3 Pheasant Lane

3 Pheasant Lane sits at the quiet end of a lane on the outskirts of Bolsterstone, a small Peak District village. The cottage is surrounded by 37 acres of woodland, and once you're here, you genuinely forget that Stocksbridge is only two miles away. Sheffield is close enough for a day trip, but between the woodland and the reservoirs nearby, the week tends to fill itself.

It's a stone-built cottage, mostly on one level, which makes life easy for everyone from toddlers to grandparents. An open-plan living space runs from the kitchen through to the dining area and sitting room, with a log fire at one end and a well-equipped kitchen at the other. The breakfast bar is where everyone ends up standing around while dinner's being made. Underfloor heating keeps the whole place warm even in the depths of January, so the log fire is more atmosphere than necessity.

Two bedrooms sit on the ground floor. The king-size double has its own en-suite with a freestanding roll-top bath that earns its spot in the room. The second is another double with a modern shower room beside it. Up a spiral staircase, a mezzanine twin with its own basin and WC takes the top floor. The staircase is quirky and steep, so it tends to go to the teenagers or the adventurous.

Then there's the shepherd's hut. Tucked in the garden, it has a full-size double bed, its own shower room, and tea and coffee making facilities for an early morning cuppa without waking the house. It turns a six-person cottage into one that sleeps eight, and it gives one couple their own retreat. If you're travelling as a group of friends, someone will quietly stake their claim within minutes.

Outside, the terrace has a hot tub with nothing but fields ahead of it, a sauna a few steps away, and a wood-fired pizza oven and charcoal barbecue for nights when the kitchen can stay dark. The whole garden is fenced, which matters if you're bringing dogs. Two are welcome, with a £25 supplement per dog. They can roam freely while you soak.

Kieron, the owner, meets you on arrival to walk you through everything from the sauna to the pizza oven. He's at the end of the phone if you need anything but leaves you to it, and he checks in on the hot tub mid-stay. A welcome hamper with prosecco chilling in the fridge is waiting when you walk in.

Walks start straight from the front door. The reservoirs nearby are beautiful and full of wildlife, and you could spend a whole week exploring without repeating a route. Bolsterstone village is a 10 to 15 minute walk, where the pub saves you cooking at least one night. Fox Valley retail park is about a 10-minute drive for shops, and the Wortley Arms does a Sunday lunch worth pre-booking. Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall are within day-trip reach, with parking for two right outside the door.