Cosy Christmas Getaways on the Jurassic Coast

Seaside towns adorned with lights. Father Christmas arriving by boat. Boxing Day walks on the beach. A bracing swim on Christmas morning… There’s nowhere quite like Dorset at Christmastime, and now’s the perfect time to secure your festive escape.
 

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Dorset Hideaways to showcase a couple of Jurassic Gems that make for a perfect winter retreat.

Horsehill Cottage - Beaminster

Horsehill Cottage enjoys a secluded setting entirely off the road network and is ideal for families or couples looking for peace and quiet in a magical setting. There are 4 acres of private garden and nature reserve, and a further 3 acres of woodland, through which runs the Jubilee Trail footpath.

The cottage has been carefully renovated using premium materials throughout such as oak, lime plaster, granite and limestone. A choice of wood burning stoves or underfloor heating means this cottage is cosy at any time of the year. A stream flows through the grounds where you will also find an oak bridge and a disused 19th Century Flax mill.

Horsehill Cottage is situated two miles west of Beaminster, a charming Dorset town that offers a selection of local shops, cafes and pubs. West Dorset, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, has an excellent network of footpaths and open places to visit such as Pilsdon Pen and Lamberts Castle.

Near the cottage, there is a footpath through the woodland which also gives access to a large variety of local footpaths, with Lewesdon, Waddon Hill, Roman Fort and the Brit Valley to explore in the vicinity.

The market town of Bridport is seven miles away with its twice weekly markets, restaurants, pubs, supermarkets and antique shops. Bridport is also the gateway to the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site and well worth exploring via nearby West Bay and Lyme Regis.

The manor house and gardens of Mapperton are just over four miles away from the cottage and includes the Coach House Cafe and a regular events calendar. The Broadwindsor Craft and Design Centre is situated just two miles away and includes opportunities for shopping, eating, galleries and workshops. 

Popular attractions Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens and Abbotsbury Swannery are just a 30 minute drive away. The county town of Dorchester with its Thomas Hardy heritage and fine museum is always worth a day out and only 20 miles away. The Georgian fronted sandy beach at Weymouth is one of the most popular bays for bathing on the Dorset coast, and a drive along the B3157 coast road is a memorable Dorset experience.

Holway Cottage - Cattistock

Located in glorious rolling countryside just outside of the attractive and popular village of Cattistock, Holway Cottage offers spacious and well-appointed accommodation for couples or a small family. Having undergone a full refurbishment, this former farm cottage is full of charm with stylish furnishings.

The cottage enjoys an elevated position, affording wonderful views of the glorious countryside all around, and guests can enjoy relaxing on the raised decked terrace whilst admiring the surrounding landscape. Holway Cottage really is the perfect rural retreat!

The nearby village of Cattistock nestles in the upper part of the Frome Valley amid rolling Dorset countryside, 8 miles (13 km) north west of the county town Dorchester. The Fox & Hounds pub, and a good local shop and post office are within a 15 minute walk from the cottage.

In the nearby village of Evershot is the 16th century pub, The Acorn Inn, which Thomas Hardy called "The Sow & Acorn" in his novel "Tess of the d’Urbervilles".

Sydling St. Nicholas is a picturesque village only a short drive away, winding along the little Sydling Water with tiny connecting bridges to the ancient thatched cottages which line the banks, and has a popular pub - The Greyhound which has received national accolades for the quality of its food.

The nearby village of Cerne Abbas is the home of the Cerne Giant, an ancient naked figure sculpted into the chalk hillside. The village also has three popular pubs and a tea shop, an ancient abbey with pretty gardens and many beautiful cottages to admire.

Holway Cottage is ideally situated for easy trips to the popular nearby towns of Beaminster and Bridport, and the world famous Jurassic Coast is only a 30 minute drive away.

West Dorset is renowned for its lively, popular and eclectic food scene, and regular local food markets are held offering visitors a taste of the delicious local produce.

With these cottages and many more to choose from, the Jurassic Coast makes a superb winter holiday destination. Dorset Hideaways have a wonderful collection of properties available for Christmas and New Year getaways, including cosy cottages for two and spacious retreats for the whole family.

With Christmas just around the corner, now is a great time to book a cosy seasonal getaway within easy reach of the Jurassic Coast.