Wimborne Fishing Lake

Wimborne’s a cute little town to wander around – and possibly even cuter still if you find its miniature cousin at Wimborne Model Town, 10 minutes’ walk from the site. If you’re after rather grander views, aim for the swish mansion and gardens at Kingston Lacy (five minutes’ drive) or potter along the paths of Knoll Gardens (10 minutes). Properly rural rambles can be had on the trails around Moors Valley Country Park (25 minutes), a huge open space where you can also follow the play trail, ride on a steam railway, scramble across the Go Ape course and come face to face with a Gruffalo. Other nearby options for those with nippers in tow include ruffling cute animals at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park (15 minutes), hurtling down the slides at Splashdown waterpark (15 minutes) and seeing the big beasts at Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park (25 minutes). No kids in your party? Maybe a tour, tasting or vineyard picnic at English Oak Vineyard (10 minutes)?