Six of the best country estates

Read why a move to a country estate might be right for you

Where? Chatsworth, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, in 35,000 acres in the Peak District National Park.

Why? Chatsworth is divided into five estates that stretch across Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire and contain more than 400 properties. If you would like to become a tenant, write to Caroline Snell (at The Estate Office, Edensor, Bakewell DE45 1PJ), detailing your needs.

What can I get for my money?

£575 per month A two bedroom cottage in Elmton with a large garden and outbuilding.

£850 per month A stone house in Beeley with feature fireplaces, flagstone floors, four bedrooms and a garden with a rear courtyard and outhouses.

Where? Ardgowan, a late-18th-century Scottish country house with glorious views over the Firth of Clyde.

Why? This private country house set in 400 acres, owned by the Shaw Stewart family, has around 40 unfurnished properties, with some available to rent: from flats to four bedroom houses. Tenants can walk, cycle or ride on the estate land, there's loch fishing nearby and a marina where boats can be moored or hired. Properties come up infrequently (01475 521656; www.ardgowan.co.uk) although, lately, a renovation programme has led to some movement among tenants.

What can I get for my money?

£400-£545 per month A refurbished terraced cottage on the edge of Inverkip village with two bedrooms, fitted kitchen and communal garden.

£850 per month A three bedroom lodge at the entrance to Ardgowan Estate, with a log fire, garden and views over nearby fields.

Where? Harewood House, north of Leeds in West Yorkshire, in 4,500 acres, including areas of woodland.

Why? The estate owns about 90 houses, all of special architectural and historic interest and mostly Grade IIlisted, from character cottages to large detached properties - around ten become available each year. Harewood Estate runs a conservation programme with an emphasis on the restoration of buildings as well as the care of wildlife habitats and the maintenance of listed parkland. Contact the estate office on 0113 288 6252.

What can I get for my money?

£600 per month A newly redecorated Grade II-listed cottage with two bedrooms, a front garden and rear courtyard, in the village of Harewood.

£1,500 per month An 18thcentury house with four bedrooms, conservatory, large garden and good views.

Where? Lanhydrock, whose late-Victorian house is owned by The National Trust in peaceful central Cornwall.

Why? The Lanhydrock estate itself is privately owned and has 15 properties in hamlets around the boundaries of the house's 2,000 acres. Over the next 12 months, six or seven may come onto the market, but you'll need to be quick - advertisements appear on roadsides in the area and properties can be snapped up within a week. Contact the estate office on 01208 75244 or e-mail andrew.williams@lanhydrock.com.

What can I get for my money?

£650 per month A refurbished three-bedroom, semi-detached house built in 1905 with a garage, garden and rural views.

£1,000 per month A period farmhouse with six bedrooms, a Rayburn, a brook running alongside the edge of the garden and open countryside views.

Where? The Penrhyn Estate, a jewel in the north Wales crown, between the scenic Menai Strait and the mountains of Snowdonia.

Why? The National Trust's 19th-century Penrhyn Castle is a fairytale building, the eye-catching centre of a 5,000-acre estate comprising 70 properties of which around four to six become available each year; through Carter Jonas and local papers.

What can I get for my money?

£650 per month A two bedroom farmhouse with garden, orchard and views of the Menai Strait, Anglesey and Puffin Island. Carter Jonas (01248 360416; www.carterjonas.co.uk).

£850 per month Beautifully converted farm building with four bedrooms, slate flooring, a garden and good views.

Where? Woburn Abbey in 300 acres of deer park, in the pretty and easily accessible Bedfordshire countryside.

Why? The Woburn estate owns 361 residential properties, the majority inWoburn itself, a village with Georgian architecture and good independent shops. Around 30 become vacant each year, let for a minimum of 12 months. There's a waiting list for specific properties - call the Bedford estate office (01525 290333) for an application form - and properties are advertised at www.woburnabbey.co.uk or with local estate agents.

What can I get for my money?

£11,000 per year A recently refurbished house with three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/dining room and a large garden.

£8,000 per year A one bedroom terraced cottage on the outskirts of Woburn village, with a new kitchen, a brick barn that can be used for storage and rural views.

All prices were right at the time of publication.

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