroll along the River Brathay or go further afield and you might even spot a waterfall or two.
Burford in the Cotswolds has beautiful stone cottagesCredit: Alamy
Burford, Oxfordshire
The Cotswolds is an obvious choice when it comes to pretty English villages – and Burford is a very charming spot.
It has the classic pretty stone cottages and a very traditional feel to it.
Along the High Street are antique shops, tea rooms and pubs like The Angel at Burford, The Prince Of Burford and The Lamb Inn.
The oldest pharmacy in England can be found here, and there’s a medieval bridge that crosses over the River Windrush as well as a Grade I listed church.
And for even more magic from The Holiday, actress Kate Winslet used to live very nearby.
The other Cotswolds village, Stanton, has a traditional English feelCredit: Alamy
Stanton, Gloucestershire
Another very English-looking Cotswolds village is Stanton.
40 minutes up the road from Burford is Stanton, which looks very ‘The Holiday’ with its limestone and half-timbered cottages.
The village is on the smaller side so there isn’t too much to do, but it makes for a charming trip – and there will be great photo opportunities.
Nearby you can hike the Cotswold Way or visit Snowshill Manor, and if you fancy it, you can even book to go horse-riding through Stanton.
The Mount Inn pub is the only pub in the village and has incredible views of the Malvern Hills.
