Chiltern Yurts

If all you want to do is potter along country lanes and across fields to old English pubs, then guess what? You'll be grand, there are several within walking distance. Otherwise, Chiltern Yurts is on the edge of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (01844 355500), which means a big local choice of countryside and canal walks and cycle trails in glorious surroundings. You can pick up the Ridgeway National Trail from nearby Ivinghoe Beacon, a high route across the chalk downs used since ancient times – it's 87 miles from end to end, but there are plenty of day and circular walks featured on the official website. The Chilterns Cycleway does a similar thing for bikes, with all sorts of signposted, linked routes that you can pick up locally. After something a bit more leisurely? Get out on the water for the day on the Grand Union Canal, with Narrowboat Day Hire (01296 668139) at the marina in Tring.

The market town of Tring itself is a three-mile drive away, and there's a remarkable outpost of London's Natural History Museum here, once the private zoological collection of Walter Rothschild. Eight miles east is the 5,000-acre, National Trust Ashridge Estate (01442 851 227), perfect for walks amid rolling fields, lush meadows and ancient trees. There's a cafe there too. Five miles south you've got woodland walks, a Go Ape treetop adventure course, play trails and picnic spots at Wendover Woods (01296 696184), with plenty more great views from here across the Chiltern Hills.

Under a mile away across the fields is Wilstone village and the Half Moon pub (01442 826410), a fireplace-and-oak-beams sort of place with bar meals and real ales. You can get supplies from the rather nice Meads Farm Shop (01442 828478), also in the village, by the reservoir. There's a tea room here for meals, drinks, and cakes, while the Puddingstone Distillery (01442 502033) also has its base at the farm shop site; the top product is, no surprises here, their Campfire Gin.

Other shortish pub walks from the yurt site are to the Queen's Head (01296 668368) at Long Marston, just half a mile away, or the mile to the Red Lion (01296 668366) at Marsworth — proper old country pubs, both. The more contemporary Waters Edge (01442 891708), in a lovely location on the Tring reservoirs, offers an all-day brunch and is a wine bar in the evenings. You could walk here, too, in about half an hour, and it's a really nice route out to the reservoirs. For fine dining, people swear by the rather grand King's Head (01296 668388) in Ivinghoe, a ten-minute drive away, though you'll need to book. And if you really don't know what you fancy, then a short drive to either Tring or Berkhamsted — the local market towns — gives you the choice of plenty more bars and restaurants. Tring even has its own brewery, Tring Brewery (01442 890721), where you can pop in to buy or take a tour.