Foxtail Lodge

Straddling the Norfolk-Suffolk borders, deep in the heart of Thetford Forest, Foxtail Lodge at Glebe Cottage provides a golden opportunity to get right up close to nature without forgoing modern comforts. It's just a couple of hours from London, yet such is the bucolic beauty of this often passed-over corner of East Anglia, you may feel like you've travelled much further. You can, if you wish, just turn up and throw away the car keys for the duration of your stay – the forest and its various attractions could keep you occupied for days, weeks even, and there are plenty of amenities such as shops, cafes, and a couple of pubs a 20-minute stroll away through the woods – The Beddingfield Arms comes highly recommended. If you don’t fancy venturing far for food, there are plenty of delivery options from nearby Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and Turkish restaurants. And if you do crave the comforts of a town centre, you're just a two- and a five-minute drive respectively from the pleasant country towns of Brandon in Suffolk and Thetford in Norfolk.

A woodland retreat like no other, Foxtail Lodge is an open-plan property that brings together a kitchen, dining area, sitting room and bedroom into one cosy, self-contained space, with an en-suite bathroom attached. It’s like your very own hotel-suite-cum-cabin-in-the-woods, complete with hooting owls at night and forest walks right on your doorstep – there’s even a log burner for winter evenings to up the cosiness levels. It's a lovely setting by any standards – a romantic cabin for couples that's very secluded, yet right next door to a larger property, where your hosts Jennifer and Tim live. They're on hand should you need anything, but they've made sure most bases are covered, with a light and airy interior that has everything you need for a self-catering break, and gives way to a private patio with outside seating for two and the lodge's luxurious hot tub – perfect for a spot of stargazing in what is without doubt one of the UK's best Dark Sky locations.

Foxtail Lodge is a truly romantic place to stay for a pair of nature lovers: its unique location has easy access to multiple walks and lots of wildlife. As such, the natural delights of the forest should be more than enough to keep you occupied for a while. But it's also worth knowing that Thetford Forest is home to various outdoor activities – for example, at the nearby High Lodge activity centre you can rent bikes, pick up trails and indulge in a bit of adventure golf or archery, or even take part in a 'forest bathing' session. Forest Live concerts are also hosted there – 2024 headliners include Tom Jones, Sting and Olly Murs. There's a Go Ape location nearby, with high-wire fun and Segway hire, while the neolithic flint mine of Grimes Grave is also worth a visit. Your hosts have a wealth of local recommendations too – their secret gems are the enchanting Gooderstone Water Gardens and the glorious moated Tudor mansion of Oxborough Hall. There are decent pubs and restaurants in Brandon and Thetford and the excellent Elveden Inn not much further away. The stunning North Norfolk Coast makes for a great day trip with Burnham Market, Brancaster Beach and the famous Royal West Norfolk Golf Club around an hour away.