Hinterlandes
Lorton Valley, Cumbria
A fully off-grid hidden cabin (and a converted double-decker bus) that periodically moves location in the quiet north-western fells.
££
- Off-grid
- Stargazing skylight
- Wood-fired heating
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Photographs by Agriturismo Montelovesco, used with permission.
Agriturismo Montelovesco
Perugia, Umbria
A family agriturismo in the Umbrian hills, running on its own photovoltaic array.
Why we love it
Umbria is the part of central Italy that Tuscany's success spared, and it is quieter, greener and considerably cheaper for it. Montelovesco is a small family agriturismo in the hills of Perugia province, with its own photovoltaic system doing the heavy lifting — the eco claim here is a piece of infrastructure rather than a paragraph.
Gubbio, Assisi and Perugia are all within an easy morning.
Best for: central Italy without the Chianti mark-up
Worth knowing
- The apartments are self-catering and there is no restaurant on the farm — the nearest is twelve minutes away, the nearest café five.
- One-night bookings are not accepted, except in exceptional cases.
- No televisions, by choice, and no air conditioning — each apartment has a fan for the hot days.
The practicalities
- Wifi
- Good
- Bring
- A swimming pool towel
- Charcoal for the barbecues
- Included
- Bathroom, bed and kitchen linen, changed weekly
- Final cleaning
- A cot and high chair on request, free of charge
- Two charcoal barbecues, shared, no booking needed
- Extras
- Daily cleaning — on request, for a fee
Getting there
- Nearest station
- Montecorona — 7.4 miles
- Without a car
- Difficult, but possible
The farm sits at 470 m in Vocabolo Canale, 640 m downhill from the Montelovesco municipal road. Umbertide is 15 km away and Gubbio 20 km; transfers from the airport or station can be arranged on request.
What is around it
Walks
- Montelovesco waterfalls — About half an hour on foot, to pools formed by the falls of the Lanna stream.
Towns
- Umbertide · 9.3 miles
- Gubbio · 12.4 miles — Restaurants, shops and services, as the operator puts it.
- Pietralunga · 14 miles — Known for white truffle and the local potato.
- Montone · 14.6 miles — Home of the Umbria Film Festival and the Festa del Bosco.
Days out
- Castellaccio (Castrum Ane) — An eleventh-century ruin on the farm's own path to the waterfalls.
- Abbazia di San Bartolomeo, Camporeggiano — Eleventh-century Romanesque, with a crypt, on the road to Camporeggiano.
Who runs it
Claudia, Stefano and Lorenzo
The property belonged to Claudia's family and had been abandoned for more than fifty years; from 2000 they reclaimed the land, restored the building in 2008, and have lived on the top floor since 2011. Claudia handles quotations, bookings and check-in; Stefano looks after the grounds, the pool and the animals — two dogs and two horses.
Where it is
Checked August 2026 · We re-verify prices and opening every quarter.
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