Dorset
Dorset is Thomas Hardy country - an appealing mixture of rolling heathland, secluded valleys, picturesque villages, great houses and estates, and a coastline awash with natural beauty. The spectacular and varied coast has shaped the county’s history - from the rugged Isle of Purbeck and the sweeping Chesil Beach to the quaint charm of Lyme Regis and Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. National Trust properties in Dorset include Corfe Castle, Kingston Lacy and Clouds Hill once the cottage retreat of T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).

Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy is one of the great Dorset estates. The house is a magnificent mansion built in the 17th-century but radically altered in the 19th-century by Sir Charles Barry. The house contains an outstanding collection of paintings and other works of art and is set in gardens surrounded by wooded parkland. There are extensive walks and cycleways around the estate, all clearly marked in a leaflet available in the cottage or from the property. Our holiday cottage is tucked away in a quiet and picturesque part of the estate. This is the ideal spot for a quiet country break spent walking and cycling in the immediate area or to use as a base for exploring further afield into Dorset and south Wiltshire.

National Trust places nearby: Brownsea Island, Clouds Hill, Corfe Castle, Hardy's Cottage, Max Gate, Mompesson House, Studland Beach, White Mill. Shop and pub: Pamphill Dairy within walking distance, Wimborne Minster 2 miles. Tea-room/café/restaurant: Pamphill Dairy, Wimborne. Other attractions: Iron Age Hill Fort of Badbury Rings. Activities: walking, horse riding.

Ordnance Survey Landranger Map 195