The True Lovers Knot

Trots around the Tarrant Valley are terribly scenic – a fave walk from the pub takes you on a trail to Tarrant Rushton (a mile away) to see its 14th-century church and World War II airfield. If you’d like a blast of sea air as you stroll, the South West Coast Path starts half an hour away in Poole (no need to follow its full 630-mile length; a shorter stretch is rewarding too). Folks who don’t fancy a long journey can amuse themselves nearby sauntering through the elegant estate at Kingston Lacy House, imagining life as a giant at Wimborne Model Town or learning the finer points of beer making on a tour of the Hall & Woodhouse Brewery; all are within an easy 10-minute drive. Look a little further afield and there’s heaps to keep you busy for days on end: with half an hour’s drive you can be on the beach in Bournemouth, giggling at the residents of Monkey World, admiring the armoury at The Tank Museum or boarding boat trips from Poole to Brownsea Island.