Six cosy cabins under £100 per night

It’s a mystery how two old goods wagons came to be in such a remote spot in the Brecon Beacons, but when you’re sitting out on the deck over the river, with a cup of tea and a stunning view down the valley, you’ll be too relaxed to wonder about it much. The space has a magical feel, decked out with fairy lights and sitting over the bridge from where you park, like an island floating in a sea of green. It’s a simple place, designed to let you connect with nature or whoever you’re taking with you. The night skies are stunningly clear as you’d expect from a Dark Sky reserve and the nearest building is across the valley.

You’ll see buzzards and red kites, maybe hares and badgers, and hear owls hunting at dusk. Drop in to the two walkable locals - the Llanthony Priory Hotel and the Half Moon.

On a ridge just above the cottage, a fire bowl and tree stump chairs are set up to catch the evening sunshine. When it’s finally time to turn in, you’ll climb up to the mezzanine bedroom and sleep soundly on the big double bed with not a sound to disturb you until you’re woken by birdsong.

A few minutes away through a woodland walk, is the house that Irma lives in. You won’t bump into her, unless you head up to help out with the chickens or bees. Irma is a font of local knowledge and has left a couple of tips, including a hand-drawn map of a great walk, to get you started. There’s the Caws Teifi cheese farm and Da Mhile distillery. For some beach time, try Mwnt or Penbryn, or come home via Nantgwynfaen farm shop and retreat to the cottage for a quiet dinner in the woods and some fire bowl stargazing.

The Little Hut sits at the edge of a rolling field in the Norfolk countryside, waiting to give you a taste of the quiet life. The hut itself is just your bedroom, with twin beds and a little veranda where you can sit out in the morning.

During the summer months The Little Hut is only bookable as part of The Camping Meadow, which is when the whole place comes to life as the ultimate outdoor, chilled-out festival, party venue. You take the whole site exclusively, perfect for family and friends, but out of season it’s a wonderfully calm place to get away for a couple of days.

You can get to know Sarah and Rachel and let their extensive knowledge of the area send you off along the trails of the broads or on day trips out to the coast. Indulge yourself with on-site yoga sessions, visit the seals at Blakeney Point.

Behind Sean & Alex's landmark house and across the walled garden, you’ll find your snug, seaside hideaway. Unassuming on the outside, the interior has been given a full makeover and plenty of luxuries. There’s a wood burner for the cooler evenings, and a mini kitchen with oak breakfast bar and views of the bay. The bathroom has a beautiful double-ended bath and a nautical porthole window that reminds you of your coastal surroundings, although with the faint sound of the waves lapping below as you drift off, you probably won’t have forgotten.

French doors open onto the lawn, and after a little wander you’ll find the secret garden overlooking the cove below. For more sea and golden sand, Halzephron is a perfect launch pad for miles of secluded beaches and a selection of local fishing villages that offer delicious, fresh seafood.

Pen-y-Fan cabin is named for the mountain visible in the distance as part of the sweeping, spectacular views it commands. The walk up Garway hill leads through fields where wild ponies run free, to unmatched 360 views of Herefordshire. For flatter rambling, head to Skenrith castle about a mile away and walk the riverbanks before coming back through historic Garway village and maybe stopping for a pint at The Moon.

Part of the joy of being here is the cabin itself. Pen-y-fan, The Graig and The Cat's Back, its sister cabins next door, have an innovative design that gives you space and a taste of the simple life. There’s a hammock and swing below the raised deck, so you can idle in front of the beautiful landscape and a BBQ area if you want to cook up some of the farm’s own superb produce.

A curious combination of simple frontier cabin and cheery, colourful beach hut. The broad deck, plain wooden frontage and simple firepit make you think wilderness, while the striped fabrics of the interior and the burgundy paint of the wood-burner are much more ‘cosy cottage’. Even more surprising is the use of the space. The bed is on a mezzanine level that leaves the ground floor nice and roomy, while the shower and compost loo are through a hidden door just opposite the entrance.

Hiking or biking is a must while at Caban Crwn, or any of the handful of Beudy Banc cabins that dot the hillside. The downhill bike trails are spectacular and you’re within striking distance of the famous Howie’s Endero route. For a more leisurely journey, Machynlleth is just five miles away and can furnish you with the perfect end to all good walks or rides, a stop in a great country pub.