Cabins under £200pp for a weekend away with friends

Everything at The Devon Den has been designed to encourage guests to immerse themselves in nature. The open-plan cabin’s unique shape, hand-crafted by Jo and Ben, lets you breeze in and out to the woods, wander to the crackling fire pit and dip your toes in the stream, take a dip in the wood-fired hot tub, or just enjoy the rocking chair on the veranda, all while surrounded by the sounds of wildlife. A genuine love of, and commitment to, the environment runs through every choice, from the sustainable materials used to make the cabin and even the little ladders in the pond for frogs and newts.

It may be called The Warren and it may have an earth roof, but dark and musty it most certainly is not. The huge glass frontage floods the space with light and there’s plenty of room for everyone to stretch out. When the weather’s good, you can fire up the BBQ and get the hot tub bubbling, but even if it’s wet there’s the big round bath in the wetroom, huge sofas and a swinging basket chair for lounging in. The farm’s 300 acres are yours to explore, with a stream for paddling and mini beast hunts, as well as trails that lead off for miles into the hills.

The name Chickenshed doesn't suggest award-winning architecture, which makes arriving at the red cedar, glass and stainless-steel structure that won a 2017 RIBA all the more amazing. Put your shoes in the boot room and pad barefoot across the heated polished concrete floor. This is the place to truly enjoy cooking a feast (though be prepared to look at your own kitchen with a touch of disappointment when you return home!).

When you're sitting around the crackling flames of fire pit on the paved terrace with the bats flapping above, and some sizzling steaks cooking – you'll see you don’t have to do much to make days or evenings here perfectly atmospheric.

Designed and built by Ben Law, a permaculture expert and wood builder, the project was voted the most popular ever to feature on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. It’s a graceful work of exposed timber beams that sweep down from the high arched ceiling and sink into the worktops and the floor, framing the open plan kitchen and living room. Upstairs and down, there is a sense of modern comfort blending seamlessly with the rustic design of the structure itself. Take a step or two off the decking and you’ll find yourself in a wonderful pastoral paradise, criss-crossed by walking trails and studded with places of beauty, history and culture.

Over the years, it's seen many celebrations, family get-togethers and even a few gigs, but now is your chance to have Access All Areas. Outside, you’ve got a private deck, a garden, and a field to explore. Grab a guitar or ukulele and make music around the campfire or have a sophisticated soirée around the big dining table and improvise songs on the baby grand piano.

If rock and roll is on your agenda, there’s a recording studio in the middle of the cabin - you can hire the whole site (including The Tractor Shed and The Woodland Retreat) and turn Candyland into live rooms to record anything from full band to solo work or an orchestra.

Morning starts when you pull back the curtains and the bifold doors to let the day in, starting off with a view of the Black Mountains in the distance. If you’ve brought your kids, you’ll see them rush to open the rest of the bifolds that stretch the front of the building, and out onto the lawn to dive onto bean bags. And if you’ve brought friends, quite likely the same. If you’ve arrived in search of doing absolutely nothing, you’ve found the spot to not do stuff. There are suspended chairs to flop into, plenty of space outside for games, a large bath to recline into, and a hot tub to… well. It speaks for itself.