My countryside: Anneka Rice :: Country matters

'I found my home in the Cotswolds by pure chance. When I was looking for properties in the West Country, which was somewhere I’d always been drawn to, the estate agent accidentally sent me details of a house in a little village called Langford. I’d almost been put off the area by its chocolate-box perfection but that weekend, as I happened to be visiting a friend ten miles away in Witney, Oxfordshire, I decided to take a look. When I saw the pretty, honey-coloured stone building, right next to the church, it was love at first sight. After a quick tour, I shook hands with the owner in the kitchen to agree the sale.

'Many happy memories were made in that house – particularly during Christmases, spent there with my three boys – Thomas, Josh and Sam – and my sister and brother-in-law, and their three young children. One year, my sister and I couldn’t resist the sound of the church bells that were ringing for midnight mass, so we pulled on our coats and stepped outside to soak up the atmosphere. It was one of those crisp, black, starry nights and we walked right up to the church door to listen to the organ playing. The next thing we knew, the door had opened, and the verger was ushering us inside to the only seats that were left – right at the front. Unfortunately, neither of us was dressed for the occasion (my sister was trying to hide her pyjamas), so we ended up sneaking out, very red-faced, during one of the carols.

'I couldn’t stand to be in an office all day – I prefer the outdoors. Since my children have grown up, I’ve sold the house in the Cotswolds – but I kept a small cottage in its grounds to rent out. So these days I divide my time between my homes in Barnes, London, which is convenient for work, and Seaview on the Isle of Wight, where I like to spend weekends painting and swimming in the sea. I’ve been visiting the area since childhood – when I was three, my parents started to rent a cottage there for two weeks every August. Tennyson once said that the Isle of Wight’s fresh air was ‘worth sixpence a pint’ – I feel the same way. The light and landscape also make me feel creative. I’ve set up an art studio in the house that looks out at the water but, funnily enough, I never paint the sea! It’s a great background to my imagination, though, and I let my mind wander while painting still-life and portrait pieces using oils and acrylics.

'When each new season arrives, I always think it’s my favourite. I love the sun, warmth and blossoms of the spring, and that it’s too early for the holidaymakers to descend on the beaches and villages. But, equally, there’s nothing like piling over on the ferry with friends and spending dark, wintry weekends going for blustery walks, before returning home to hunker down in front of a wood fire. Sometimes when I’m there, I’ll not see anyone for days. Or I might meet my sister-in-law Serena, who lives on the island. There’s a fabulous seven-mile walk on Tennyson Down, which is on a figure-of-eight circuit that’s great for blowing the cobwebs away. On sunny days, though, I always head to Culver Down, and on to Sandown to eat fish and chips by the sea.

'I’m a keen swimmer and go for a dip two or three times a day, when I’m there. Many people call it wild swimming but it’s hardly wild on the Isle of Wight. I love slipping into the sparkling, salty water and feeling the intense cold – it’s a massive adrenaline rush. My boys have started a ritual of going for a very chilly plunge on Christmas Day. I’m hardly a fair-weather swimmer, but even that’s too cold for me!'

Anneka presents the Saturday Breakfast Show from 6am on BBC Radio 2.