Hamdown Lodge

Escape to the Somerset countryside and you can explore an endless network of walking and cycling routes, with wide-open vistas and waterways to discover around the Levels. A mile from this high-end holiday home, Langport claims to be the smallest town in England and lies at a crossing point on the River Parrett.

Stroll the water’s edge, follow a 3.6-mile circular trail to the English Heritage-managed Muchelney Abbey, then refuel at a fine range of inns and eateries; overlooking the moors, Walter Bagehot Town Garden makes a lovely picnic spot. Further afield, must-see sites include Glastonbury Tor (12.5 miles), county town Taunton (15 miles) and, beyond, the Quantock Hills National Landscape.

Burnham-on-Sea (22 miles) has one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe and attractions to amuse all ages, or visit Tudor Barrington Court (9 miles), Elizabethan Montacute House (11 miles) and the Fleet Air Arm Museum (9 miles). With far-reaching country views to the rear, this striking residence presents the perfect mix of modern living and rural charm.

A utility room welcomes you inside, through a door to the right is the first of the five bedrooms a double room, ideal for anyone wanting the flexibility of single-storey living, to the left there’s a handy cloakroom with WC. A second door to the left of the utility opens into a light-filled kitchen/breakfast room, with contemporary country-style cabinets, bar-style seating at a central island unit, and doors onto the garden.

Adjacent, the dining room has dual-aspect windows, more doors onto the garden, and leads into a gorgeous reception room which can also be accessed directly from the utility room. An efficient ground source heat pump ensures warmth at any time of year, but for added ambience after dark, fire up the wood burner, switch on the Smart TV and enjoy some home-from-home entertainment.