Valency Wood, near Boscastle, Cornwall, England
VALENCY WOOD is at its best in springtime, when the orchid meadows that surround it begin to bloom and bluebells carpet the forest floor. Beyond the 140-acre confines, the self-catering cottage—which can happily accommodate six people and three dogs—is flanked by farmland. The valley, two miles east of Boscastle and five south of Crackington Haven, slopes all the way down to the ocean at Boscastle Harbour. Here, you’ll find proper Cornish tearooms and plenty of inns. The interiors have a paredback country aesthetic: white walls and a polished, dark wooden floor; a white, wrought-iron spiral staircase, tongue-andgroove panelling and an Instagram-worthy rose-pink kitchen. It’s pretty and put-yourfeet-up-practical at the same time—exactly what you want on a Cornish staycation. Valency Wood is available to rent through Unique Homestays, from £1,250 for a long weekend or midweek stay and £1,695 per week (www.uniquehomestays.com/selfcatering/uk/cornwall/boscastle/valencywood/)