The Barn offers open plan accommodation with a lovely beamed, vaulted ceiling, and complete with two en-suite bedrooms.
All on the Ground Floor:
Open plan living space.
Living area: Freeview TV, DAB Radio, Bluetooth Speaker, Sofa Bed (Flexible Sleeping Only), French Doors To Garden
Dining area.
Kitchen area: Electric Cooker, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Washing Machine
Bedroom 1: Zip And Link Super Kingsize Bed (2 x Singles On Request) Ensuite: Bath With Shower Over, Toilet
Bedroom 2: Kingsize (5ft) Bed Ensuite: Bath With Shower Over, Toilet
Shower Room: Cubicle Shower, Toilet
Doggy extras. Enclosed lawned garden. Economy 7 heating, electric heaters, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Travel cot and highchair available on request. Welcome pack. Sitting-out area with garden furniture and barbecue. Large lawned garden (shared with other properties on-site). Electric car charging point. Private parking for 2 cars. No smoking.
Less than 2 miles from the popular seaside town of Charmouth, and boasting spectacular, far-reaching panoramic views, these three properties (refs UKC3748, UKC3749 and UKC3750) are located in a superb location in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, overlooking Marshwood Vale rolling countryside. Ideal for families and couples, they are suitable for all ages and there is something for everyone! Smiths Farm is around 200 years old, and the friendly owners live on-site, ready to give their guests a warm welcome. It used to be a small farm owned by the local blacksmith. Adjoining one another, The Smithy and The Stables are cosy cottage conversions of the old stable and hayloft. The Barn is a single-storey barn renovation, situated adjacent to the owners’ farmhouse, and has a sumptuous feel and high vaulted beamed ceilings. There are two en-suite bedrooms, and an additional shower room off the living room, which is useful for any guests who wish to use the comfortable sofa bed.
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.
