Escape to the country

Save on the airfare and splash out on these gorgeous UK retreats this summer

When you're constantly hopping on and off planes, staying put might just offer the kind of R&R you need. Not to mention that when we're so focused on exploring the latest upand-coming destination, we often forget to look in our own backyard. From the remote beauty of the Lake District to stunning country manors accessible from London, embrace the art of slow travel this summer and enjoy a UK staycation.

LE MANOIR AUX QUAT'SAISONS, A BELMOND HOTEL

BEST FOR: Gardening and gastronomy On the outskirts of London in the quaint Oxfordshire hamlet of Great Milton lies Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, a 15th-century manor nestled in 11 hectares of land. Within minutes of exiting the motorway, we found ourselves in the fairytale-like Grade II*-listed premises, passing by juicy apricots along a medieval-walled driveway before reaching the entrance.

Four decades ago, chef-patron Raymond Blanc OBE decided to transform Lady Cromwell's house into a hotel and restaurant that flourishes in all four seasons (hence the name Quat'Saisons). On a miserable wet day in May, we put this to the test.

Today the hotel offers 32 luxurious rooms and suites, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, 11 manicured gardens, nine beehives, a 2,500-strong heritage orchard, and both a cookery and gardening school. The property lives by a garden-to-table ethos, its organic potager gardens supplying the kitchens with vegetables, salad and herbs.

Time disappeared as we explored the grounds, armed with a trusty umbrella and a beautifully illustrated map. We started in the wistful wisteria tunnel beside the Dovecote turret, its stonework facade patterned by trained fig trees, before heading into the courtyard to appreciate a circa 200-year-old chestnut tree. Along the way we spotted a chef picking ingredients to rustle up our dinner.