Head to the East Midlands for an arty staycation and best of rural Britain

WITH nights drawing in and leaves crunching under- foot, it is the perfect time for a staycation to banish the back-to-school blues.

With that in mind, I embarked on a long weekend to explore the beautiful limestone village of King’s Cliffe near Peterborough, and its beautiful surrounds.

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Hall Farm, where a collection of fabulous self-catering properties is run by owners Sarah and Geoff, offered the perfect Northants escape.
My home for the weekend was a former hay barn called The Hayloft.

It’s spacious, cosy and spotlessly clean, flooded with light and full of period charm.

With beamed ceilings, original art on the walls, stylish furniture and all the high-spec touches you could ask for, it delivers the perfect mix of cottage style and creature comforts.

Enjoying a view of the local church from one window, a stable courtyard from another, I relaxed straight away, helped by a welcome glass of white wine sipped in my wood-fired hot tub.

There are lovely gardens to relax in — including a summer house stocked with a selection of home-made ice creams.

It was tempting to do little more than read my book while listening to the owls hooting in the background, but after a great night’s sleep it was time to explore the area.

It pays to have your own car, as from Hall Farm no fewer than four other counties lie within a short drive — Leicestershire, Cambridge-shire, Lincolnshire and the UK’s smallest, Rutland.

I didn’t have to go far to get inspired. The small village of King’s Cliffe is very picturesque, and known for its artistic community.

There’s an art gallery and teaching studio (oldbrewerystudios.co.uk) run by artists John and Jane Paige.

And if you’re inspired to get creative, there’s lots to have a go at nearby — and your well connected hosts at Hall Farm can help you organise it.

Try willow-weaving with a local expert, or hone your hipster skills at a woodcarving taster session.

Or visit the studio of local potter Richard Gibson, who offers taster workshops from £50 where you can have a go on a pottery wheel and create your own pieces.

More traditional weekend-away fun includes a stroll around the pretty market town of Stamford. Just over the border in Lincs, it is full of handsome Georgian buildings — more than 600 of which are listed.

SCULPTURE TRAIL

There are many independent shops to browse — and do rummage at the local antiques centre (st-martins-antiques.co.uk), where I pounced on potential Cash In The Attic treasures.

Plus, there are lots of great tea rooms for refuelling stops.

Back at base, after another soak in the hot tub, it was a quick leg- stretch down to the village pub, The Cross Keys, for dinner.

A character-filled traditional local with oak beams, inglenook fireplace and lots of nooks and crannies, it was the perfect place to tuck into posh pub fare and a glass of red.

They also offer takeaway meals if you’d rather eat at your beautiful courtyard back at the Hayloft.

For my final day, I decided to combine walking, fresh air and sightseeing on a visit to Elizabethan stately home Burghley House, a 20-minute drive away.

This magnificent pile was used as a stand-in for Windsor Castle in the upcoming series of The Crown.

With amazing gardens and park-lands as well as magnificent inter-iors, it’s a fine wet-weather option. But I was lucky enough to get sunshine so made the most of the outdoor sculpture trail.

As the weekend came to a close, I felt I’d enjoyed the best of a British autumn break, from cosy pubs and cream teas to crafts and historic houses.

This lesser-visited part of the country delivered it all.

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