Dorset Cottages

Holiday Cottages in Dorset

Welcome to Dorset

Outstanding natural beauty, gentle climate, charming villages, arts and crafts, a fabulous heritage coastline and vibrant south coast resorts…  A super place for a self catering holiday, our great value Dorset cottage holidays mean you can enjoy a romantic break or a fun packed holiday for the whole family in Dorset.

A firm favourite with watersports fans, Dorset’s beautiful heritage coast is famous for far more than its impressive fossils and beautiful beaches.  The deep waters off the coast will be the venue for the 2012 Olympic sailing regatta and bustling seaside towns offer plenty of opportunity for adrenaline fuelled fun, retail therapy, gastro delights and enjoyable relaxation.  Choose from Bridport, historic Lyme Regis, delightful Poole and Swanage; traditional Weymouth and vibrant Bournemouth.

Further inland Dorchester is a great base for exploring rural Dorset, 40% of which has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  This is Thomas Hardy country, the haunting setting for Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd.  Enjoy stunning scenery and wildlife; chalk ridges, wooded slopes and lush farmland spreading over rolling hills and valleys. Walking, cycling and horse riding are all well catered for with miles and miles of interconnecting tracks and paths threading past fine historic houses and gardens, castles, Iron Age forts and nature reserves.

Things to do in Dorset

Feast your eyes on the views from the South West National Coastal Path that ends at the harbour in Poole.  Choose from the wide range of great beaches that stretch along the coast, including Charmouth, sheltered and great for families.  Take a stroll along Chesil Beach, one of Britain’s natural wonders this dramatic narrow shingle ridge is also a great venue for wind and kite surfing. Enjoy the trek down to the world famous stone arch of Durdle Door or, with easier access, charming Lulworth Cove a short distance along the coast.

Sailing, surfing and boating fun are all abundantly available from Dorset’s vibrant seaside resorts, head for Poole Harbour, Weymouth, Bournemouth and Portland Harbour.  Plenty of family fun can be found at Adventure Wonderland, Bournemouth’s Oceanarium and indoor water fun at Splashdown in Poole.

Immerse yourself in Dorset’s heritage with a bewildering array of museums to choose from including the Dorset County Museum, the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset and the charming Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden.  Wander the romantic gardens of Sir Walter Raleigh’s beloved Sherborne Castle and, possibly the most dramatic ruins in Britain, Corfe Castle – the perfect spot for a picnic!