Who needs to go abroad when there are destinations like these close to home, says Sandi Toksvig
Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig - Wednesday 9.00pm Channel 4
ED GRENBY - 28 February 2021
Going abroad soon? Thought not. But that doesn’t have to mean boring holidays: there are truly spectacular stays to be had right here in Britain – and Sandi Toksvig has uncovered a dozen of them for her latest series. A great trip starts with a great place to stay, reckons Sandi, and it turns out she knows of a few herself: her hideaways in Extraordinary Escapes include a Suffolk cottage with its own moat, a lighthouse off the Isle of Skye, and Kate Moss’s Cotswold party pad (all enjoyed in the company of one of Sandi’s celebrity pals). Here we’ve picked out four favourites from the series if you fancy heading there yourself…
TREEHOUSE TREASURE
Where Sandi stayed The Hudnalls Hideout in Gloucestershire is a two-storey wooden treehouse perched among the branches of a private forest, but complete with luxury touches such as underfloor heating and an al fresco tub. From £250 a night. hudnallshideout.co.uk
What it’s like round there The Wye Valley isn’t designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for no reason, and Hudnalls – situated near Tintern – is a particularly pretty spot.
What Sandi got up to Accompanied by chef Prue Leith, it had to be foraging for edible herbs in the dells of the forest.
What else you can do The epic Offa’s Dyke Path is almost on the front step, and kayaking on the Wye is popular, too. Alternatively, there are artisan gin distillers, ice-cream makers and Michelin-starred dining all nearby.
Where else you can stay Four miles down the road are the cosy wooden “glamping cabins” of Resilient Woodlands Retreat, from £145 a night. resilientwoodlands.co.uk
LODGE OFF THE LOCH
Where Sandi stayed Corrour Lodge is a stunning slice of modernist architecture beside the banks of Loch Ossian and the 32,000-acre expanse of wilderness that is Rannoch Moor. It sleeps 14 in stylish luxury (but costs £50,000 per week). corrourlodge.com
What it’s like round there There is, in the best possible way, nothing – just endless horizons of Highland forest, loch, mountain and moor.
What Sandi got up to Sandi and comedian Sindhu Vee spent most of their stay ogling the view from the property’s vantage points, including a lochside barbecue and a serving of the estate’s own venison.
What else you can do Those with good aim can source some venison themselves on a shoot with the estate’s expert deer stalkers (though softer outdoor activities are available!).
Where else you can stay The Lodge’s next door neighbour – four miles away – is Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, where a room for two costs from £150 a night. hostellingscotland.org.uk
WINDMILL HIDEAWAY
Where Sandi stayed Built in the early 1800s, and a working windmill right up until the mid-20th century, Old Smock Mill is now an eccentric little one-bedroom bolthole near the Kent village of Benenden, from £175 a night. oldsmockmill.com
What it’s like round there Less than an hour from London, this corner of the High Weald (another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is classic Kent countryside – fruitful orchards, glorious gardens, gently undulating fields and postcard-perfect villages.
What Sandi got up to With local girl and actor-writer Jessica Hynes by her side, it was all bike rides and bird-watching.
What else you can do Bodiam Castle, arguably Britain’s most picturesque, is just a ten-minute drive from Old Smock Mill. The coast, with the never-too-busy Camber Sands, is only 20 minutes further.
Where else you can stay Overlooking Benenden’s village green, the Bull is a good pub with three lovely rooms, from £120 a night. thebullatbenenden.co.uk
FORT FIT FOR A KING
Where Sandi stayed We’ve Napoleon to thank for Found Tower – one of 100 round stone Martello forts built along England’s south-east coast to protect from French invasion. Once home to 25 soldiers and a big cannon, it’s now elegant and secluded digs for up to six people, from £480 a night. uniquehomestays.com
What it’s like round there You’re mere metres from the shingly beach and Suffolk coastline. Look the other way, and it’s fields as far as the eye can see. Isolation doesn’t get much more splendid.
What Sandi got up to With actor Alison Steadman at her side, Sandi ensured windswept picnics and wildlife-spotting were on the agenda, while also making time to discover some interesting facts about Napoleon’s privates…
What else you can do The sweet seaside towns (and artsy, antiquesy, foodie attractions) of Orford, Aldeburgh and Southwold are all just up the coast. Venture inland, meanwhile, and you’ll find bucolic Constable Country, still pretty as a picture.
Where else you can stay Bawdsey Hall, just a mile south, has a mini nature reserve, complete with resident owls and badgers. From £110 a night. bawdseyhall.com