The Old Barn

  The Detail...

In the calm surrounds of the Chiltern Hills, The Old Barn is a romantic retreat which is easy to reach from London – it’s only around 40 miles away. Just outside Aylesbury, it has plenty of things to do within a short drive, and offers peace and quiet at its secluded spot in the Buckinghamshire village of Little Kimble.

A fine base for invigorating country walks, The Old Barn is aptly named – the converted outbuilding dates back to the 18th century. Inside, it’s rustic with a hint of modernity, partly due to the swish silver kitchen equipped with an oven, washing machine and dishwasher.

This forms part of the open-plan living space which features a plump sofa well worth sinking into, and has a TV and Wi-Fi too. Everything is on one level, so it all flows through to a lovely bathroom with bath and overhead shower, and a simply furnished but ever-so-comfortable double bedroom, looking out over the garden – a large space shared with the owners who live in the adjoining farmhouse.

The local area is perfect for meandering and meeting the wildlife, and if you’ve got a car you can drive to pubs and restaurants in just five minutes. The pretty market town of Wendover, around four miles from the village, has a good smattering of places to eat, drink and shop.

Aylesbury, not much further, is known for its Waterside Theatre and Odeon Cinema, but you may prefer to head west instead to see the university city of Oxford in all its glory. It’s just over 20 miles from The Old Barn, around halfway between Little Kimble and the Cotswolds.

A similar distance away, the fascinating story of wartime codebreaking is told at Bletchley Park, while beautiful Woburn Abbey and the nearby Woburn Safari Park continue to draw visitors to the area. Closer still, Waddesdon Park – a magnificent country house and gardens in the Aylesbury Vale – is a place of great splendour and worth setting some time aside for.

With nearby Wendover and Prince’s Risborough enjoying direct connections to the capital in well under an hour, a weekend break at The Old Barn is easy… although you may be tempted to stay that little bit longer.