The Lazy Goose

The scent of a proper country breakfast drifts up the stairs before you've even opened your eyes — that's the sort of place this is.

The Lazy Goose sits in Stonehouse, in the gentle Cotswold fringes of Gloucestershire, and it's one for couples after a proper bed and a bit of comfort, walkers who've earned a hot shower, or anyone wanting a countryside base without sleeping on the ground. They've got camping pods if you want something in between canvas and four walls, plus traditional guest house rooms — a handy mix if your group can't agree on comfort levels. Worth asking ahead if you're bringing your dog.

Open all year, so it suits shoulder-season explorers and winter escapers as much as summer visitors. Check about campfires when you arrive if you're in a pod and hoping for an evening by the embers. It's the sort of spot that does the basics honestly — a warm welcome, a decent night's rest, and a send-off that'll see you through to lunch.