2. Achieve towering ambitions in Snowdonia
Those medieval castle-builders knew a thing or two about deterring uninvited visitors: nothing says ‘stay out’ like massive wooden doors, solid stone walls and crenelated towers. The 19th-century architects of Brynkir Tower incorporated those features into this Grade II-listed faux-Gothic folly, now a fairytale retreat for four in the north-western reaches of Snowdonia National Park. Arched windows frame vistas of crags and ridges, while the spiral staircase links a well-equipped kitchen with two bedrooms, a cosy wood-burner-warmed living room and a fifth-floor bathroom boasting quite the loo with a view.
From £696 for seven nights. Book at Sykes Cottages (01244356666; sykescottages.co.uk). Available in April and May, and for seven nights from July 16.
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