Blog

Tips, Stories & Inspiration for Your Next Clever Escape

Welcome to the Clever Cottages Journal — your destination for travel inspiration, local highlights, and insider tips to help you make the most of your stay. From hidden gems across the countryside to curated experiences near our cottages, we share ideas to help you travel beautifully, live locally, and create lasting memories.

nayland suffolk - Nayland St James

Ask people to name a village in Constable country and most will say Dedham, which is exactly why a.

castle hedingham - Castle Hedingham, The Norman keep

Castle Hedingham sits about 19 miles north of Colchester in the Colne Valley, and it has the kind of.

constable country walk - Dedham Vale - River Stour
Wild swimming Essex spans rivers, open water venues, and coast. Guide to 7 spots within 30 minutes of Colchester,.
flatford mill visit - Flatford Mill across the river Stour
Flatford Mill visit from Colchester takes around 20 minutes by car via the A12. Guide to Willy Lott's Cottage,.
dog friendly walks essex - River Colne, Wivenhoe

There is a particular kind of Saturday that starts with "let's just walk to Wivenhoe" and ends three hours.

manningtree things to do - Stour estuary, Manningtree. The start of the Essex coastline.

For manningtree things to do, start where the town sits on the south bank of the River Stour, just.

Search

September 2026

  • M
  • T
  • W
  • T
  • F
  • S
  • S
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30

October 2026

  • M
  • T
  • W
  • T
  • F
  • S
  • S
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
0 Adults
Size
Amenities