A Rural Retreat for Two in Beaminster – Whatley Cottage

Assuming that you can tear yourself away from the comfortable cottage, which includes a garden and outdoor dining area, there’s plenty to discover nearby.

Beaminster is an obvious place to start, with its picturesque, small country town heart still beating the rhythms of quiet rural life. Enjoy discovering the small shops, cafes and restaurants.

Venturing a little further afield you’ll find Lyme Regis, Dorchester, Bridport and West Bay. All these reward the curious explorer. You might find yourself looking for fossils on a beach, shopping for antiques, or sampling some of Dorset’s fine local produce.

After each day of discovery you’ll come back to the comforts of Whatley Cottage. If the weather’s fine, you’ll find everything you need to light a barbecue.

Bridport – Well-known for its annual hat festival and the vintage quarter, full of shops selling bits and bobs from years past.

West Bay – A picturesque seaside village with a delightful harbour and beach, and tall, distinctive cliffs.

Lyme Regis – Famous for the Cobb, for being the home of fossilist Mary Anning and as a holiday destination for Jane Austen. Another beach, another harbour, another wonderful day out.

Dorchester – Country town, home to author Thomas Hardy and to Shire Hall, where the Tolpuddle Martyrs were condemned to be transported.

Mapperton House – A Jacobean manor with attractive gardens, about three miles from Beaminster.

Weymouth and Portland – Weymouth is a popular seaside resort with an attractive Regency seafront. The nearby Isle of Portland is attached to the mainland by the massive shingle wall of Chesil Beach.