Just six miles north of the beautiful city of York, Claxton Grange consists of a total of 14 properties and stands within 16 acres of private grounds, encompassing woodland, orchards and a wildlife pond.

Formerly a working farm, it now offers spacious and very comfortable accommodation for visitors, together with an excellent range of facilities to enjoy on site, including an indoor heated swimming-pool, games room and hard tennis court. All the properties have recently been completely renovated, Hutton, and The Farmhouse have their own garden, Hockney has a shared courtyard and shared lawn area.

The Farmhouse offers two sitting rooms, a very spacious farmhouse kitchen and five bedrooms, making it ideal for large families or groups, while the cottages also offer attractive and roomy accommodation, all with cosy electric `wood burners' in open fireplaces. With such comfortable surroundings, a wealth of interesting places on the doorstep, and superb countryside to explore, this is a wonderful base for a holiday at any time of the year.

York is always a delight to visit, with plenty to see and do for all members of the family. Still retaining the look and feel of its medieval past, it is dominated by the magnificent Minster, with its superb array of stained glass windows, some of the finest in England. The city's museums are second to none, with a great variety on offer. The renowned Jorvik Viking Centre gives a vivid description of Viking Age York, while the National Railway Museum and Castle Museum provide further excellent excursions. A walk around the ancient city walls makes a good introduction to the city, its medieval centre still full of narrow cobbled streets, once housing the city's craftsmen. Now picturesque and flower-decked, they are crammed with little specialist shops, including antiques and jewellery, with frequent street players adding to the atmosphere.

After a day of sightseeing, there is a very good choice of restaurants and riverside inns to relax in, or a boat trip up the river offers another way to while away a leisurely afternoon. Other places to visit include Castle Howard, one of England's grandest houses, in a beautiful parkland setting, Nunnington Hall, and the majestic ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, all of which are within easy reach of the cottages. Also just a few miles away is the market town of Pickering, gateway to the North York Moors National Park.

This is fine walking country, with a high, heather-clad plateau cut by deep, secluded valleys, where little, grey-stone villages cluster about a stream. Pickering is also the terminus of the moors steam railway, which runs northwards to picturesque Goathland and Grosmont. The coastal resorts of Filey, Scarborough and Whitby are all within 40 miles, making them accessible for day trips, and there is racing at York, Thirsk, Ripon, Beverley and Wetherby. Closer to home, Clifton Moor offers bowling and a multi-cinema complex just 6 miles away.

"A gracious manor and cottages of mellow stone . . . between history-steeped hills and a coast of golden sands . . ."
Standing proudly at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, on the edge of the glorious Northumberland National Park and only 15 miles from the alternating sands and rocks of the coastline, Akeld Manor cottages offer the perfect setting for a holiday in England's fascinating and beautiful Border country.

The gracious Manor House and its cluster of cottages and mellow stone buildings have been sensitively renovated and converted to create an outstanding collection of holiday properties - all with shared use of a superb choice of facilities.

A leisure building houses a wide range of amenities (available daily, all the year round) which include an indoor heated swimming-pool with changing and shower facilities, a Jacuzzi, sauna and sunbed. There is a well-equipped multi-gym, too, and the first floor of the building features a large games room (with pool table, table tennis and football game) and a separate snooker room with full-size antique table.

The cottages are set in acres of shared grounds, which offer space for relaxing and for children to play, and they lie within 2 miles of the shops and inns at Wooler.

The Northumberland National Park stretches south through Kielder and Wark Forests as far as Hadrian's Wall, and north to the Scottish border. Long stretches of sand can be found lining the coast south of Berwick-upon-Tweed (16 miles). At Beal (13 miles), the road to Holy Island runs gently down to the shore, where it becomes a causeway covered and impassable at high tide. These quaint cottages, some of which have originally been cartsheds and byres are charmingly set in small groups within the spacious and colourful grounds. The large Manor House (which provides accommodation for parties of 15), also has a splendid large walled garden allowing total privacy.

The setting of these cosy cottages is intriguing, many with small courtyards and gardens, a truly interesting and imaginative conversion full of detail and character - the individual and tasteful interiors are delightful.

This splendid eight-bedroom manor house was once the main house of the estate. It is set separately from the courtyard, and has its own fine walled garden. Offering spacious accommodation for up to fifteen people, it has a utility room with pool table. Entrance hall leading to large sitting-room with open fire and dining-room. Snug with open fire and TV. Airy farmhouse kitchen with Aga. Cloakroom/W.C. Maid's pantry/laundry. First floor: Very large master double bedroom with (5ft bed), and sitting area with TV. Single bedroom. Nursery with two cots. Two twin-bedded rooms. Two further double bedrooms, one with four-poster bed (5ft). Two bathroom/W.C.s, one with bidet. Large shower room/W.C. Second floor: Two bedrooms with sloping ceilings; one double and one twin-bedded.
EXTENSIVE INDOOR FACILITIES: *Indoor heated swimming-pool and Jacuzzi with shower and full changing facilities (available daily all year round; 8am to 10pm) *Sauna (foc) with small sitting area *Sunbed (coin-operated) *Fully equipped fitness room *Games room with table tennis and football game *Separate snooker room with full-size antique table (for adults only) *Separate pool table with 2 coin-operated tables

"Views towards Bamburgh Castle over harbour and sea - within two miles of Beadnell's sweeping sands . . ."
With fine views across the little harbour and its working quayside (not Gull's Crest or Crag End), Farne House Cottages are within a few hundred yards of the shops, restaurants, inns and other amenities of the fishing village and colourful seaside resort of Seahouses. Converted and refurbished to extremely high standards throughout, the properties here are grouped around a central courtyard only yards away from a fine indoor heated swimming-pool and sauna. Available all the year round, the pool has a constant depth of 4ft6inand features a south-facing glass sun lounge to one side.

Within easy walking distance, the bustling harbour boasts a fleet of brightly painted fishing cobbles and a few larger boats, and the town itself provides a good range of facilities, including golf, sailing, water-skiing and horse riding. There are calm weather boat trips to the offshore Farne Islands, a wildlife sanctuary for puffins, oyster-catchers, kittywakes, guillemots and grey seals. The 28 islands form a nature reserve owned by the National Trust and, though half of them are submerged at high tide, landing is allowed daily in summer on the largest, Farne Island - where there is a nature trail, lighthouse and 14th-century chapel. At Beadnell, 2miles to the south, the dune-backed sands of Beadnell Bay provide ideal conditions for water sports.

Formerly an important fishing village and smugglers' haunt, Beadnell now enjoys a reputation as a centre for sailing and has the unique distinction of being the only East Coast port with a west-facing harbour. The sandy beach running the length of the bay is safe for swimming and is overlooked by 18th-century lime kilns. In the village stands a three-storey, 16th-century peel tower, which now forms part of an inn. Five minutes' drive to the north of Farne House Cottages stands the mighty fortress of Bamburgh Castle, easily visible across the wide stretch of sand from Seahouses.

Just a few miles further on is yet more historical, natural and scenic interest at Holy Island. Here, the fairytale Lindisfarne Castle was first a 16th-century fort, then a ruin which was redesigned by Edwin Lutyens in 1902and is now owned by the National Trust. Inland is a country of massive hills and moors, fast rivers and great forests. Between the Cheviots and the sea, there is easy touring through fields of corn and pastures dotted with solid stone hamlets and lined by dry-stone walls which patchwork the countryside.
OFF-SEASON HOLIDAYS AND SHORT BREAKS: Out-of-season holidays: when the dramatic coastline and magnificent inland hills and moors exhibit a wildness and grandeur quite different from the Summer months. Walks and days out in the Autumn, Winter and early Spring are all the more enjoyable when a welcoming return awaits at these very comfortable and cosy properties. All are fully heated and available all the year round for both weekly holidays and Short Breaks of two, three or four nights. And, of course, the indoor heated swimming-pool is open 24 hours a day throughout the year.

Tucked away in a peaceful and secluded village setting, these five comfortably furnished cottages are set in an idyllic location, only 5miles from the spectacular Bamburgh Castle and one of the longest sandy beaches in England, and within a few minutes' drive of Seahouses, where regular boat trips depart for the Farne Islands.
Between the Cheviots and the sea , there is easy touring through the beautiful countryside with its numerous castles, stately homes and National Trust properties. Furnished to a high standard, and close to the owners' home, Fordson offers single-storey accommodation and Ferguson is a detached two-storey cottage. The Mill House stands as a detached converted barn, with Waren View and The Granary Cottage forming an adjoining pair.
This is an ideal choice for family holidays, with use of a very pleasant lawned area by a stream where visitors can enjoy barbecues. There is also shared use of the owners' hard tennis court nearby.
Warenford Village serves as an excellent base from which to discover Northumberland and the Scottish border country. Just 4miles distant lies Budle Bay, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as an SSSI, with the ancient walled town of Berwick-upon-Tweed (15miles) and the Duchess of Northumberland's ornamental gardens a short drive away.
Created to rival the best in Europe, the gardens are contemporary in design and include waterfalls and cascading plumes set within landscaped grounds with themed planted areas. Also sure to delight both young and old alike is a visit to neighbouring Alnwick Castle, which served as the location for the Harry Potter films. Home of the Percy family, it stands as the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor Castle, with some of its rooms open to the public and displaying a wealth of decorative and fine art.
Within easy reach, too, is Holy Island - renowned for its medieval religious heritage, priory and picturesque castle - and also known by its Anglo-Saxon name of Lindisfarne. Accessed by a paved causeway at low tide, the island is popular with bird-watchers and nature lovers, with the north-western portion of the island being maintained as a nature reserve, where terns, plovers and seals can be observed. Whilst on the island, a trip to The Museum of Island Life will reveal former living and working conditions there, and St Aidan's Winery tempts visitors with its sweet concoction of local Lindisfarne Mead.
There are quiet country lanes for cycling and several excellent golf courses nearby, as well as a selection of shops in Belford (3miles) and good inns and restaurants in which to enjoy a family meal locally - the nearest pub with restaurant being just 30yards. Guests may use the swimming-pool and sauna on site.

Micklewood Park is situated in the parkland grounds of the magnificent Longhirst Hall with its fine Northumbrian food and stylish bars, a few miles north of Morpeth and perfectly placed to discover Northumberland's glorious coastline, countryside, castles, friendly villages and exciting cities.

A wonderful environment for a family holiday where children receive a backpack full of goodies, and are encouraged to become nature detectives when they join the Secret Squirrel' club. They can visit the challenging outdoor adventure play area, or if weather forbids there is 'The Den', with table tennis, pool and a wide variety of games free to guests.
The park has a golf course, tennis courts and for larger parties, a cricket pitch, football and hockey, or try jogging through the extensive woodland and parkland. This environmentally friendly park commits to recycling and proudly supports 'Red Alert', the SOS of British Woodlands - `Save our Squirrels'. Activities and visits can be booked onsite, anything from a birthday cake, sailing, shooting, to hot air ballooning, and if you can't escape, internet access is here too.
The house offers spacious and comfortable accommodation set in relaxing, tranquil surroundings. Half board options can be booked on arrival to dine in The Hall. An ideal place for long weekends or that important family get together.
Visitors will love to explore the surrounding countryside with trips from the bustling seaside village of Seahouses to the Farne Islands, to visit the seals. Alnwick, with its majestic castle, famous for Harry Potter films, only 30 minutes. A wonderful central location to discover one of the friendliest and unspoilt counties in England. Within the grounds of The Hall there is the choice of two bars and a restaurant.

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These three pretty stone cottages are set on a quiet road overlooking open countryside on the heritage coastal route midway between Alnwick and Seahouses.

Furnished and equipped to provide traditional, comfortable accommodation a perfect retreat to relax and a central base to explore the most tranquil county in England.

Guests are welcome to roam the owners farmland with its many bridle walks. A large detached games room is a popular with the children.

Practically on the doorstep of your cottage you have the coast with its long, silver beaches complemented by striking castles. Craster is a picturesque fishing village with the most delicious kippers and a walk to Dunstanburgh Castle, voted in the top ten walks in Britain, just a short drive, as is Alnmouth a peaceful seaside resort with superb beaches and two golf courses.

Alnwick, famous for its ornamental gardens, with Europe's largest Water Garden, and the magnificent 11th century castle a short drive. Seahouses, a bustling harbour seaside resort is only 10 minutes. The coastline is peppered with small fishing villages and inland you have the hills and forests between the Cheviots and the sea.

A beautiful region of unspoilt coast and rural landscapes. Shops and pubs 11/2 miles. Ref 23225, 23226 and 23227 can all be booked together to accommodate up to 14 guests.al Factory are also close by. And for a great day out the famous Eden Project is just an hour's drive.

Games room with pool table, table tennis & table football. Enclosed garden with sitting out area & furniture.