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Burghill Grange - Burghill

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Tranquil, Georgian retreat

Staying in this stunning Georgian country house in the pretty village of Burghill is probably the nearest most of us will get to a proper Austen-esque lifestyle. Surrounded by orchards and farmland, the grange has been sympathetically restored to mix vintage charm with modern comforts, and the result is a tranquil retreat, light years away from urban worries.

Burghill Grange’s three bedrooms are all very pretty, very cosy and full of original features and antique furniture – the two on the top floor are blessed with heaving great oak beams that really lend themselves to La Boheme-style attic living. But it’s the gorgeous Blue Room that you should try booking first – a really lovely classic country bedroom, with crisp Italian linen, sash windows overlooking the gardens leading to the lake and a stylish en-suite bathroom. Bliss.

The house’s beautiful drawing room is the perfect place to take tea in front of a roaring fire, while a hearty breakfast (with home-made bread, jams and marmalades, plus eggs laid by Burghill’s very own chickens – when they’re in the mood) is served in yet another light and airy room with sweeping views across the farmland outside.

Where is it?

Burghill is in the heart of the lovely Herefordshire countryside, and just 4 miles outside the historic city of Hereford. One of the biggest attractions in the area – both physically and spiritually – has to be Hereford Cathedral (www.herefordcathedral.org). This stunning amalgam of architectural styles, ranging from Norman to Victorian, is home to the amazing Mappa Mundi – a medieval map of the world, dating from 1300, that’s the largest in existence. Really worth a visit if only to marvel at the mythical creatures that were still imagined to be living outside Europe.

But Hereford need only be your only vaguely cosmopolitan stopping point in the area, as its real attraction is the countryside – the rolling hills of The Marches (the Welsh / English borderlands), the beautiful River Wye and miles of winding country roads leading to nowhere in particular. North Herefordshire is particularly famous for its medieval, half-timbered villages, and The Black and White Village Trail is an actual 40-mile route that takes you through the best of them. A must-visit part of the trail is the pretty, higgledy-piggledy village of Weobley (unfortunately not pronounced wobbly), one of the best-preserved Tudor villages in the UK. ( Log on to www.visitherefordshire.co.uk for maps and more details. The trail starts in the historic wool town of Leominster, 10 miles from Burghill, in itself a great place to while away an afternoon.

Walkers and cyclists who stay at Burghill will have hit the jackpot, with The Wye Valley, Malvern Hills and Offa’s Dyke all within spitting distance. Half an hour’s drive south is the dramatic Symonds Yat rock, towering above the River Wye. Not only does it offer great views of the valley, but it’s one of the best spots to view Peregrine Falcons in the UK, usually between April and August. The Wye Valley walk, from source to mouth, (all 136 miles of it) might be a bit much for a weekend stroll, but there are plenty of shorter, circular routes to follow in the area. The little village beneath Symonds Yat, meanwhile, is the best place to hire canoes to explore the Wye and its exciting bends and not-too-scary rapids. The Wyedean Canoe and Adventure Centre (www.wyedean.co.uk Tel: 01594 833238) offers hire, tuition and a guide if you need one. Land-lubbers are well-catered for too, with miles and miles of trails making for fab walking territory.

Drive half and hour east of Burghill, however, and you’ll find yourself in the pretty town of Ledbury, an ancient market town best known for its pretty black-and-white Tudor architecture, literary connections, annual Hunt and locally-made cider. Elizabeth Barrett Browning and John Masefield (author of The Box of Delights) both lived in the town, and have inspired Ledbury’s best-known annual event – the Ledbury Poetry Festival (www.poetry-festival.com Tel: 0845 458 1743). Held in July, the UK’s biggest poetry event attracts an amazing array of talent and is guaranteed to have something for everyone. Ledbury is also a great jumping-off point to explore the beautiful Malvern Hills -officially a British Area of Outstanding Beauty. On the borders of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, the 15km range of hills, appears to rise from nowhere and offers amazing views of the three counties beyond. This is, of course, amazing walking country, with dozens of paths and trails to follow, including the complete end-to-end Malvern Hills trail. The Malvern Hills official website (www.malvernhillsaonb.org.uk) has downloadable maps to follow.

Where can I eat?

For a special night out, venture into Hereford to sample the award-winning menus at La Rive (www.castlehse.co.uk Tel: 01432 356321). Head Chef Stuart McLeod delivers sophisticated dishes with a distinctly British slant – and well he might with the restaurant’s own home farm on hand to deliver the ingredients.

A little further afield, but equally amazing is The Bell Inn (www.thebellinyarpole.co.uk Tel: 01568 780359) at Yarpole, a twenty-minute drive from Burghill. Owned by Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi, The Bell offers a simple, but mouthwatering menu that has received high praise from locals and critics alike. If your fine dining tube still isn’t full, the gastro-mecca of Ludlow is only half an hour’s drive from Burghill, with its plethora of top restaurants, delis and Michelin-starred legend Mr Underhill’s (www.mr-underhills.co.uk Tel: 01584 874431).

For something a little more rustic, the pretty villages around Burghill and Hereford are full of pubs for pub grub or a quick snack. The lovely Three Crowns (www.threecrownsinn.com Tel: 01432 820279) in Ullingswick is a little more special - its delicious menus have won numerous awards, but the secluded location and real country pub feel to this little gem are totally conducive to a chilled-out afternoon.

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The closest most of us will get to a proper Austen-esque lifestyle, this stunning Georgian country house is a tranquil retreat, light years away from urban worries.