The Blackdown Hills may be one of our lesser known Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but if you’re looking to get away from it all in tranquil, unspoilt countryside, this isolated area straddling the Devon and Somerset border is the perfect choice. Stretching from Wellington in the North to Honiton in the South, the rolling Blackdown Hills are dotted with farms and small villages featuring charming stone cottages with thatched roofs. The small hedge-rimmed fields and winding lanes here complete the picture of rural England at its most characteristic. There are rare plants to be found among the abundant wildlife, while the remains of the Iron Age fort at Hembury are a popular destination for visitors to this rustic idyll, where time seems to have stood still.