Forest of Dean self-catering - Bristol and Cheltenham 20 miles

The Old Chapel Cottage in Yorkley, Gloucestershire - 2 bedrooms, sleeps 4

Prices per week range from £611 in low season to £824 in high season. The minimum booking period is 3 nights.

The Forest of Dean is a beautiful and unique area of south-west England with a magical and mysterious quality to it. The area was once a royal hunting ground for Norman kings. It is 12 miles from Gloucester, 10 miles from the border of Wales and 5 miles from the beautiful Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is an hour’s drive to the beautiful Regency town of Cheltenham, the roman baths town of Bath with its sweeping terraces, and a very short drive to the Wye Valley and Tintern Abbey. Chepstow racecourse is just 10 miles away.

The forest itself has the most beautiful scenery, and it is not only spectacular in the summer; spring and autumn are magical also. J K Rowling grew up in the Forest and gained inspiration for the Harry Potter adventures from the Forest's enchanting and mystical atmosphere.

Dennis Potter, Wordsworth and JRR Tolkien have also been inspired by it. Puzzlewood is where Tolkien is believed to have got his inspiration for Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings. The area is perfect for walkers, poets, birdwatchers, horse-riders, cyclists, canoeists, rowers, rock-climbers, abseilers, cavers, off-road drivers, clay pigeon shooters, mountain-bikers and fishermen.

The Old Chapel is situated up a small lane, the 3rd of 4 properties in a small village called Yorkley. You can literally start walking in the forest right from the doorstep! There are two local pubs in the village of Yorkley, one within a 3 minute walk and the other within a 12 minute walk; both serve food.

The village also has two convenience shops, a medical centre and a post-office.

Local tourist attractions include Go-Ape (the very popular high-wire forest adventure); Puzzlewood; the international St Pierre golf course; the Offas dyke Walk; Clearwell Caves; the Shambles Victorian Village; the Dick Whittington Farm Park; Taurus Crafts; the Dean Heritage Centre; the famous Symonds Yat where peregrins can be observed; the Nagshead Nature Reserve and the National Birds of Prey Centre. There is also the family cycle trail with designated forest tracks, the Dean Forest railway and even llama-trekking.