Misty Meadows

This is cider country, so a visit to the Mill House Cider Museum (five minutes' walk) is in order – and, given how much apple-fermenting expertise there is around the place, it'd be almost rude not to pick up a few local ciders at the gift shop while you're at it. Also within walking distance is the Dorset Collection of Clocks (five minutes' walk), a top collection of timepieces housed in the same building. Lots of top Dorset beaches and seaside spots like Lulworth Cove (15 minutes' drive) and Weymouth (20 minutes) are within easy reach by road, so there are plenty of opportunities for getting out to see the Jurassic Coast along the South West Coast Path at Misty Meadows. Inland, other top picks include the Tank Museum (15 minutes) with its rip-roaring military displays and Monkey World (15 minutes), one of the largest ape rescue centres in Europe. You might also like to pay a visit to historic Dorchester (15 minutes), Dorset's county town in the middle of Hardy Country, or to see the village of Corfe Castle (25 minutes), home to an impressive Norman fortress, a steam railway and some of the best tea rooms in the area.