Whether you're beach lover aching for long lazy days at the seaside, gearing up for the next big countryside adventure, or simply want to kick back and indulge in some me-time (while enjoying the view), the National Trust has hundreds of great places to stay across England, Wales and Northern Ireland this summer.

From former fishermen's houses right on the coast, detached farmhouses with plenty of space for all the family (and the dog), to rustic stone dwellings in the back and beyond, the National Trust's cottage collection really does have something for everyone.

What's more every single stay supports the National Trust's work as an independent conservation charity, which means your next summer holiday could be helping the future of these special places so families can enjoy them for generations to come.

New for 2016

Ferry Cottage, Brixham, Devon
Thanks to a National Trust restoration project, this picturesque, Grade 2 listed, detached cottage on Agatha Christie's famous Greenway estate opens for the first time this summer. The two double bedrooms on the first floor have uninterrupted views across the River Dart towards the village of Dittisham and downstairs there's plenty of open plan space to relax and enjoy this wonderful setting. Guests have free access to Greenway house during opening hours and unlimited access to gardens during their stay.
Sleeps four.

Don't miss:
Greenway Outdoor Theatre: The Railway Children, 26 August, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Greenway and Chapterhouse Theatre Company proudly present The Railway Children, the unforgettable and heart-warming story of adventure and family set in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside.
Price: Adult £14, Child £10
For more information, please call 01665 576874

9 Arlington Row, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Each year, thousands of tourists flock to the Cotswold's village of Bibury to photograph the picturesque cottages on Arlington Row. Number 9 is the only holiday cottage in this incredible location and offers the unique opportunity to experience the picturesque village after the day visitors have gone home. The buildings themselves date back to 1380 when their function was a monastic wool store. Today, you'll find a cosy cottage with white washed walls, exposed beams and a wood burning stove in the sitting room.
Sleeps three.

Coastal getaways

The Old Rectory, Rhossili, Swansea
This house dates from 1850s and is set all on its own above a wide expanse of sandy beach, with uninterrupted views of the sea and the tidal island of Worm's Head. Dylan Thomas nearly bought this house, but at 15 minutes from the nearest pub it was a walk too far. One for water-sports fans, Rhossili Bay is particularly good for surfing, whilst keen sand-castle builders can make use of the fine golden beach to create a sculptural masterpiece.
Sleeps seven.

Rockside Cottage, Northumberland
Rockside Cottage is part of a pretty square of stone fishermen's houses, with views of the sea and the beautiful Embleton Bay. The square is also home to the famous Ship Inn and micro-brewery (it's said to have been here since the 1700s), and is a two minute walk to a sandy beach. Inside you'll find white washed walls, two bedrooms plus a cosy wood burning stove in the sitting room.
Sleeps four.

Don't miss:
Embleton Beach Fun Day, 9 July, 11am – 3pm & 23 July, 10.30am - 1.30pm
Tick off some of your 50 Things during a fun filled day at the beach with the National Trust rangers: catch a crab, hold a scary beast or check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool.
Price: Free
For more information, please call 01665 576874

Woodland hideaways

The Trees, Lake District
Set in remote woodland outside Ambleside, this Canadian-style log cabin is perched on an outcrop of rock with spectacular views of the lake at Windermere. Built in the 1930s, the two-bed cottage has been brought up to date with a new bathroom, kitchen and log burner. Most striking is its dining room, one wall of which can be folded out to open onto a sun terrace. On sunny days you can eat here whilst enjoying wide-angle views of Windermere below.
Sleeps four.

Woodford Cottage, County Fermanagh
Inside this former piggery, on the Crom Estate, you'll find a cosy living room complete with a warming open fire, two bedrooms and a well equipped kitchen. Outside you'll find a forest and acres of waterways and countryside crammed with wildlife. You could spend the whole holiday fishing, biking, kayaking and walking without ever needing to leave the Estate, making Woodford the ideal retreat for outdoorsy families.
Sleeps four + a cot.

2016 anniversary connections

Triumphal Arch, Leominster, Herefordshire
Designed by Henry Holland, this unusual cottage is situated in one half of the entrance archway to the Berrington Hall Estate. The cottage has its own private garden, and as guests you have access to Berrington's Capability Brown-designed gardens and parkland when the house is closed to the public.
Sleeps five.

Don't miss:
Boating on Berrington Lake, 15 August - 2 September (except weekends), 11am – 4pm
Make the most of the English summer, and spend half an hour 'messing about in a boat' on Berrington Pool. This is the best way to see the 14 acre lake designed by Capability Brown, which is now a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Price: £5 (normal admission applies)
For more information, please call 01568 615721

Low and High Strawberry Gardens, Lake District
These charming white cottages stand within metres of the water's edge on the west shore of Windermere. This is the perfect location to holiday with family and friends. With England's largest lake literally on the doorstep it is ideal for anyone who loves water sports; it even comes with use of a jetty to moor a boat or to fish from. There is easy access to excellent walking, whether it is the gentler lake side trails or the more demanding hikes over Claife and beyond. Close by you'll find the hamlet of Near Sawrey, where Beatrix Potter wrote many of her children's stories in her beloved 17th-century farmhouse Hill Top.
Low sleeps four, High sleeps five.

Don't miss:
Castle Cottage Tours, 8 & 28 July, 3.45pm – 6.30pm
After a visit to Hill Top why not take a trip to Castle Cottage, the marital home of Beatrix Potter for 30 years. Led by the current tenant, this deeply personal tour will take you round the cottage and beautiful gardens that Beatrix so loved.
Price: £25 (booking essential, normal admission applies)
For more information, please call 01539 436269

Waterside retreats

Greenlands, Studland, Dorset
Newly renovated by the National Trust, Greenlands is a farmhouse on the edge of Poole Harbour, which was originally built in the 1940s for an Army Major. The cottage boasts views over the harbour across to Brownsea Island (a haven for wildlife, including the rare red squirrel) and inland over the Dorset Heathland. It's in the perfect spot for exploring and guests can access the water's edge from the garden. Nearby you can visit Studland beach, a four mile stretch of golden sands, rolling dunes and walking trails; cycle to Corfe Castle; or catch the ferry to Bournemouth.
Sleeps five.

Don't miss:
Brownsea evening nature walk and picnic, 8 July, 6pm – 9pm
Bring a picnic and enjoy a summer evening on the island. A member of the National Trust ranger team will take you on a walk to discover more about Brownsea's nocturnal wildlife.
Price: £10 (booking essential)
For more information, please call 01202 707744

Corfe Castle Falconry, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 & 26 June, 10am – 5pm
Learn about the art of falconry through the ages, from the Saxon Kings to Elizabeth I. Discover how these beautiful birds were used to hunt, and as a symbol of power by nobles and monarchs.
Bird display 10am - 5pm. Flying displays 11.30am & 2pm.
Price: Free (normal admission applies)
For more information, please call 01929 481294

Watermill Apartment, North Norfolk
Escape the daily grind with a stay in this dramatic watermill conversion. Situated on the first floor of the mill, the apartment has been sympathetically renovated and stands beside the coast road between Wells and Brancaster, with fine views of the stream and surrounding countryside. North Norfolk has a wealth of family attractions for days out within easy reach of the apartment, Holkham beach, Hunstanton pier and the quaint quayside town of Wells-next-the-Sea are only a short drive away. Village pubs and renowned restaurants are within a 1 ½ mile walk.
Sleeps four + two

Lighthouses and lighthouse keepers

East Cottage, White Cliffs of Dover, Kent
This former lighthouse keeper's cottage is in one of the most dramatic places in England and is the UK's closest point to France. Attached to the lighthouse and on top of the White Cliffs of Dover, it has amazing views of the English Channel and the coast of France. It used to be the home of the Knott family who were the longest generation of lighthouse keepers anywhere in the world. As guests, you can also visit South Foreland Lighthouse for free.
Sleeps four.

Lighthouse Keeper's cottage 1 and 2, Souter Lighthouse, Tyne and Wear
These historic cottages are in an amazing setting on the rugged cliff tops of the North East coast. As the name suggests they were once the home of the lighthouse keepers and their families, with many original features still in place.
Both cottages sleep four.

Don't miss:
Souter Seashore Safari, 8 May, 10.30am – 12.30pm & 5 June, 9.30am – 11.30pm
Join a National Trust ranger to search the rockpools along Souter's rocky shore. Discover salty sea creatures galore, learn how to tell your winkles from your whelks and discover lots more watery wildlife facts.
Price: £1 per child
For more information, please call 01915 290909

Souter Open Air Theatre: Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles, 15 July, 7.30pm – 10pm
On the lonely wasteland of the desolate Devon moors, something evil is afoot. Join Chapterhouse Theatre to meet Sherlock Holmes as he is called upon to solve the greatest mystery of all time. Bring a picnic and your best detective skills for an unforgettable evening of mystery by the sea.
Price: Adult £14, Child £10 (booking essential)
For more information, please call 01915 290909

Dramatic countryside

Widdop Gate Barn, Yorkshire
This cottage is situated in the Calder Valley, Yorkshire – beautiful, dramatic and lacking in tourists. You are on the edge of the moor here, surrounded by birds, wildlife and deer. The cottage is unspoilt too, having its roots in the 18th century (exposed stone, window slits, wooden cattle stalls) and keeping its open-plan layout.
Sleeps four.

High Hallgarth, nr Coniston, Lake District
High Hallgarth offers a remote break in the hills about hills about Ambleside. Overlooking Little Langdale Tarn the views from this seventeenth century, three-bedroom stone and slate cottage are stunning, but with no road access (guests have to carry their luggage along a footpath), a tin bath and an outdoor loo it's not for the faint hearted.
Sleeps seven.

Country house getaways

Norbury Manor, Derbyshire
Norbury Manor the quintessential country house, Grade I listed with a lime avenue, knot garden and formal parterres. Inside you'll find exposed beams, flagstone floors, wooden panelling, huge fireplaces and historic stained glass windows as well as five bedrooms. If you walk around to the Knot Garden, then follow the tree line to the Sun House, you'll discover a path that winds down the wooded bank to a bridge where you can enjoy a riverside walk. White Peak is also nearby.
Sleeps ten + two.

The Tower, Blickling Hall nr Aylsham, Norfolk
Experience life in this 'mini castle' complete with a Rapunzel tower and rooftop terrace offering panoramic views across rolling fields and woodlands, stretching to the coast. The grand, Jacobean, Blickling Hall with its extensive network of hiking and cycling trails and traditional 17th century pub serving real ales and locally sourced food, the Buckinghamshire Arms, is just fifteen minutes' walk away. Blickling Hall, is open daily (except Tuesdays) between 5 March – 30 October, and weekends in November. See website for more detailed opening times.
Sleeps four.

Don't miss:
The Blickling Proms, 13 August, 7.30pm – 10.15pm
The Blickling Proms have become one of the biggest occasions on Norfolk's social calendar.
Get your friends together and enjoy an evening of music with award winning harmony trio BLAKE.
Price: £35
For more information, please call 01283 841601
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate

Escapes for Two

The Birdcage, Port Isaac, Cornwall
Rising up out of the higgledy-piggledy buildings of old Port Isaac, now famous for the Doc Martin series, the Grade II-listed Birdcage is a remarkably charismatic building. Two centuries old, pentagonal, three-stored and with a terrace reached through the bathroom, this former cobbler's shop has tiny rooms and a staircase that slims down to just over a foot wide in places. If you're looking for a quirky and extraordinarily picturesque cottage with views of the harbour from the bedroom and sitting room, then The Birdcage is for you.
Sleeps two.

Summerhouse Cottage, Wraxall, Somerset
This delightful mid-19th-century estate cottage is nestled on the edge of a quiet woodland on the Tyntesfield estate. Guests can make use of the cottage's private garden, along with the 500-acre estate, including woodland walks and the working Kitchen Garden, plus complimentary entry to the main house. Just seven miles from Bristol, Tyntesfield offers the perfect rural retreat whilst still providing easy access to local attractions and amenities.
Sleeps two.

The Chalet At Tan Yr Ogof, Beddgelert, Gwynedd
The Chalet offers the ultimate cosy retreat for two, set within the spectacular scenery of Hafod y Llan; a 4,000-acre estate that extends from the valley floor to the summit of Snowdon. This is a real get-away-from-it-all location, but the Chalet offers every comfort that you'll need for a romantic break for two. It's also a perfect base for walkers keen to explore Snowdonia National Park, while wildlife spotters can look out for otters, peregrines and the local population of wild goats.
Sleeps two.