There’s something special about holing up in a cabin – perhaps it’s because they’re usually snug and cosy, with wood-burning stoves and big comfy beds, or perhaps because they’re usually tucked away in the wildest corners of mountain and forest. Fancier than camping but still all about the simple life, little cabins make the perfect base for hiking and swimming adventures. and these ten charming cabins are some of the loveliest you can stay in across Britain.
Ten of the best cosy cabins in the UK
Mountain Cabin, The Lake District
You have to really want to escape to this magical, moveable mountain hut – it takes a 30-minute hike into the hills to reach this tiny house. Don’t wait around to go searching for the Mountain Cabin, though – it moves every few months to a new location. Wherever in the Lake District National Park the cabin is parked up, this is the perfect base for packing your swimsuit in your rucksack and going in search of Cumbria’s famous ‘pots’ – deep river pools with beautifully clear turquoise water that are wonderful for a cooling splash on a hot summer’s day. Seek out Black Moss Pot, where you can jump off high rocks into the water, or lesser-known Tongue Pot, a necklace of inviting little pools in a deep green valley. Back at the cabin, a hot shower and a wood burner will warm the cockles.
From £155 per night, Kip Hideaways
Daisy Cabin, Hertfordshire
Longing to escape the city? Meet Daisy – she’s a charming little cabin sleeping two, tucked away in a rural corner of Hertfordshire and just a few hours by car from London. Daisy is part of a working farm, so you can expect to hear the resident ducks or local tractors trundling by, but otherwise you’ll have total peace and quiet in this snug little home. There’s a wood burner for winter stays and a BBQ if the sun comes out, plus hiking trails go straight past the door – the perfect recipe for a spot of rural relaxation.
From £125 per night, Canopy and Stars
Ditchling Cabin, Sussex
Spend a weekend messing around on the water at Ditchling Cabin, which perches on the edge of its very own private lake in a woody corner of Sussex. In front of this airy lodge a wide wooden platform floats on the water and there are three pontoons and a gaggle of rowing boats and rafts to dive off or paddle about with, making this the perfect place to stay for adventurous older children and wild swimming lovers alike. The huge main bedroom sleeps two, and two little box beds suitable for children are hidden away in the cosy sitting room.
From £350 per night, Ditchling Cabin
Eagle Brae cabins, Scottish Highlands
Picture the perfect traditional log cabin of your staycation dreams, roaring fire inside and mountains stretching into the distance outside, and it will probably look rather like Eagle Brae. 10 luxurious log lodges with wood stoves, tall ceilings and carved balconies (some even have their own sauna), each sleeping 2-6, form a little village of cabins in the heart of 8,000 acres of Scottish wilderness. Glen Affric is nearby and there’s a lake on your doorstep, making Eagle Brae a Highland haven for hiking and salmon fishing.
From £204 per night, Eagle Brae
The Boathouse, Cumbria
A rather modernist take on the traditional wooden cabin, the elegant Boathouse is all blonde wood and picture windows, looking out over Derwentwater. The inside of this smart former boathouse is surprisingly snug, sleeping two in comfort, and outside you’ve got the Lingholm Estate, which the cabin is part of, and which was once a summer holiday spot for Beatrix Potter, as well as the wild mountains and picture-perfect lakes of Cumbria to explore.
From £227 per night, The Lingholme Estate
Waterlily Cabin, Cambridgeshire
This well-named little cabin perches on the edge of its own wild swimming pond, with a tempting pontoon to leap off of (or to sunbathe on on the sunniest days of summer). Inside sleeps two and is delightfully snug, with big windows overlooking the water, and come nighttime, you can light up the firepit and listen out for frogs.
From £110 per night, Kip Hideaways
The Arc, Cambridgeshire
Escape to a simpler time at The Arc, a small but perfectly formed cabin fit for two and with a delightfully old-fashioned feel to it. Expect quilts, woollen blankets and vintage china inside – there’s also a mezzanine sleeping platform and a cosy wood stove. Out-of-doors, the Arc is surrounded by farmland and countryside to tramp about in, and you’ll be in good company – Kenneth Grahame is said to have drawn inspiration for The Wind in The Willows nearhere.
From £155 per night, Canopy and Stars
Idaho Cabin, East Sussex
Find a slice of frontier life rather closer to home than Idaho – in the forests of Sussex. At Forest Gardens you’ll find four wooden cabins as well as two yurts to choose from, but our favourite is Idaho, which is perfectly sized to be a lovely escape for two, with a living space complete with stove downstairs and a mezzanine sleeping loft reached up a ladder. Outside you’ll find a roomy covered porch for alfresco lunches as well as a fire pit for evening marshmallow toasting. The Forest Garden also offer foraging and woodworking courses on-site if you fancy learning a new skill during your stay.
From £135, Forest Garden
Log Jam, Cornwall
You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d landed in the Wild West at Log Jam, a sprawling wooden cabin with a wraparound veranda that looking out at the surrounding trees – but this cabin is actually in a woodsy corner of Cornwall. Inside is surprisingly luxurious, with big windows, a warming stove and a wonderfully welcoming bedroom hidden behind a secret door. You have to walk half a mile down a dirt track to reach this special place – a proper off-grid escape, perfect if you’re craving a peaceful break.
From £135 per night, Little Menherion
The Lodge at Edenhall, Cumbria
Fall asleep to the rushing sound of the river at The Lodge, a traditional log cabin perched on the banks of the River Eamont in Cumbria. You’re on land belonging to the sprawling Edenhall Estate here, but you’ll feel like you’re totally lost in the woods – you’re unlikely to see another soul as you soak in the hot tub or catch fish a few steps from the cabin’s porch. If you can bear to leave the Lodge to go exploring, the Lake District’s glorious landscapes are easy to access.
From £334 per night, Canopy and Stars
