Inhabit the pages of a real-life Enid Blyton book during a stay on the mystical Osea Island. Despite its off-the-beaten-track location, on a tidal island that's cut off from civilisation for two-thirds of every day, Osea has built up quite a cult following among London's creative crowd of musicians, models and tv personalities – probably due to the privacy it affords them. If any paparazzi mistimed sneaking some snaps, there's a real risk they'd be stuck on the island for the following sixteen hours. Access is granted via a winding causeway that only emerges for a couple of hours on either side of low tide. With the adventure of actually arriving completed, it's time to settle into your charming three-bedroom cottage. The interior has an English countryside-meets-coastal theme, with shiplap panelling, wall-mounted lifebuoys and sea-green feature walls sitting alongside luxuriant leather armchairs, a Shaker-style kitchen and a roaring open fireplace (firewood included, of course). Your hosts will leave you to it. But importantly, they're there when you need something. There are plenty of shared facilities to keep you and the kids entertained. Cycle to a secluded bit of beach for a picnic, settle in for a movie in the cinema room, or challenge all comers to games of pool and table tennis. Spend long summer days playing croquet on the lawns, endless rounds of mini-golf, or energetic games of beach volleyball. Afterwards, take a dip in the heated outdoor pool or a slightly more refreshing one in the sea.

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