Vineyards, saunas and gardens -- 33 grown-up days out for summer

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Fforest Farm, Cardigan, Ceredigion

Within 200 acres of beautiful leafy countryside beside the river Teifi gorge, you'll find Fforest Farm, a chic glamping site with an outdoor nature spa and a tiny pub built from quarry stones. On summer weekends Fforest Farm opens its doors for a series of evening barbecue feasts, some led by guest chefs (£24pp). Take in stunning views of the valley from outdoor dining tables for a menu of locally sourced produce that might include barbecued whole chickens marinated with lemon and rosemary. It's worth arriving with enough time before supper to pick up the walking trail that leads directly from the farm, through a nature reserve, all the way to the pretty town of Cardigan and the river Teifi (about 4 miles/90 minutes there and back).

Details coldatnight.co.uk

Oxmoor Farm, Great Hampden, Buckinghamshire

This is the third year that Oxmoor Farm has run its series of "wild feast" dinners, with a changing list of guest chefs and beautiful views of the surrounding woodlands, farmland and the Chiltern Hills. On August 16 and 17, the chef Emily Dobbs (formerly of Ducksoup and Petersham Nurseries in London) will be serving a delicious menu of Sri Lankan food made using high-quality, locally sourced produce (£80pp). The farm's restaurant, the Barn, is also open for lunch and dinner outside of its wild feasts, serving Neopolitan-style pizzas, small plates such as charcuterie and flatbreads, and natural wines.

Details oxmoorfarm.co.uk

Worton Kitchen Garden, near Oxford, Oxfordshire

Just outside Oxford, Worton Kitchen Garden is a beautiful place to while away a leisurely afternoon, ambling through cottage gardens and greenhouses filled with flowers and produce, and perusing the farm shop's home-grown veg and baked goods, before settling down for lunch. Dishes might include whole roast plaice with ratte potatoes and pak choi, spicy Tuscan fennel sausages (they rear their own pigs here), and a blackcurrant frangipane to finish. There's a flower workshop with the florist and writer Arthur Parkinson on August 29 (10am-12pm; £48pp).

Details wortonkitchengarden.com

Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon

This working family farm is a fabulous place to spend a summer afternoon, with restaurants, a café, vineyard, wellness spa and top-notch farm shop (voted the best in the country this year by the Farm Retail Association), plus stunning views over the Exe estuary. Every Friday in August (apart from August 22) from 5.30pm-8.30pm, the Terrace Bar will host evenings of live music as the sun goes down (£7.50pp), accompanied by locally made drinks, wines from the farm's vineyard and sourdough pizzas. Farm walks and tours are on offer during the day or bike hire can be arranged, because the farm sits directly on a beautiful 26-mile loop beside the Exe estuary that takes about 1½ -2 hours to complete -- the perfect amount of time to work up an appetite.

Details dartsfarm.co.uk

The Pig at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall

Every Friday until September 5 between 4pm and 6pm, the Lobster Shed restaurant at the Pig's Harlyn Bay hotel will play host to local musicians as part of its summer music afternoons. Take in expansive views of the sea as the restaurant serves up dishes that might include locally caught lobster thermidor with Cornish gouda and pickle salad, crispy squid with lemon verbena mayo, or butterflied Mevagissey mackerel with marinated tomatoes (mains from £18). Bookings can be made for a front-row seat at The Lobster Shed or for a table on the lawn. Many of the other Pig hotels will be running similar events until the start of September on Fridays or Sundays.

Details thepighotel.com

Daylesford Farm, near Kingham, Gloucestershire

There is a range of special events and workshops at Daylesford Farm this summer (still with availability), including a wine-tasting masterclass on August 6 (£90pp), a pizza-making workshop on August 18 (£80pp), plus flower-arranging workshops every Friday until September, which begin with a stroll through the farm's cutting garden to pick your blooms (£30pp). Should you wish to explore beyond the gardens, there are several waymarked trails through the surrounding countryside, some ending at one of the site's two sister pubs, the Fox and the Wild Rabbit. Add to this the farm's restaurants, café, spa and farm shop, and you may want to book to stay overnight at one of its pretty stone cottages (from £245 for two, bed and breakfast).

Details daylesford.com

Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry, Northern Ireland

A working organic farm with a high-end spa hotel attached, you can count on the food at Killeavy to be excellent quality, with much of it grown or reared in the surrounding fields and walled kitchen gardens. Beyond the hotel's restaurant, there is lots to explore across the estate -- route maps are available, or walks can be booked with a guide, as can cycle hire and forest bathing sessions, or day spa passes (from £120pp) if you feel like something a little less energetic. On August 29 at 7.30pm there will be a special whiskey tasting event (£35pp), sampling several of the estate's own drams.

Details killeavycastle.com

* 31 of the best family days out in the UK

Seven sculpture parks

Art trails, woodland walks and a Michelin-starred lunch

Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Dorking, Surrey

Visit on August 6 for a two-hour Art Amongst the Trees tour. The co-curator Vikki Leedham will take visitors around the site to hear how these enchanting gardens were designed around the 15th-century cottage, and learn about the contemporary artists' work nestled amid the lush, bold planting -- with cake and refreshments to finish (2pm-4pm, £30pp). About 200 pieces are exhibited in the gardens over summer, showing the work of artists from across Britain and Europe, with an indoor gallery to explore too. The White Horse is a lovely nearby pub with rooms, where dishes might include pea, broad bean and feta croquettes to start (£7.50), followed by pan-fried haddock with lemon and chive beurre blanc (£14.50; whitehorsedorking.com).

Details Open Thurs-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun noon-5pm, entry £15; hannahpescharsculpture.com

Jupiter Artland, near Edinburgh

Set across 120 acres of woodland and meadows (as well as its indoor galleries), Jupiter Artland is home to some amazing permanent works by artists such as Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley. Every Thursday this summer, visitors are invited to stay on into the evening, when the sculpture park and restaurant will remain open late. Other special events include sunset swims in the outdoor pool (selected Thursdays during August at 6pm), wild swimming in a pond beside one of the grounds' sculptures (Wednesdays in August at 11am) and pre-bookable picnics (collect between 4pm-6pm on Thursdays), which include a basket filled with fresh bread, salads, cheeses, homemade pies and a blanket (£40 for two). There are still spaces at the park's Dine in the Woods event on August 14, a three-course feast served at a banqueting table among the trees (£60pp).

Details Open daily 10am-5pm, entry £11.80; jupiterartland.org

Wye Valley Sculpture Garden, Tintern, Monmouthshire

Spanning three acres of the wooded Wye Valley hillside, this sculpture garden encompasses formal lawns, orchards, a pond and herbaceous borders. The garden is hosting its annual summer exhibition (until mid-September) with a range of contemporary sculptures on display. A small café sells cakes and drinks, and on Sunday afternoons there is often live music in the garden. From here, you are a five-minute drive from Tintern Abbey on the banks of the river Wye, and surrounded by wonderful Wye Valley walks. Book ahead for lunch at the Whitebrook, a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms serving fabulous food, tucked away in peaceful woodlands (set three-course menu from £64; thewhitebrook.co.uk).

Details Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 2pm-5pm, entry £9; wyevalleysculpturegarden.co.uk

Houghton Hall gardens, King's Lynn, Norfolk

The beautiful Palladian mansion at the heart of this estate is steeped in history, dating from the early 1700s. The sprawling parkland it sits within features a walled garden and museum, and is home to a herd of white fallow deer. This summer, the sculpture garden is hosting an exhibition by the British sculptor Stephen Cox, best known for his large works in stone, with pieces on display across the gardens, parkland and inside the hall itself (until the end of September). There is a café with a lovely courtyard area serving light lunches and salads, or the Crown Inn is a great pub with rooms just down the road (crowninnnorfolk.co.uk). There are four eco cabins available to book within Houghton Hall's peaceful woodlands (from £318 for two for two nights; unyoked.co) if you want to make a weekend of it.

Details Open Sat, Sun, Weds and Thurs 10am-5pm, entry to house and gardens £22; houghtonhall.com

Hauser & Wirth, Bruton, Somerset

This chic open-air gallery, garden, restaurant, farm shop and bar occupies a beautiful spot on a former farmstead beside the small market town of Bruton. Vast, colourful sculptures are on display in the gardens as part of a new exhibition of the work of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely, contemporary artists who collaborated over a period of 30 years, including some previously unseen works. Da Costa is the site's excellent restaurant, serving northern Italian food made with local ingredients in a beautiful old barn with a sunny terrace outside. Dishes might include gnocco fritto with mortadella and fresh cheese (£8), Durslade Farm lamb with creamy polenta cooked over a wood-fired grill (£32), with homemade gelato, local cheeses or homemade tiramisu to finish.

Details Open Weds-Sun, noon-5pm, entry free; hauserwirth.com

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield

Europe's largest outdoor gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park has permanent works by internationally acclaimed artists such as Elisabeth Frink and Henry Moore, as well as a roster of temporary exhibitions. A show by the South African artist William Kentridge has just opened, with more than 40 works on display, using bronze, paper, plaster and wood. Inside the Weston gallery you'll find vast porcelain sculptures created by Felicity Aylieff in collaboration with master ceramicists from China, while the restaurant serves great locally sourced food (book ahead) with dishes that might include grilled mackerel fillet, slow-roast tomatoes, pickled lemon and caper oil, and focaccia (£18), or bang bang cauliflower salad with noodles and peanuts (£15).

Details Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, entry £9.50; ysp.org.uk

Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail, Coleford, Gloucestershire

Founded almost 40 years ago, this sculpture trail is in a magical setting and combines permanent and temporary works dotted along a five-mile path beneath towering Scots pines and majestic oaks. There are 18 works on display at the moment, from a vast stained-glass window suspended in the trees to a charred pine monolith inscribed with the work of the poet Zakiya McKenzie. Many pieces are constructed from the natural materials found in the area, such as wood, iron and stone. The Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is a mile away, if you feel like hiring a bike and exploring the woodlands further on waymarked trails (forestryengland.uk), while the White Horse Inn is a good option for lunch, serving pub classics from fish and chips to pot pies (whitehorseinnstaunton.com).

Details Open daily, 8am-dusk, free; forestofdean-sculpture.org.uk

Six top vineyards

Live music and lunch among the vines

Lympstone Manor, near Exeter, Devon

The 28 acres of gardens, vineyards and parkland surrounding this beautiful Georgian manor house hotel (its Michelin-starred restaurant is run by the chef Michael Caines) are a fabulous place to spend a day, ambling along trails to the shore of the Exe estuary, with views of the hills beyond. Vineyard tours run every Tuesday and Friday until September and include one of the hotel's signature fine-dining lunches afterwards -- choose between a three-course lunch at the Poolhouse (£100pp) or splash out on a four-course lunch at the Michelin-starred restaurant, with dishes such as parmesan raviolo with white onion velouté, or steamed Cornish cod with Jerusalem artichoke and truffle butter (from £170pp). Tours are free for hotel guests should you choose to spend the night (rooms start at £440, bed and breakfast).

Details lympstonemanor.co.uk

Tillingham, near Rye, East Sussex

Book in for a leisurely lunch before or after an estate tour, which includes a guided walk around the vineyard with a tasting (£35pp for a 90-minute tour). The Dutch Barn serves delicious wood-fired pizzas, while the Michelin green-starred restaurant Upstairs at Tillingham has a menu that includes dishes such as seabass with baby potatoes, garden herbs and charred leek, followed by dark chocolate crémeux, popcorn and hazelnut brittle. On August 13, there is an evening art workshop (all abilities welcome), painting local summer flowers and surrounding landscapes -- including a glass of Tillingham fizz on the side (£55pp).

Details tillingham.com

Rathfinny Estate, near Alfriston, East Sussex

Throughout August, Rathfinny has a series of special events. Book a spot at one of its summer Sunday lunches, where barbecue dishes such as slow-cooked peppered beef brisket and ramiro peppers, or grilled sea bream with fennel, are served in the courtyard alongside live music (every Sunday until August 31; two-courses £39.50pp, three-courses £45pp). Or go for its Seafood Saturdays, serving the freshest fish from local day boats, paired with sparkling wine. Vineyard tours of the estate are also available (£30pp), which include a wander through the vines, followed by a tasting.

Details rathfinnyestate.com

Hush Heath Estate, near Tonbridge, Kent

The location of this vineyard is idyllic: set within acres of apple orchards, wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands, with far-reaching views of the countryside beyond. Tours led by an expert include a stroll through the vineyard and across the wider estate, learning about the process of winemaking, before settling in for a tasting of six still and sparkling wines (from £50pp). Sunset tours and tastings also run over the summer months, which include a two-course dinner at the Winemakers' Kitchen that might include dishes such as roasted local sardines with tomato and caper salad, followed by garlic and spinach gnocchi with grilled tenderstem, apple crème fraîche and toasted almonds (£130pp).

Details balfourwinery.com

Black Chalk Wine, near Andover, Hampshire

Located in the beautiful Test Valley, Black Chalk Wine's two-hour vineyard tour includes a wander through the vines, a tasting of two wines and an option to add on a lunch of locally sourced charcuterie and cheese platters (from £25pp). There are also self-guided trails across the sites, if you feel like something a bit more leisurely. For a longer escape, four Scandi-chic treehouses occupy an idyllic spot in the woods overlooking the vineyard (from £245 per night, two-night minimum, wildescapes.com) -- and guests here can book a private tour followed by a tasting in the comfort of their own treehouse (£110pp).

Details blackchalkwine.co.uk

Langham Wine Estate, near Dorchester, Dorset

Pull up a chair from 4.30pm every Friday throughout August to watch the sun go down over the beautiful rolling chalk hills that surround Langham Estate and enjoy a glass of sparkling wine accompanied by live music. A short but delicious menu of wood-fired pizzas is on offer, including the Wild Garlic, with mushrooms, mozzarella, wild garlic pesto, black olives and artichoke; and the 'Nduja, with mozzarella, 'nduja, tuscan sausage and salami (both £15), as well as homemade ketchup, aioli and jalapeno jam for dipping. Vineyard tours and tastings run during the day; choose between a self-led option (£15pp), a guided tour (£25pp) or a winemaker's tour with the head winemaker, which includes a seafood lunch (£37.50pp).

Details langhamwine.co.uk

Seven wood-fired saunas

Wild swims, cold plunges and coastal views

Kindred Sauna, Knepp Estate, West Sussex

The vast 3,500-acre Knepp Estate might be best known for its pioneering rewilding project, but it has added a sauna to the site as part of the glamping area, set beside ancient woodland, wildflower meadows and a wild swimming pond. Listen out for endangered species such as nightingales and turtle doves, while purple emperor butterflies flit between flowers. A slot in a communal sauna costs £16pp, with the optional add-on of a natural clay face mask (£3) or a massage (from £45). Pair your visit with a wildlife "safari" tour (from £70pp), a self-guided rewilded garden walk (£30pp), or join a Friday night barbecue evening over the summer, with live music, fire pits and delicious Knepp produce cooked over an open fire (£25pp).

Details kindredsauna.com

Fellside Sauna, Ullswater, Cumbria

Converted by the founder from a horsebox, this mobile sauna can be found in a fabulous position beside Ullswater, overlooking the lake and surrounding fells. It's run in collaboration with a chic nearby hotel, Another Place. However, it is available for non-guests to book (£16pp per hour for a communal session). If you feel like pushing the boat out, book a treatment at the hotel's spa, open to day guests (£120pp for a day pass that includes lunch and a treatment), or a space at one of the hotel's "swim and dine" evenings, which includes a swim in the pool, a soak in the hot tub, followed by a three-course dinner in the restaurant (£60pp).

Details fellsidesauna.com

Nowhere Sauna, Crieff, Perthshire

In a secluded woodland spot beside a tranquil mill pond, you'll find this six to eight-person sauna, with a cold plunge bath and waterfall bucket filled with water from the nearby burn. The sauna sits within Comrie Croft, a 231-acre site that offers camping, glamping, cabins and a farm shop and café serving delicious salads, soups, pies, pastries and cakes, made using ingredients grown on site or sourced locally. Guided or self-guided mountainbiking trails can be booked, taking you on routes through beautiful scenery. Communal sauna sessions cost £16pp, or the sauna can be booked privately (from £95 for six people for one hour).

Details nowheresauna.com

Pool Bridge Farm, near York, North Yorkshire

Not far from York but in an incredibly tranquil spot, you'll find Pool Bridge Farm, with four wild swimming lakes and four wood-fired saunas, surrounded by trees and fields. A 55-minute communal sauna costs £15pp, or £20pp including access to the swimming lakes for the whole day. If you feel like something more active, one of the lakes is reserved for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding sessions (a two-hour lesson costs £40pp). Drop in to the lovely café for locally made pies and wood-fired pizzas afterwards -- and, if you feel like extending your stay, there is a campsite surrounded by ancient oak trees, with fabulously clear skies at night for stargazing.

Details poolbridge.co.uk

Ty Sawna, Oxwich, Gower Peninsula

Ty Sawna's two wood-fired barrel saunas sit right on the beach at Oxwich Bay -- perfectly placed for a wander down to the shore to cool off. The saunas are mere metres away from the Michelin-starred Beachhouse restaurant (beachhouseoxwich.co.uk), with a menu that might include locally sourced dishes such as Gower salt marsh lamb with mint, anchovy and king oyster mushroom, or halibut with crispy flowering courgette. To make a day of it, pick up the Gower Coast Path before or after your session, climbing steeply through woodland from the end of the beach nearest the saunas to reveal stunning coastal views. Communal sauna sessions cost £16pp per hour, or you can hire the whole sauna privately for a group (£90 per hour for the eight-person sauna; £110 per hour for the ten-person sauna).

Details tysawna.co.uk

Saunas by the Sea, New Polzeath and Padstow, Cornwall

Choose between two wood-fired saunas in beautiful locations -- one at Harlyn Bay in Padstow, the other on the sands of Baby Bay in New Polzeath -- and both just a quick walk from the sea for a dip. Book a spot at the sauna at Baby Bay and you will also be near the Wild Spa, run by the same company, which offers mini Sunday retreats with yoga, meditation and a sauna session included (£35pp), breathwork classes (£50pp) and Pilates classes in its garden (£12pp). A session in the communal sauna costs £18.50pp, or they can be booked privately for £130 for 50 minutes for up to ten people.

Details saunasbythesea.co.uk

House of Steam, near Battle, East Sussex

In the heart of East Sussex's ancient woodlands you will find two wood-fired saunas, one with curved walls and low lighting to help visitors to switch off; the other set deeper into the woods, with a large window to gaze out on the trees and stream beyond. Both have a sunken plunge pool and showers to cool off, and can be booked either as part of a communal session (£40pp, Sat and Sun, 11am-1pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm) or privately (£350 for up to 10 people for 2 hours). The saunas are located within Architects Holiday, a site which also has luxury eco cabins, and soon a wild swimming pond (from £168 per night for two people) and an excellent farm shop selling local meats, cheeses, vegetables, plus freshly baked bread, scones and pies (architects.holiday).

Details houseofsteam.co.uk

* The good sauna guide: the UK's 20 hottest ones to book now

Six summer gardens

Open-air theatres, cocktail hours and picnics on the lawn

Powis Castle and Garden, Welshpool, Powys

Stretching out beneath the medieval castle, the borders in Powis's fabulous gardens are filled with endless colour over the summer months. Take a seat on the top terrace for views of the hills beyond, or head down to the great lawn to take in the Italianate terraces and vast, clipped yew hedges. A little later in the summer, there will be a second flush of roses in the Edwardian garden, where hundreds of fragrant roses spill from the borders, grow up frames and tumble down at the feet of classical statues. On August 9, there will be a night of classical songs performed by Mid Wales Opera in the Castle Courtyard (£29pp), and on August 21, there will be a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth in the formal garden (£20pp).

Details nationaltrust.org.uk

Wimpole Estate, Royston, Cambridgeshire

Head to Wimpole's beautiful gardens with a picnic blanket and hamper for one of this month's Sunset Series evenings; open-air theatre performances that include A Midsummer Night's Dream and Pride and Prejudice (£20pp). It's worth arriving with enough time to take a stroll first through the walled garden, filled with bright herbaceous plants and looking its best from now until the end of August, as well as the salvia and scented-rose borders. For a longer walk, waymarked paths lead across the wider parkland, home to a gothic folly, a lake and a Chinese bridge. On Fridays, free greenhouse tours are also on offer, where you can hear more about the produce grown here, including the world's hottest chillies.

Details nationaltrust.org.uk

Coleton Fishacre, near Kingswear, Devon

This summer Coleton Fishacre is celebrating 100 years since this secluded corner of a South Devon valley was transformed into an idyllic country retreat. Anniversary events include walks, talks and a photo exhibition documenting the creation of the gardens and house, plus a weekly cocktail hour featuring a different vintage 1920s tipple every Wednesday at 4pm from the Savoy's cocktail book. On September 5, the garden will be open later into the evening for visitors to linger a while, soaking up far-reaching sea views from a seat on the lawn. If you feel like a longer ramble, the South West Coast Path can be picked up directly from the far end of the gardens, with fabulous vistas from the headland in both directions.

Details nationaltrust.org.uk

Shugborough Estate, near Great Haywood, Staffordshire

It's easy to while away a day at this sprawling estate, where formal gardens lead on to sweeping parkland, paths beside the banks of the River Sow, ancient woodland and a peaceful arboretum, planted with more than 150 oak trees. Sunflowers and dahlias are in bloom now beside fruits and vegetables (which can be taken home for a small donation), while tours have also just begun of the garden's newest addition: the National Trust's first forest garden, which will be completed in spring 2026 (every Thursday in August at 2pm; £5 per adult). The Georgian house at the centre of the estate is open to visitors, as is the working farm -- and the Mansion Tearoom serves up excellent traditional cream teas.

Details nationaltrust.org.uk

The Vyne, near Basingstoke, Hampshire

About 20 acres of beautiful gardens surround the former Tudor palace at the heart of the Vyne, which has connections to Henry VIII and Jane Austen. Stroll through the 18th-century walled gardens, which, right now, are full of fruit, vegetables and a magnificently colourful dahlia border, while a palette of pinks and purples fills formal borders in the summerhouse garden -- a mix of phlox, clematis and echinacea. Mown paths lead you through a fruit orchard of long grasses to formal lawns and historic views over a magnificent lake and the fields beyond -- the perfect spot to pause for a picnic. On August 16 there will be an open-air theatre performance of Macbeth starting at 7pm (£20pp).

Details nationaltrust.org.uk

Stourhead, near Mere, Wiltshire

The Palladian house at the centre of Stourhead is set amid stunning formal lawns and extensive parkland (2,650 acres), where chalk downs, ancient woods and farmland are managed for wildlife. Inside the house, a new exhibition explores the Hoare family's creation of Stourhead's gardens, including historical objects and artwork -- as well as the costume worn by Matthew Macfadyen in Pride and Prejudice, which was filmed here. Until August 27, Stourhead is hosting the International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition, with images on display from around the world.

Details nationaltrust.org.uk