Fido Family Friendly Places

These delightful holiday cottages are set in the peaceful conservation village of Puncknowle, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Jurassic Coast is just 1½ miles away with superb scenic walking. Each cottage is finished to a high standard offering very comfortable holiday accommodation and is set in the same smart courtyard area as the owners’ homes. The ‘chocolate-box’ village of Burton Bradstock is 3 miles with a good small beach. Abbotsbury, along the coast, has its famous swannery and sub-tropical garden. Further east is the Victorian seaside town of Weymouth, with Blue Flag beach, sea fishing, windsurfing, Sealife Centre and two RSPB nature reserves. Monkey World and the Tank Museum near Wool are great places for a family day out. Dorchester, the county town also known as Thomas Hardy’s ‘Casterbridge’ is 30 minutes’ drive and has a lively weekly market and beautiful Maiden Castle. To the west is the market town of Bridport which was Thomas Hardy’s ‘Port Bredy’ and has the twice weekly market as featured in the popular TV programme River Cottage. The picturesque harbours of West Bay are a great place for fishing. Lyme Regis is an attractive seaside resort which enjoys a dramatic setting with high cliffs, landslips and handsome harbour, known as The Cobb. Both Lyme Regis and Charmouth are renowned for their prehistoric fossils which are displayed in the local museum and on sale in the fossil shops. Local pub serving good food 250 yards.

This pretty self catering holiday cottage in Kent has been renovated to a high standard with oak beams and an open aspect giving it a real feeling of light and space yet with a cosy wood burner to curl up in front of in the colder months. The calm colour scheme and natural coir matting make this a very attractive and charming holiday cottage. A great area for walking, close to the seaside for watersports and Rye for culture, perfect for everyone!
With two beautiful bedrooms nestled in the eaves overlooking open fields and woodland and a living area that opens onto the private garden space, this is a wonderful location to relax and get away from the stresses of daily life, this luxury cottage is perfect for exploring the countryside. Stylishly furnished, this holiday cottage is light and spacious offering a good standard of self catering holiday accommodation. Added to this there is a tennis court which can be used to make your holiday even more fun (by prior arrangement with the owners).

Situated in a quiet rural location, Bardon Lodge is a spacious property attached to the owner’s home and set within 10 acres of grounds. The property is surrounded by fields and woodland, yet close enough to all amenities. The property has been decorated and furnished to a very good standard and is all on one level with both bedrooms having en-suite facilities. There is a living room with patio doors which lead to the decking area, ideal for dining al fresco. The sitting room also has patio doors leading out to the garden. The owner has horses and free range chickens may even come and visit!
There are so many places to visit and so easy to get to. Take a trip to Totnes where there are many shops, markets and walks along the riverbank. Dartmoor is just a short car ride where you can see the ponies, walk the Tors or simply stop off in one of the many villages for a Devon cream tea. Paignton, Torquay and Brixham are also great places to visit, as are Exeter and Plymouth, both within 30 minutes’ drive. There are many National Trust properties including Agatha Christie’s summer home ’Greenway’, well worth a visit. For the children, there is Crealy Adventure park, or Go Ape in Haldon. If you are bringing a bicycle, there are many cycle ways off road to be explored, including Powderham Castle where there is a cycle track all along the estuary. There is so much to see and do in this glorious part of Devon. Beach 6 miles. Shop 1 mile, pub and restaurant ½ mile.

The Cider Barn is decorated and furnished to a very high standard by the owners who have years of experience in the hospitality industry, and the attention to detail is evident in every room.
Downstairs is a fabulous open plan living space, with wonderful Bi-folding doors that open to allow the outside in and giving you great views over the Blackdown hills. The kitchen is well-equipped with everything you need and the island unit opens it up to the rest of the room, so you can socialise while creating your next culinary masterpiece! The large Master bedroom on the ground floor has a stunning four-poster bed and en-suite bathroom with roll-top bath and separate shower, while upstairs the second large bedroom features a wonderful kingsize bespoke bed, beautiful beamed vaulted ceiling and statement lighting. There is also a shower room upstairs with walk-in shower.
Outside you will find a Mediterranean style covered seating area complete with its own chandelier, barbecue area and private hot tub, all soaking up the wonderful views!
Set in the lovely village of Bishopswood, with the Somerset Wildlife Trust running adjacent to the property, you are only 5-minutes’ walk from the local pub and surrounded by miles of beautiful walks. The market town of Honiton is just 10 miles away and the beach at Lyme Regis can be reached within a 30-minute drive. Heading north, you will find the county town of Taunton with lots of restaurants, cinema, bowling and shopping, and within an hour’s drive you will find Glastonbury, Street, Minehead and the moors of Exmoor! Beach 18 miles. Shop 3 miles, pub and restaurant 250 yards.

This holiday property is set within the grounds of Yaxham House, the owner’s home, the Georgian Grade II listed former rectory that served the parish of Yaxham. The Old Rectory Coach House is the detached former coach house to the former rectory. Situated in its own grounds, it has achieved a silver award in Green Tourism. The property enjoys an attractive and secluded setting approached by a private road and drive adjacent to the parish church of St Peters. It offers a warm welcome at any time of the year and is a perfect base for exploring all that the area has to offer.

The Mid Norfolk Railway (MNR) is ½ mile away with trips available from Yaxham to Wymondham Abbey and Dereham. Dereham, 2 miles, offers an indoor swimming pool, cinema, bowling, shops, supermarkets and a market on Tuesdays and Fridays. The property lies within an hour’s drive of the coast, with excellent sandy beaches and RSPB nature and bird reserves. The Norfolk Broads, the Brecks (and its stone curlews), Peddars Way, Norfolk Coastal Path and many National Trust properties are also easily accessible.

The village is at the centre of a network of footpaths and there is a children’s play area and recreation ground close to the church. From the nearby bus stop, regular bus services go to Dereham and Norwich. Restaurant/takeaway and café/bistro ½ mile.
Can be booked with The Old Rectory Lodge (ref UKC2241) to accommodate up to 7 guests.

Manor Court Cottages are set in the picturesque village of Shipton Gorge. Within walking distance, 110 yards, are the village playing fields and pub selling the famous Palmers Ales and local food. This a fantastic location to explore the Dorset countryside and World Heritage Jurassic coastline, 1½ miles away. Whether its a family holiday, walking, bird watching, fishing, cycling or for a quiet break Manor Court Cottages are ideal. The pretty village of Burton Bradstock, 1½ miles, has a beach with a café, shop, post office, garage and pubs. The market town of Bridport, 2 miles away, has a lively and vibrant street market Saturdays and Wednesday, along with small shops, cafés, antiques and local food can be found, or pop into the museum and learn its history of rope and net making.
The picturesque harbour of West Bay is 2 miles away and was made famous by the TV drama ’Broadchurch’, while the village of Abbotsbury, 3 miles away, is popular for its swannery, sub-tropical gardens and childrens farm. Spread along the coast from Sidmouth is a host of attractions, including the Donkey Sanctuary and Beer Caves at Seaton and Axminster where you can ride on the trams or eat at the River Cottage restaurant. Into Dorset try fishing in a boat out of the cobb at Lymm Regis, fossil hunting at the museum or a walk up Golden Cap for the breathtaking views. Weymouth with its sandy beaches and Sealife Centre is well worth a visit, discover the dinosaurs at the Dorchester museum or travel back in time with a visit to Thomas Hardy’s cottage, go to war at the Bevington Tank Museum, or say ’hi’ to the monkeys at Monkey World. Enjoy a dip at Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door for a sightseeing walk, explore Crofe Castle, and then all aboard the steam train at Swanage. Shops and pubs 1 mile.

Commanding panoramic views over beautiful countryside, this superbly converted barn also enjoys a truly comfortable and lovely, contemporary interior. Quiet and secluded, it lies beside the owners’ farm, just 1 mile from a village ’real ale’ pub and shop. There are fine restaurants nearby and good shopping in Wirksworth is just 3 miles, as are Carsington Lake’s splendid water sports facilities, cycle trail and fishing. Heights of Abraham and Gulliver’s Kingdom 5 miles, Chatsworth 10 miles, Alton Towers 20 miles.

This delightful semi-detached barn is set in a tranquil setting in a village on the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. Based on a small working farm that is steeped in history dating back to the late 10th century and with views over open countryside and backing onto an impressive village church it makes it the perfect rural getaway.
You will a number of rambling paths and the Cotswolds Way on your door step. Jump in the car and within twenty minutes you will find the historic towns of Gloucester where parts of Harry Potter films were made in the imposing Gloucester Cathedral and also the chic spa town of Cheltenham wits its impressive shopping, restaurants and buzzing bar scene.
The barn offers an open plan sitting room/diner, kitchen and two large bedrooms with original beams. It also has its own private hot tub which is available until 31st October 2024, and courtyard where you can sit and watch the sun go down while enjoying a barbecue with your family and friends.
Stanley Barn can be booked with Leonard Barn which are all located on the same farm.

Set on the edge of a pretty hamlet, this timber barn conversion enjoys a peaceful location in the Herefordshire countryside. Attached to the owners’ home, it has been comfortably furnished throughout, retaining many of the original oak beams. An ideal holiday base for exploring Hereford city with its cathedral, Mappa Mundi, racecourse and cider museum with Bromyard Downs for walking close by. Forest of Dean, Hay-on-Wye and the Black Mountains also easily accessible. P.O. and pub 2 miles, restaurants 4 miles.

This is a birdwatcher’s paradise and is within an easy walk of the village shop, café and hotel. Furnished with care to maximise the light, inside this single-storey property there are full length picture windows in the bright living room and a well-equipped kitchen. The extensive garden with mature trees and expanse of lawn, is a wonderful sun trap to enjoy after a brisk walk along the beautiful sandy beach.

St Cyrus beach is nestled at the bottom of the cliff, which is accessed either by a steep walk from the local church just a few hundred yards away, or for the less adventurous, there is an easy drive down to the beach on the outskirts of the village at the nature reserve. A walk along the shoreline offers a good chance of spotting porpoises and other marine life in the clear waters. The spectacular cliffs and dunes are a National Nature Reserve and home to a variety of wildlife - peregrine falcons and fulmars are often spotted, as well as divers and other sea birds. Deer inhabit the wooded area at the top, and rare butterflies and plants can be found throughout the reserve. The owner has thoughtfully provided binoculars for your enjoyment. St Cyrus is between Montrose and Stonehaven, both bustling seaside towns with golf courses, shops and leisure centres, whilst inland the Angus Glens are easily reached for some excellent walks and spectacular scenery. Fishing is also available locally. Beach 300 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant ½ mile.