THE FACTS ABOUT TONE DALE HOUSE

England

The entrance to Tone Dale, off a busy road at the edge of Wellington, is unpromising, so the Georgian mansion that emerges at the end of the driveway, with expansive gardens and willows weeping into the stream, comes as a very pleasant surprise. There is plenty to do walking on Exmoor, clay-pigeon shooting, horse riding, fishing and golf in the area but some guests have been known simply to hole up in the house leafing through the family archives. Tone Dale has been owned by the Fox family for generations (current owners Ben and Victoria now live nearby) and stern-looking ancestors peer from the walls. The woollen mill (the original heart of the family business, though now defunct) is next door. The 11 bedrooms (10 doubles, one single) are mostly named after the Foxs' interests and include the Skiing Room, Puttee Room, Railway Room and Rugby Room. The most characterful, however, is the Old Laundry, which has a double-height vaulted ceiling, garden views, a Venetian fanned mirror and a minstrel's gallery now used as a seating area. On the whole, the public rooms are comfortable and spacious with a slightly ragged charm, such as the large, L-shaped sitting room which has four sofas arranged around the fireplace. Large windows open from the games room onto the garden, and there's a grand piano in the hall. If the budget is tight, you could choose to self-cater, but the catering possibilities are extensive and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of at least some of them: anything from drop-off lunches, dinners, buffets and Continental breakfasts to four-course gourmet dinners can be organised. After dinner, perhaps parlour games, or you can retire to the games room for ping pong and pool, while the young - or young at heart - can run amok in the large garden. SLEEPS 21 PRICE From £2,990 for three-night weekend. Catering waitress-service: £37-£45 per head; meals delivered: about £18 a head CONTACT Tone Dale House, Wellington, Somerset (through Big House Agency: 01823 662673; www.thebighouse.com)