The beating heart of the South-West, Bristol is surrounded on every side by the most charming spots, not to mention the Kennet & Avon canal , which stretches east all the way to Reading. Bradford-on-Avon is one such location, an elegant town with Roman origins nestled between the Mendip Hills, Salisbury Plain and the Cotswold Hills and built of Bath stone.
Three miles away down the road in Holt, close to Trowbridge (where trains to Bristol run within 32 minutes), Holt Manor is on the market with Strutt & Parker for £5.95m.
The idyllic villages of Box and Avoncliff are also well situated for the Bristol commute, looking over Bath. Which brings us to Bath itself, the jewel of the West Country. Just 14 miles from Bristol, it's as few as 12 minutes on the train to get to Temple Meads.
Further south and west, the Taunton-Bristol train takes just 34 minutes. The town, surrounded as it is by the Quantock Hills and Blackdown Hills AONBs, is awash with country greenery.
Crowcombe village in the Quantocks is home to Crowcombe Court, the 300-year-old seat of the Carew family until the 1960s. Schooling ticks the box, too, with King’s College Taunton and Wellington School in close proximity, plus Millfield is 30 miles up the road in Street.
Other towns, such as Cheltenham, 45 minutes from Temple Meads, hardly need an introduction. House prices rose here more rapidly than anywhere else in the UK last year, so look to the angelic Bourton-on-the-Water, Shipton Oliffe and Winchcombe – home to Sudeley Castle – all within half an hour of Cheltenham, for housing stock outside the centre. And south of Cheltenham, wind your way to Miserden, two miles from the A419, for a model Cotswolds village.
Alternatively, cross the Severn Bridge to Chepstow, home of the races and the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain, and find yourself a home in Wales, just an hour from Temple Meads station (or a 30-minute drive).
The property stock is varied, but whitewashed Georgian townhouses are a winner. Bristol is also just 40 minutes from the dramatically beautiful Brecon Beacons – the train from Abergavenny to Temple Meads is a little over an hour, but if you’re willing to drive, it’s a 50-mile journey that comes in just under the one-hour limit.
Holt – £5,950,000
The nine-bedroom Holt Manor is a Grade II-listed manor house which dates back to the 17th century, approached over a gravelled carriage driveway through impressive entrance gates to a turning circle which reveals the handsome facade. It's a huge, sprawling home: there are, among other rooms, a library, study, utility room, boot room, playroom and several cellars.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details about this property.
Crowcombe – £585,000
This beautiful, thatched cottage set in half an acre of gardens has all manner of beautiful 16th century features including cross passage hall, kitchen/breakfast room with an Aga and a fabulous inglenook fireplace.
For sale with Fine & Country. See more pictures and details about this property.
Abergavenny – £1,700,000
This is not just a house, it's an estate. The centrepiece is the nine-bedroom, 10-reception room manor house, but there are two coach houses and a lodge house also included. Then there's the 78 acres of land including stables, paddock, tennis courts, two lakes and a sunken walled garden.
For sale with Newland Rennie. See more pictures and details about this property.
East Huntspill – £740,000
Within minutes of the beaches of Burnham-on-Sea and with easy access to the M5, this five-bedoom house comes with two acres of land that include a paddock and an orchard.
For sale with Berrymans. See more pictures and details about this property.
Credit: Alamy
250 years of Bath’s Royal Crescent: From Druidic influences to big screen fame
2017 marks 250 years since the first foundation stone was laid.
Credit: tim gartside / Alamy Stock Photo
The best places to live near Edinburgh – and what you could get for your money
Looking for the perfect spot from which to enjoy the country life while working in Edinburgh? Eleanor Doughty picks out
Credit: Jonathan Stone / Savills
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s original River Cottage up for sale as part of a magnificent estate
Elegant Slape Manor at Netherbury in west Dorset comes with four cottages, including the delightful River Cottage.
The Cotswolds manor house rumoured to be Prince Harry and Meghan's new home
Luckington Court has returned to the market after 70 years.
A Dartmoor manor house with its own hydro-electricity, and space for horses and helicopters
Holystreet Manor lies in a sweep of the River Teign and some magnificent ancient woodland.
The Royal Crescent Hotel review: 'A dreamy place of peace and quiet'
Where period charm meets contemporary living.
-
Vertigo at Victoria Falls, a sunset surrounded by lions and swimming in the Nile: A journey from Cape Town to CairoWhy do we travel and who inspires us to do so? Chris Wallace went in search of answers on his own epic journey the length of Africa.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
