With two toddlers and a 10-month-old in tow, as well as five jolly adults, that didn’t last long, but the trills of excitement that echoed through our frankly enormous lodgings drifted into the air outside and were lost in the cloudless sky. Our closest neighbours were so far in the distance that I was sure we wouldn’t disturb anyone, even with our towering French doors flung wide open. Everything inside was brand-spanking new and of the highest quality. We crammed the fridge full of our own food and our kitchenette was plenty big enough for a couple of days’ stay. Our bedrooms all had their own bathrooms filled with fluffy white towels and gowns, and scrummy-smelling Wildsmith toiletries. Interiors were tactile, rich in colour and spotlit by the sun as natural light flooded through the windows that lined the back of the home. In autumn, I’m sure this rustic colour palette will really come into its own, and I envisaged lighting the wood fire in the lounge, wrapping up in a blanket on the sofa and pouring a large glass of red as the rain hit the decking outside.
For now, though, summer activities are the order of the day. At Lakes By Yoo, water sports such as windsurfing and kayaking can be booked at the boathouse, and a schedule of child-friendly goings-on, like a teddy bear hunt and a visit to the on-site farm, kept my toddlers busy. We hired bikes with trailers on the back to cycle around the lakes and through the woodlands, spotting herons and dragonflies along the way. There’s also a small spa with a heated indoor pool that’s open to all ages throughout the day, and while the children and their grandparents splashed gleefully in the water, I retreated for an exceptional full-body massage.