Local Area / Things To Do
Axminster
- River Cottage Kitchen and Deli www.rivercottage.net
- River Cottage HQ at Park Farm, Trinity Hill
- Axe Valley Bird and Animal Park
- Independent shops and Axminster Carpet outlet store
Lyme Regis
- Famous Cobb harbour and Marine Aquarium
- Guided Fossil walks
- Boat trips including Mackerel fishing
- Town Mill (working mill with galleries, craft studios and cafe)
- Literary links: Jane Austen's Persuasion and local author John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman
- South West Coast Path
- Mix of independent shops
Beer
- Pecorama Pleasure Gardens
- Quarry Caves
Seaton
- Seaton to Colyton Tramway
- Axe Valley Wetlands (see Nature Reserves below)
Sidmouth
- Pretty Regency seaside town
Gardens
- Burrow Farm Gardens, Dalwood, Axminster
- Shute Barton, Shute near Axminster (National Trust, open 4 weekends a year)
- Forde Abbey near Chard
- Cricket St. Thomas Lakes and Gardens near Chard
- Cadhay House near Ottery St. Mary
- Mapperton House and Gardens, Mapperton near Beaminster
- Montacute House and Gardens (National Trust), Montacute near Yeovil
- Bicton Park Botanical Gardens, Otterton
- Abbotsbury Sub-tropical Gardens
- Minterne Gardens, Minterne Magna near Dorchester
- Kingston Maurward Gardens, Dorchester
- East Lambrook Manor near South Petherton
- Hestercombe, Cheddon Fitzpaine near Taunton
- Many more private gardens open under the National Garden Scheme (Yellow Book)
Museums
- Axminster Museum
- Lyme Regis Museum
- Dinosaurland Fossil Museum, Lyme Regis
- Chard Museum
- All Hallows Museum of Lace and Local Antiquities, Honiton
- Bridport Museum
- Dorset County Museum including Tutankhamun exhibition, Dorchester
- Terracotta Warriors Museum, Dorchester
- TV and Radio Toy Museum, Montacute House, Montacute near Yeovil
- Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Yeovil
- Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford
Country Walks
- Lamberts Castle and Coney's Castle near Marshwood
- Stonebarrow Hill, Charmouth
- Langdon Hill and Woods, between Morcombelake and Chideock
- Plenty of great cliff top walks along the South West Coast Path, all with stunning views
Golf Clubs
- Lyme Regis
- Axe Cliff, Seaton
- Bridport and West Dorset, near Bridport
- Honiton
- Otter Valley, Upottery near Honiton
- Windwhistle, Cricket St. Thomas near Chard
- Sidmouth
Nature Reserves
- Trinity Hill near Axminster
- Axe Estuary including Seaton Marshes and Colyford Common
- Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs reserve
- Aylesbeare Common (RSPB) and Bystock near Exmouth
- Exe Estuary including Exminster Marshes and Bowling Green Marsh (Bird watching cruises by Stuart Line and the RSPB)
- Otter Estuary near Budleigh Salterton
Riding Schools
- Woodhouse Farm Stables, Hawkchurch near Axminster
- Devenish Pitt Farm and Riding School, Colyton
Cycling
- Soanes Cycles, Colyton (bike hire)
- Marshwood trails, Morcombelake (electric bike tours and walking tours)
Beaches
- Lyme Regis
- Charmouth
- Seatown and Golden Cap, near Chideock
- Eype
- West Bay
- Burton Bradstock
- Sidmouth
- Exmouth
Miscellaneous places of interest
- Donkey Sancuary, Salcombe Regis near Sidmouth
- Abbotsbury Swannery
- Broadwindsor Craft Centre
- Mangerton Mill, Mangerton near Bridport
- The Otter Nurseries, Ottery St. Mary
Farmers Markets
- Crewkerne - 3rd Saturday of month
- Seaton - 2nd Friday of month
- Honiton - 3rd Thursday of month
- Bridport - 2nd Saturday of month
Specialist Food and Drink Outlets
- Millers Farm Shop, Kilmington near Axminster
- Lyme Bay Cider and Winery, Whitford near Axminster
- Felicity's Farm Shop, Morcombelake
- Moore's Dorset Biscuits, Morcombelake
- Palmers Brewery, Bridport
- Perry's Cider Mill, Dowlish Wake near Ilminster
Car Boot Sales
- West Bay Road Car Park, every Sunday March to December 8am-1pm (weather permitting)
- Axminster Showground - every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from Easter 1pm - 4pm
More information available in the Welcome Pack in each of our rooms as well as local books to borrow.