A fabulous destination to eat, drink, listen to live music or simply admire the beautiful Somerset stone buildings or wander the 14 acres beautiful grounds.  A huge range of choices for food and drink are available along with an interesting calendar of events. 

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A unique, relaxing and hugely enjoyable way to enjoy the spectacular Dorset countryside, UK Llamas offer a range of different walks, treks and experiences with their friendly llamas and alpacas, suitable for all ages, abilities and group sizes. Trek along the spectacular Jurassic Coast or opt for a more relaxing ramble around the local lanes, all rounded off with a traditional cream tea.

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Dating back more than 900 years, Forde Abbey House and Gardens is a family home as well as a working estate that welcomes visitors all year round.  In more than 30 acres of grounds including lakes, the age and beauty of the property is something to experience in itself, with features including the famous Mortlake tapestries created from the cartoons Raphael painted for the Sistine Chapel.  You can have lunch or tea in the Monastic Undercroft Tearoom, there’s a gift shop and plant centre for gifts to take home.  The property also hosts guided tours and activities for families and children, and seasonal events are organized, so do keep an eye on the website before you visit.  Prices start at £12.50 for adults while children under 15 go free.

http://www.fordeabbey.co.uk/

If you didn't bring your dog on holiday with you, you can walk a donkey instead! For an unforgettable holiday experience, spend the morning or afternoon with a friendly donkey, getting a hands-on, up-close and personal experience. After choosing your donkey, giving him a brush and learning some safety and handling tips, you'll set off along the pretty lanes and byways surrounding historic Beaminster. Bring a picnic or stop off at a pub for lunch while your donkey waits outside!

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A small local musuem housing collections of exhibits about local history and displays related to the lives of notable local residents. Highlights include an exhibition on the work of John Stringfellow, a pioneer of powered flight. 

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Award winning cyclist’s café in Merriot with Route 30 running immediately past the front door.  The perfect spot to stop, refuel and swap information with other cyclists in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.  Choose from a mouthwatering menu of breakfasts, sandwiches, delicious main meals, homemade cakes and lots more.

The Feed Station, Sandy Hole, Merriot TQ16 5QR (T: 01460 271598)

Winner of multiple awards and newspaper column inches, The Lord Poulett is a wonderful thatched stone inn with excellent food, a good choice of drinks and a pretty beer garden.  Inside the muted colours, open fires and flagstone floors create a thoroughly English atmosphere; a great spot for lunch, dinner or just a few relaxing drinks at the bar.

The Lord Poulett Arms High St, Hinton Saint George TA17 8SE (T: 01460 73149)

As the name suggests this quirky café is indeed housed in a restored 1850’s railway carriage at the disused station at South Petherton.  Serves great coffee, teas and delicious cakes crafted on-site and in the full service restaurant expect exciting & innovative flavours for breakfast and lunch.

Pips Railway Carriage, South Petherton TQ13 5JH

Stop by at the Farm & Field Café at Frogmary Green Farm for delicious breakfasts, ciabattas, bagels  and homemade pastries which on clear days can be enjoyed down by the idyllic lake and arboretum. Keep an eye on the website too for monthly evenings of feasting, cocktails and live music – what’s not to like ?

Frogmary Green Farm, South Petherton TA13 5DJ (T:01460 242775)

Much loved among locals and for very good reason, The Dinnington Docks is an unspoiled  countryside pub with beautiful views from its large garden, a well stocked bar packed with fine local ales and ciders and a menu boasting excellent locally sourced fare.  Well worth a visit.  

The Dinnington Docks Fosse Way, Dinnington, TA17 8SX

Perfect for family days out, Charmouth Beach is a mix of sand and pebbles, fossils (for which the area is famous), good swimming and good surf.  It is divided into two distinct areas (East and West) by the mouth of the River Char, which often forms a lagoon suitable for boating or watching the ducks swim past.  To get to the beach, simply find the centre of the village and follow Lower Sea Lane.  There are ample car parks close to the beach as well as another one half way down Lower Sea Lane if those are full.  Dogs are allowed on the West beach as long as they are on leads from 1^st May and 30^th September between the sea defenses and Lyme Regis but not on the area of beach in front of the beach huts and the Heritage Centre. From 1st July to 31st August dogs are not allowed on East Beach between 10:00am and 6:00pm, but are welcome outside these hours.  At East Beach there is a beach café and picnic tables close by, and in the summer months there is a bouncy castle.  There are also lots of beautiful walks close by to enjoy.  West Beach meanwhile is about a mile and a half long and is a haven for fossil hunters and avid rock-poolers.

A small pebble beach close to the historic market town of Bridport, Eype Beach is a steep shelved beach (Eype means ‘steep place’) with beautiful views of the West Dorset coast.  Dogs are permitted all year round and refreshments are available at Lower Eype.  The beach is part of one of the most beautiful little villages in the area, where buildings can be traced back to the late 18^th century.  Consisting of Lower Eype and Higher Eype, it’s the lower part of the village that has access to the beach, which also boasts the magnificent Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast at 191-metres above sea level.  The beach is favoured by swimmers and fishing fans as well as avid fossil hunters, and there is parking nearby for a few cars as well as toilets and a pub.

Under the golden glow of the majestic sandstone cliffs and the Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast, West Bay Beach (made famous by the popular drama series Broadchurch) is in the south of the historic market town of Bridport.  At the western end of Chesil Beach, the area forms part of the Dorset Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site within Lyme Bay and is a wonderful location for family holidays.  Bridport Town is a short bus ride away or a very pleasant 20-minute walk.  The beach itself is shingle, sand and pebbles with steep shelving, a slipway and a harbour.  There’s an auxiliary coastguard and lifeguards at your service, toilets, disabled toilets and a beachside refreshment kiosk.  Nearby activities include kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, sailing, swimming surfing and jet skiing.  There are also car parks close by and while dogs are banned from May to September, they are allowed out of the summer season.

A fine shingle beach with sand at the water’s edge, East Cliff Beach is a beautiful place to spend the day with the family on summer holidays in Dorset.  There’s lifeguard cover from July to September in the summer holidays on East Beach itself, but that doesn’t really cover East Cliff Beach, so just be careful when and where you swim and stay away from the cliff base to avoid falling stones.  There’s a long stay car park behind East Beach and a smaller short stay car park just before entering the harbour area in front of the Bridport Arms Hotel.  Toilets are located at the main West Bay Road car park and baby changing facilities are provided as well.  Dogs are permitted on the beach all year round, but it is a clean zone that’s regularly patrolled by wardens imposing fines, so don’t forget to clean up after your pets!

Famous for its picturesque Jurassic coastline, as well as its array of fossils, Church Cliff Beach is on the edge of Lyme Regis town.  Sandy in places, at low tide there is an extensive rock ledge with hundreds of rock pools where you can catch shrimp. The River Lym flows into the bay, so paddling is a necessity if you want to stroll on the sand.  The beach is flanked by rock armour which protects the promenade, and the sand is covered at high tide.  There’s paid parking close by, so don’t forget your change.  There are facilities, restaurants and cafes in the town.  There’s no lifeguard cover on this beach, and dogs are permitted all year round, which is great news for walkers as it also makes up part of the West Dorset Heritage Coast and its accompanying footpaths.