If you're looking to cut yourself off from the wider world for a while, this quaint and quirky cottage helps you to do so. Located on Osea Island in the middle of the River Blackwater, it's only accessible by road for four hours out of every twelve, although a water taxi or helicopter can get there during high tide. Inside your cosy home, the design is decidedly rustic, with a big tan-coloured tufted sofa, wooden floorboards and an ivy-strewn four-poster bed positioned next to a wood-burning stove. Outside, there's alfresco seating where you can sit and enjoy the tranquillity. However, if that strikes you as a little inactive, guests have access to a shared outdoor heated swimming pool. The small size of the island — no more than 380 acres — means it's easy to explore and the varied terrain of sand dunes, marshland and rolling fields is home to a diverse range of wildlife. It's the only place in the UK where all five species of the British owl can be found, for instance.

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