Rabbit Catchers Retreat

You can explore the mysterious Iron Age Eggardon Hill Fort (40 minutes’ walk) on foot, and be rewarded with spectacular views across Dorset hills. Powerstock Common Nature Reserve (10 minutes’ drive) offers easy rambles along a former railway line, and slightly more strenuous routes up Gerrard’s Hill (25 minutes) turn up panoramas to picture-perfect villages and wooded valleys. Head for the lively Dorset town of Bridport (15 minutes’ drive) to have a rummage around its twice-weekly street market for forgotten treasures, or check out some of the galleries and indie shops. There’s a lively gourmet scene too, and you can book vineyard tours and tastings at Furleigh Estate (20 minutes) or sample craft beers at Palmers Brewery (15 minutes). Bridport is also gateway to the sandy stretches of West Bay (20 minutes, great for a summer swim) and the dramatic Jurassic Coast, where you can join the South West Coast Path for long-distance hikes. If that sounds too energetic, take soulful strolls along Victoria Pier at Lyme Regis (35 minutes) or search for ammonites along the shingle beach at Charmouth (half an hour).