Nempnett Farmhouse

Nempnett Farmhouse is a stone-built cottage on a working farm in Nempnett Thrubwell, a tiny hamlet south of Blagdon in the Mendip Hills. The property sits next to the owner's farm, and the surroundings feel genuinely rural without being remote. Eight cars fit off-road on the drive, with extra roadside space if you need it.

Inside, the original stonework sets the tone. The dining room is the standout, centred around the table with exposed stone walls and a feature fireplace that makes a Sunday roast feel like an event. The kitchen next door runs on a range cooker with a gas hob and an electric oven, two fridge-freezers, and enough worktop space that twelve people can self-cater for a full week without crowding.

Beyond the kitchen, the sitting room is the kind you sink into and forget to leave. A woodburning stove (starter pack included) handles cold evenings, and two massage chairs sit in the hallway for anyone who has spent the day walking the Mendips and needs loosening up. A small study off the main rooms gives someone a quiet corner to catch up on work or just get five minutes alone.

Five bedrooms are split across the upper floors. Two super-king-size rooms and a king-size sit off the main landing, with a twin alongside them. The family room, reached via its own staircase from the hallway, has a super-king-size bed and two singles, which works well for parents who want their younger children close but separate from the main corridor. Three bathrooms share the load, including one with a roll-top bath. Blackout-lined blinds go across every bedroom, and the beds are properly comfortable.

The enclosed rear garden is where the house earns its reputation with families. A wide lawn runs back from the patio, with a children's slide, outdoor furniture, and a charcoal BBQ. The external games room keeps everyone busy on wet afternoons, with a pool table, table tennis, and darts. Once the children are worn out and the evening settles, the hot tub is the last stop of the day. Little light pollution this far into the Mendips means the stargazing is genuinely good, and the birdsong through the morning is the kind of alarm clock you do not mind.

Meg, the owner, leaves homemade muffins on arrival, fresh milk in the fridge, and a handwritten welcome on the kitchen blackboard. Birthday banners go up if she knows it is a celebration. She responds fast if anything needs sorting and stays out of the way when it does not.

One well-behaved dog is welcome, with a second at £25. Blagdon village is 2.7 miles away, with two pubs, two small shops, and a cafe. Blagdon Lake is two miles away for fishing, and Chew Valley Lake is a short drive further with a cafe and children's play area. Wells is worth an afternoon for the cathedral and Wookey Hole Caves. Cheddar Gorge sits to the south, Bristol opens up a full day out from the SS Great Britain to the harbourside restaurants, and Weston-super-Mare is about 12 miles if the weather calls for the coast.