Esme’s Escape

This is a good base for a varied break, as it’s within easy reach of both the Somerset Levels and the Jurassic Coast, and just outside the Dorset National Landscape. There are plenty of walks to follow nearby, or you could visit places like Forde Abbey and Gardens (20 minutes’ drive), Montacute House (20 minutes) and the Lytes Cary estate (25 minutes). For something a bit different, maybe you’d like to meet the big birds at Sharandys Birds of Prey (25 minutes), visit Europe’s largest naval aviation museum at Fleet Air Arm Museum (25 minutes) or keep the vintage vibe going with the vehicles at Haynes Motor Museum (half an hour). Getting down to the coast is a great idea, as well – perhaps to the soaring cliffs of West Bay (half an hour), the fossil-hunting hotspot of Charmouth (35 minutes) or the cute town of Lyme Regis (40 minutes) for fishing and RIB boat trips. The sandy beach in Weymouth (50 minutes) is a popular pick, too.