Covid Tiers: Stay Where Two is Company But Three Are Allowed!

We may be COVID-Conscious right now, but this shouldn't stop you and your partner from escaping to the countryside for a safe and much-needed short break this autumn and winter. View these cosy and secluded country cottages where you can step away from the crowds for a weekend or mid-week holiday in perfect rural isolation.

 

The Benefit of Midweek breaks

Out of season, midweek breaks offer excellent value for money. Many properties will offer four nights for the price of three. You can find properties for as little as £250 for a 4-night Monday-to-Friday holiday – that's real value for money at just over £30pppn.

You'll also find that rural areas are less frequented by visitors to the countryside between Monday to Friday. With so many of us now able to work from home, what's to stop you from taking the computer with you just in case duty calls? Although Wi-Fi-free cottages are a rarity these days, do remember to check that the place has a good broadband service if you are planning to work while you are away.

Where can you holiday during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The BBC has a helpful 'news explainers' link (correct as of the 19th of September 2020): https://bbc.in/31n8S9n

Essentially:

In Tier One (areas with the lowest infection rates), you can holiday anywhere in groups of up to six unless your household or bubble is larger. However, you should avoid sharing rooms with people outside your household or support bubble.

In Tier Two, you can still holiday outside your local area as long as you don't share accommodation with people you don't live or bubble with or socialise with them in any indoor setting. Be aware that some local rules may be specific to the area you are visiting.

In Tier Three, you can still holiday in guest accommodation within your Tier Three area. You must not, however, stay in accommodation outside your area.

Map readers above Belstone on Dartmoor

A holiday home for two in a secluded location means you are not sharing the accommodation with anyone else during your holiday and gives you plenty of opportunities to explore the local countryside on foot without having to come into close contact with others. So, why not plan a weekend or midweek break somewhere suitably isolated for a spot of healthy activity in the great and deserted outdoors?

 

What if I have to cancel?

Most holiday homes have temporarily suspended or amended the rule that deposits or full payments are non-refundable if changes to the law prevent you from travelling and staying in your accommodation. However, before you book, check the property's cancellation terms or speak to the owner directly. Access to owners is one of the advantages of using a site like My Favourite Holiday Cottages. It gives you direct contact details for a property's owner or manager.

 

Where can I stay?

You will find details of small holiday homes sleeping 2-3 guests by clicking here: Show Me More Small Cottages.

Here are six of our favourite rural retreats suitable for a romantic weekend or midweek getaway.

The Folly, Alnwick in Northumberland

This luxury holiday cottage resides on the Middleton Hall estate and is surrounded by the Northumbrian countryside near Alnwick. A stylish romantic retreat for two.

 

Dark Ark Cottage in Cheshire

Dark Ark is a wonderfully secluded Cheshire cottage set in peaceful woodland in the countryside around Manley. Its rustic exterior hides a chic contemporary interior. Perfect for walks on the Sandstone Trail.

 

Healers Cottage

Healer's in Herefordshire is a 17th Century pet-friendly rural cottage with an open fire in the Wye Valley near Ross-on-Wye. The neighbours are, literally, donkeys. It lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty between Ross-on-Wye and Hereford.

 

Reflections at Lake Bank near Ulverston in Cumbria

Reflections at Lake Bank is a superb short-break choice for those who want an active holiday in a scenic location - with luxury trimmings. Located within easy reach of walks around Coniston and Windermere, it offers easy access to magnificent scenery, mountains, forests, waterfalls, castles and beaches.

 

Harveys Mill near Kelsale in Suffolk

Enjoy luxurious open-plan living and walks in the Suffolk countryside at Harvey's Mill, the roundhouse of a former windmill near Kelsale village. Pets welcome.