We're looking for a secluded, rural cottage to rent next July or August in the UK - a really, really quiet place with no neighbours around for miles near the property. Does this exist in the UK?
This year we tried to get away from it all, including our noisy neighbours at home - only to end up with even noisier ones while on holiday. This wasn't great as we saved up all year to get away from it all. The first night there were fireworks right beside the window starting after midnight and going on till 3am and every night after that, screaming children, kicking footballs over the fence, which sometimes hit the windows of our cottage after we were all asleep - that kind of thing - just lots of people having fun but not much fun for us.
Next time, we want peace and quiet - and somewhere we can cycle straight out onto off road cycle tracks (preferably not too steep as I'm really unfit) and with nearby places to hire canoes or kayaks for long days of boating and wild places to walk without seeing anyone all day (I realise this may be too much to ask).
I'm looking at possibilities like the Wye Valley (never been) or Devon or maybe the Lake District but want to avoid overcrowded areas and want to find a cottage that lies within its own grounds. Every time I find something on the internet that looks possible, it then turns out to be right next door to the owner's house or in a cluster of three other cottages and we just want to be alone.
I'm not sure Scotland is the answer or Wales, though I expect there are more areas with isolated, peaceful, rural cottages - because although we love cycling, we couldn't manage proper mountain-bike-level hills. Cycling or walking distance to a quiet beach would also be great, if possible too and a wild-water swimming river or lake - and lots of non-human wildlife. I'd rather hear a barn owl in the night than anything human!
Has anyone got any recommendations?