Cool Place of the Day: Cruckbarn, Herefordshire

It’s not every day you get the chance to sleep in someone’s vision, but that is exactly what Cruckbarn is – a self-realised labour of love built to provide a delectable country escape that’s perfect both for couples looking for a secluded bolthole or jaded city families who are after a deeply rural break with easy access to the great outdoors.

An oak-framed, barn-like structure, with a vaulted roof (formed by the “cruck” frame) straddling one giant room, it's a cosy place, with a log-burner fuelled by a plentiful supply of logs from the woods outside, wi-fi, but not much of a phone signal (which may be a blessing), and a Bluetooth music system and digital radio as well as a vinyl record deck for those (ahem...) of a certain age.

But – deliberately perhaps – there is no TV. Cruckbarn is also as eco-friendly as you like: the beams are fashioned from oak sourced from the nearby forest, and the building is clad in timber, reclaimed slates and breathable, old-fashioned lime; it also boasts under-floor heating and hot water provided by a ground source heat pump.

As for the location, you could honestly throw away the car keys and walk the surrounding forest and fields to your heart’s content. There is access to a fire pit, hammock, woodland swing and kite – which even novices should be able to fly up here – and Wigmore village is just a mile away down the hill, with a couple of good pubs and an excellent village shop, not to mention the ruins of an ancient castle.

Cool Places is a website from the creators of Rough Guides and Cool Camping, suggesting the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop in Britain (coolplaces.co.uk)