Places we’d love to visit…

The idyllic village is set on the Suffolk-essex border, known as Constable Country

Dedham

Rubbing shoulders with neighbouring Suffolk, this unspoilt patch of north Essex countryside, Constable Country, is so-called after the artist John Constable who lived among the rolling fields and water meadows. And these bucolic landscapes that have changed little in over 200 years are glorious to explore on foot, by bike or boat all year round.

Visit 16th-century Bridge Cottage at nearby Flatford Mill on the River Stour, once owned by Constable’s family. There’s a small exhibition and tearoom with a riverside terrace. You’ll also discover the location that was the inspiration for The Hay Wain, the artist’s most famous painting, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year.

Make a weekend of it by staying at Milsoms, a boutique country-house hotel in Dedham Vale channelling luxurious comfort with an urban edge. The atmospheric bar leads onto a relaxed brasserie restaurant serving inventive seasonal food with views of the mature gardens.

BOOK IT Double rooms start from £125 a night. Milsoms, Stratford Road, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6HW, milsomhotels.com/milsoms/

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT Explore the country lanes around Flatford Mill near Dedham; delicious desserts at Milsoms Hotel in Dedham Vale; take a boat out on the River Stour; one of the deluxe rooms at Milsoms