Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size (zip/link, can be twin on request), 1 x double with en-suite walk-in shower, basin and WC, 1 x double, 1 x single (with Trundle bed – to use this, it must be requested 7 days before arrival). Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, heated towel rail and WC. Cloakroom with basin and WC. Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area and sitting area. Living/dining room with woodburning stove. Conservatory
Millmead House is a house set in Portesham, Dorset. The accommodation includes an open‑plan living space with a kitchen equipped with a range cooker with oven and gas hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, kettle, and toaster, along with a dining area with seating and sitting area with TV. There is also a separate living/dining room with a woodburning stove and TV and a conservatory. The bedrooms comprise a king‑size with zip and link beds which can be made into twins on request, a double with en‑suite walk‑in shower, basin and WC, a further double, and a single (with Trundle bed – to use this, it must be requested 7 days before arrival) serviced by a bathroom with a bath with shower over, basin, heated towel rail, and WC. Outside, there is off‑road parking for 2 cars and a garden with lawn, patio, and furniture. Heating throughout, TV, fuel and power, bed linen, and towels are included in the rent. Millmead House provides a charming and well‑located base within the Dorset National Landscape, with easy access to Weymouth and Dorchester. Please note: When booking this property to sleep 8, please request the trundle bed to be made up at least 7 days prior to your stay. Please Note: This property only accepts Friday and Monday arrival days. Please Note: This property has a minimum night restriction of 5 nights from the 1st July to the 30th September. This property has a Good Housekeeping Bond of 250 GBP. Please Note: Starter pack for woodburning stove provided between 01 October and 31 March (Guest will need to buy their own logs, kindling and firelighters for their stay). Note: This property has stopped accepting pets for new bookings from the 28th July 2026.
Please note: When booking this property to sleep 8, please request the trundle bed to be made up at least 7 days prior to your stay.
Please Note: This property only accepts Friday and Monday arrival days.
Please Note: This property has a minimum night restriction of 5 nights from the 1st July to the 30th September.
Please Note: Starter pack for woodburning stove provided between 01 October and 31 March (Guest will need to buy their own logs, kindling and firelighters for their stay).
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping Bond of 250 GBP.
Note: This property has stopped accepting pets for new bookings from the 28th July 2026.
With nearly 90 miles of stunning coastline, vast areas of open heathlands, ancient woodlands, and chalk and limestone grassland, Dorset’s diverse habitats support a rich variety of birds and wildlife.
A visit to the RSPB’s Arne nature reserve situated on the banks of Poole Harbour and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a must. Mainly lowland heath, it’s home to breeding Dartford warblers, while in winter, large flocks of wading birds come to the mudflats including avocets, black-tailed godwits, and spoonbills. There’s also a herd of sika deer and seals can often be spotted along the shoreline. At the visitor centre you can hire binoculars and find out more about the wildlife you might spot.
Nearby, the lesser-known and quieter RSPB Lytchett Fields has been transformed from arable land into a wetland haven where you can see green sandpipers, wigeons, and teal. Peregrine falcons, and marsh and hen harriers can also be spotted in the skies above as they hunt for prey. You might also be lucky enough to see an osprey which have recently been reintroduced to the area.
In the heart of Poole Harbour is Brownsea Island manged by the Dorset Wildlife Trust in partnership with The National Trust where bird hides give excellent views of the wildlife on the lagoon and surrounding reedbeds. Look out for common terns, sandwich terns, and water rails, and it’s one of the few places in England where you can see find red squirrels.
With country lanes, unspoilt meadows, and winding rivers, Kingcombe Nature Reserve hidden away in the Dorset countryside is the perfect place to escape into nature. Resident woodland birds include nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers, and chiffchaffs, while dippers and kingfishers can be spotted along the water’s edge. There are bird hides, an orchard, and wildlife-friendly gardens, all set on a working farm, as well as a café serving locally sourced food.
The open farmland and copses of Durlston Country Park near Swanage are important not only for breeding birds but also migrants passing through in spring and autumn. Breeding birds include yellowhammers, linnets, and skylarks, while the exposed sea cliffs provide nesting sites for shags, fulmars, and guillemots. The park also attracts some rarities blown off course during migration, and in autumn, huge flocks of swallows and sand martins fill the air.
Portland Bill is another great place for migrating birds including dunnocks, chaffinches, and thrushes, as well as a variety of seabirds including Manx shearwaters, Arctic skuas, and kittiwakes. It has an impressive rarity list and is one of the best places to spot hoopoes in early summer. The Bird Observatory is a good place to visit too, with bird feeders, and volunteers can sometimes be seen ringing birds.
Head to Christchurch Harbour where the muddy creeks, mudflats, and marshland are home to a huge range of birdlife including wheatears, little egrets, and gulls. It’s also a another good place to look out for rarities such as golden orioles, wrynecks, and tawny pipits.
For a truly unique experience take a trip to Abbotsbury Swannery located on the stunning Jurassic coast, and the only place in the world where you can get close to a colony of nesting mute swans. During breeding season, you can watch cygnets as they hatch and don’t miss the twice-daily feeds where you’ll have the chance to hand-feed over 600 swans.
