Our Favourite Places
Towns & Villages
6.1 miles
An idyllic English village which, for its tiny size, seems to have more than its fair share of pubs, including one of our favourites, The New Inn. Also known for its famous, but rather phallic, chalk hill sculpture The Cerne Giant - which you and your children can view from a safe distance at the viewing point’s car park. Our daughter, as a child, used to affectionately describe it as ‘the man with the big willy’!
6.2 miles
An ancient and quintessentially English market town watched over by a stunning 8th century Abbey (with arguably the finest fan vaulted ceiling in Europe), a 12th century ‘old castle’ and a 16th century ‘new castle’, as well a cluster of famous public schools and full of quirky little shops and cafes.
15.5 miles
You pass through Beaminster en route to Bridport and it’s worth a short stop. Beaminster is known for its architectural heritage and being home to some wonderfully talented artists such as internationally acclaimed furniture designer John Makepeace - as you drive into Beaminster, see if you can spot his home by the yew hedge clipped into a table and chairs! A couple of our favourite restaurants are also in Beaminster - Brassica (on the square) and The Ollerod (by the bridge).
18.3 miles
A small, attractive country town with a handful of interesting shops, ambitious delis and cafes, hoping to turn it into the next Bruton!
18.9 miles
A vibrant historic market town built on a long history of rope-making, an impressive thatched brewery (Palmers) and a vast array of cafes (our favourites are the Soulshine Cafe, The Bull and Symondsbury Kitchen), bars, restaurants and boutique shops, including an antiques centre that’s a rabbit warren of interesting antiques concessions from early furniture to Asian sculpture, from early electronic instruments to hats!
20.6 miles
In the last few years, this tiny market town has become an unexpectedly cool place thanks to an influx of art galleries (Hauser & Wirth), fancy shops (our favourites are Caro for homewares, Godminster for cheese and Lunaria for all things plant), and hip places to eat (our favourites are Roth Bar & Grill and At The Chapel)
Historic Houses & Gardens
Romantic dreamscapes from the 16th to 20th Century
Sherborne Castle
(5.8 miles)
Completed by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 with Capability Brown landscaped grounds and lake
Sherborne Old Castle
(5.8 miles)
A romantic 12th century ruin set in beautiful grounds next to Sherborne New Castle
(English Heritage)
Montacute House
(15.1 miles)
A masterpiece of Elizabeth Renaissance architecture and design, with towering walls of glass, glowing hamstone and surrounding garden and parkland.
(National Trust)
Mapperton House
(15.8 miles)
Home to the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, dating back to the 1540s with later 17th century additions, Mapperton has been described as ‘the nation’s finest manor house’ by Country Life magazine and its gardens (Grade II* listed in their own right) are among the most important and distinctive in the south west
Lytes Cary Manor
(16.8 miles)
Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden where you can imagine living.
The garden rooms contain a magical collection of topiary and herbaceous borders, while tranquil walks on the estate take you along the River Cary.
(National Trust)
Contemporary Gardens
Romanticism re-imagined for the 21st Century
The Newt in Somerset
(18.2 mi)
A brand new ‘destination’ with cafe, restaurant, cider press, deli, shop and gardens created in the grounds of the historic Hadspen House estate. An inspirational, ‘no expense spared’ venue (owned by a South African billionaire who also owns the world famous Babylonstoren in the Western Cape) - definitely worth a pilgrimage if you like gardens, great food or cider (they make their own wine-like ‘cyder’ and host daily tours of the cyder press). There is also a small but pretty impressive deli with a Himalayan salt meat cellar and a cheese room.
Hauser & Wirth
(20.9 mi)
A pioneering world-class gallery and multi-purpose arts centre with regularly changing innovative exhibitions of contemporary art. Outside, there are courtyard and prairie gardens designed by internationally renowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf.
Sculpture by the Lakes
(21 mi)
26 acres of contemporary sculpture gardens set around lakes and streams, created by one of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors, Simon Gudgeon, and his wife Monique. Please note, no children under 14 are allowed.
Our Favourite Local Walks
20 min walk
Straight out of the gate, turn left. Turn right into the copse opposite Higher Totnell Farm on left. Follow path through copse, over stile and follow the path across the field and down along the left hand edge of the next field. Cross over two stiles and into the farmyard at Lower Totnell Farm. Turn left, go through the five bar gate, then turn right, crossing the drive to the stile into the field opposite. Follow the track across the field down to the gate at the far right hand corner of the field, then out onto the road, turn left and follow the road back up to Totnell Corner. Turn left (signposted for Sherborne) onto Bailey Ridge and follow the road back to Everdene (on right).
1 hour 20 min walk
Straight out of the gate, turn left. Turn left immediately after the next house on the left onto a track. At the end of the track, go through the gate and turn right, following the field until you meet a track. Then turn right again and follow this track down to another gate. Go through the gate and straight ahead, through another gate and follow the path across a large, long field. Halfway along, turn left over a little wooden bridge and continue along the path, across a couple of fields until you meet another track. Turn right and follow the track into a wood (Admiral Digby’s Plantation) until you meet a road just outside the village of Hermitage. Turn right and follow the road up to a T-junction. Then turn right again and follow this road up to Totnell Corner. Turn right again onto Bailey Ridge and follow the road back to Everdene (on right).
3 hour walk
Drive to Minterne and park in Minterne House & Garden car park. Follow the footpath behind the car park up the hill to the wood at the top . Then turn left onto a path that follows the ridge, then branch off to the right, out of the wood and down towards Up Cerne Manor. Follow the path keeping the Manor to your left, then join the track which will take you out to the road. Turn right onto the road down towards Cerne Abbas. At the viewing point for the Cerne Giant, turn left down a back road into the village. When you reach a T-junction, The New Inn will be straight in front of you (hint: it’s a good place to stop and quench your thirst!). Once you’re finished there, turn right out of the pub and cross the road, then turn left up towards the church. Go through the church yard and out into the field beyond. Follow the path across the field and up into the trees, following signs for the Cerne Giant. Keep on this path as it gradually rises up the side of the valley to the top of the hill, then contours along the top, in and out of a wood, eventually turning left onto the Hardy Way. Follow this track until you reach a gate on your left. Go through the gate and follow the path down the hill and towards the Minterne Church. You will eventually come out onto the road opposite the car park.