Beautiful cottages in the UK's top National Landscapes

Britain has exceptional countryside and coast. The best of which has been designated outstanding. These National Landscapes - formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - make incredible places to call home

Pippa Jackson

4 mins read

Beautiful cottages in the UK's top National Landscapes

Britain has exceptional countryside and coast. The best of which has been designated outstanding. These National Landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) make incredible places to call home.

The 46 National Landscapes across the UK vary in nature but have one thing in common. They’re all “places so special they have been designated in the national interest,” according to the National Landscapes Association. These natural beauty spots span the country, from the North Pennines down to the Isles of Scilly and from Anglesey in the west across to the easterly North Norfolk coast.

Whether you yearn to bathe in the beauty of a verdant forest or soak up the sea views from a chalk cliff top, these National Landscapes are enticing locations. You could make it your permanent home and include country or coastal walks as part of your daily routine. Perhaps a weekend retreat is the dream, enabling you to disconnect from work and reconnect with the natural world regularly.

Here, we showcase five excellent properties in beautiful locations with a National Landscape for a backdrop. There’s the simply stunning Cornish coast, rugged Dartmoor and the rolling hills of the Chilterns, Wessex and Surrey Downs.

Callington, Cornwall, PL17

This beautiful and unusual historic Grade II listed estate is the stuff of escapist dreams. The five bedroom mid-Georgian farmhouse is surrounded by just under seven acres of unspoilt grounds, including walled gardens, parkland, woodland, and wild meadows. Along with the main house, the private estate includes two cottages, a range of outbuildings, and a pool house with an indoor swimming pool.

The farmhouse still has many original architectural fittings and the ground floor features a vaulted sitting room overlooking a mezzanine library. The sunlit conservatory opens onto a terrace with a loggia, perfect for al fresco dining in front of a beautiful garden with a wildlife pond and working waterwheel. The two self-contained cottages are used as holiday accommodation, making them a great source of additional income.

exterior of a farmhouse with a garden filled with trees, bushes, a pond and outdoor seating

5-11 bedroom estate for sale in Callington, Cornwall. Guide price £1,600,000

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Oxted, Surrey, RH8

This property allows you to own a little slice of Oxted, one of Surrey's most sought-after addresses. Fairfax house is a special family home with seven bedrooms and seven and a half bathrooms, all designed with incredible attention to detail and high-end amenities. A recent refurbishment has created a luxurious yet family-friendly home with cutting-edge technology. At the heart of the home lies a stunning open-plan kitchen, breakfast room and living area overlooking a well-manicured garden. The property is within easy reach of London, while nestled in the breathtaking Surrey hills and adjacent to the Tandrige Golf Club.

Large house with white and redbrick exterior and large driveway and front garden

7 bedroom house for sale in Oxted, Surrey. Guide price £4,295,000

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Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32

Venthams Farmhouse is a large and beautiful period property, with a range of commercial and agricultural buildings in the heart of Hampshire. Spread over four floors, this 7,000 sq ft property packs a punch as soon as you walk in, with an impressive entrance hall with beautiful original wooden flooring. The characterful property requires some modernisation, but has enormous potential and offers the perfect opportunity to put your stamp on it and create a special country retreat. The expansive and private gardens and grounds feature stables, arable land, paddocks and extensive mature woodland. Former farm buildings have been converted into let commercial units with a separate entrance, generating a significant income.

Large country home surrounded by fields and trees with a pond in front

10 bedroom farmhouse for sale in Petersfield, Hampshire. Guide price £12,500,000

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Beach Lane, North Bath, BS30

This grade-II listed country house plus five beautiful cottages overlook the Golden Valley ‘area of outstanding natural beauty’ north of Bath. The whole estate comprises of 57 acres of grounds, park and farmland, with multiple outdoor entertaining areas and a kitchen garden perfect for alfresco dining and summer barbecues. The main property, the Beach House, has been extensively refurbished in keeping with its historical and architectural integrity. This unique and private estate is the perfect spot to immerse yourself in nature and unwind.

Large period home with expansive green grounds filled with trees