Great escapes: The National Trust's most beautiful remote holiday homes
Bird How, Holmrook, Cumbria Feeling misanthropic? Other people are rare in this particular part of Cumbria – the wonderfully remote Eskdale Valley. Bird How is a squat stone cottage at the end of a twisting farm track, but don’t be fooled by the property’s origins as a cow barn – step inside and you’ll find two bedrooms (one twin and one with bunkbeds) and the cosiest living room we’ve clapped eyes on, thanks to its huge fireplace and fantastic views over the blustery Cumbrian moorland. We suggest a lung-busting hike up England’s steepest road (the twisting, zig-zagging Hardkno...