Fido Family Friendly Places

Escape to Wylye Croft: Your Perfect Pet-Friendly Holiday Retreat in Martinstown near Dorchester Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Martinstown, Wylye Croft stands as a quintessential haven for those seeking a tranquil and pet-friendly escape. This enchanting holiday let, a charming five-bedroom home, beckons travellers with the promise of unforgettable memories and breathtaking countryside views. With its impressive vaulted open-plan living area, a wealth of modern amenities, and a strategic location in the heart of Dorset, Wylye Croft is the ideal destination for your next multi-generational getaway.
As you approach Wylye Croft, the verdant beauty of the surrounding countryside welcomes you, setting the stage for an exceptional retreat. This spacious home effortlessly accommodates up to ten guests and their four-legged friends, ensuring that everyone in your party can experience the joy of the countryside together. The heart of Wylye Croft is undoubtedly its vaulted open-plan living, kitchen, and dining area. This airy and luminous space, framed by large windows, provides an unrivalled panoramic view of the rolling hills and meadows that Dorset is renowned for. Picture-perfect sunrises and sunsets become part of your daily routine as you sip your morning coffee or enjoy a delicious meal prepared in the modern, well-equipped kitchen. For those moments when you crave a bit of downtime or need to catch up on your favourite shows, Wylye Croft offers a separate sitting room equipped with a Smart TV. The property features three bathrooms, each designed to offer comfort and convenience, ensuring that everyone can freshen up and prepare for the day’s adventures without any hassle. The attention to detail in these bathrooms is emblematic of Wylye Croft’s commitment to providing a luxurious and welcoming experience for guests.
Outside, the magic of Wylye Croft continues with its beautiful grounds and terrace. The spacious terrace, complete with outdoor seating, a BBQ, and a pizza oven, invites you to dine alfresco while soaking in the breathtaking countryside vista that stretches before you. It’s the perfect setting for memorable family gatherings, complete with the laughter of loved ones and the delicious aroma of freshly baked pizzas.
But Wylye Croft is more than just a luxurious holiday let; it’s a gateway to some of Dorset’s most enchanting day trips and places of interest. Just a short drive away lies the historic town of Dorchester, where you can explore the fascinating Dinosaur Museum, and the picturesque Maiden Castle, or immerse yourself in Thomas Hardy’s literary world at the Hardy’s Cottage. Alternatively, venture further afield to the stunning Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dramatic cliffs, hidden coves, and fossil-rich beaches. Whether you’re seeking relaxation and serenity or a base for exciting day trips, Wylye Croft has it all. Its pet-friendly policy ensures that every member of your family can join in the fun, and its superb facilities promise comfort and convenience. For those looking to create cherished memories in the heart of Dorset’s countryside, Wylye Croft is the ultimate choice for a multi-generational retreat. Beach 8 miles. Pub and restaurant ¾ mile.

These stylish renovated properties are set in a rural location and form part of a charming collection of holiday homes. These five properties (refs UK40448 UKC3108, UKC3109, UKC3334 and UK40450) stand in a semi-rural location, adjacent to horse stables and accessed along a track. These properties are ideal for couples or families, offering couple, spacious accommodation and private outdoor spaces with hot tubs. There is also a shared games room with table football, table tennis and magnetic darts, and for guests who would like to bring their horse, stabling can be arranged by prior arrangement with the owner.

Many thoughtful and personal touches have been added, such as books, family games and a record player with a large selection of vinyl records. All of the rooms have a sumptuous feel, with careful co-ordination, very high levels of comfort and design. The bedrooms are all themed with feature wallcovering to one wall, using beautiful interior design. Also, all guests have shared access to a ’chill out’ room, outdoor table tennis, a playhouse, slide, boules, outdoor large chess set, badminton net, 5-a-side football – there really is something for all age groups!

The properties lie on the National Cycle Network, and this area is known for its scenic walks and wildlife. There is a direct gravel track along the Castleman Trailway (the old railway line) to miles of woodland walks making this ideal for walkers and cyclists. One route leads to a pub, Chinese restaurant and golf course (all within 20-minute flat walk).

Cranborne Chase and the Jurassic coastline (Purbecks, Swanage and Wareham) are within easy reach, the latter being a nationally protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offers extensive scenic walks and a wealth of wildlife. Wimborne is a market town with a historic town trail taking in the buildings ranging from the 15th to 17th centuries. Here you will also find the popular Tivoli theatre, model town, coffee houses, shops, market and restaurants. The sandy beaches at Bournemouth and Poole are just 10 miles away and Sandbanks, Studland Bay and the Poole Natural Reserve are within easy reach. National Trust properties Kingston Lacy Estate, Badbury Rings and Brownsea Island are a short distance away. Beach 10 miles. Shop 1½ miles, Please note: Fireworks are not allowed in the garden or grounds of this property due to livestock and horses nearby.
These properties can be booked together to accommodate up to 34 guests.

Belvedere is a perfect holiday home for friends or families with 4 glorious bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and spacious open plan living space with kitchen, not to mention the hot tub, games room, and wonderful rural views. Belvedere is an ideal choice for a short break or for a special occasion but is also ideally located to use a base to explore the wider the area during a longer stay. If you don’t fancy cooking a great riverside pub is just half a mile away, and the charming town of Wimborne, 3 miles away, offers a fantastic and eclectic selection of pubs, restaurants and independent shops, a great model village and the famous Minster.
A little further afield, explore the stunning New Forest National Park with great walking and cycling routes, that are peppered with picture postcard villages some with great village inns. If you are searching for some fresh sea air, the beautiful Dorset coastline is just a short drive away and is home to miles of golden sandy beaches, coves and harbour towns and villages. Whatever your reason for choosing this stylish home, your stay will have you longing to return.

The Retreat is a semi-detached, Grade II listed, stunning five bedroom country house nestled at the heart of the pretty Dorset Village of Burton Bradstock. Set just ½ mile from Hive Beach, on the world heritage Jurassic Coast, it’s perfectly located between Weymouth and Lyme Regis. The house itself is perfect for large family groups with stylish and flexible accommodation over three floors. The social hub is a large kitchen/dining room and is perfect to relax, cook and enjoy each other’s company. The stylishly furnished living room is the perfect space in which to relax after a busy day exploring.
The village of Burton Bradstock is a beautiful place to explore, with village inns, a restaurant and a superb café directly on Hive Beach. A little further afield is the harbour settlement of West Bay which is a spectacular place to while away a few hours. The pretty harbour has a back drop of stunning sandstone cliffs and beautiful beaches.
The Market towns of Dorchester and Bridport are a short drive away and offer a wide variety of independent shops and eateries. This luxury holiday home will have you enchanted from the moment you step inside, and will have you longing to return.
The Retreat can be booked together with Coach House Retreat (UK32202) to accommodate up to 17 guests.

Fossils’ End is a single-storey barn conversion, ideal for a rural retreat within the heart of the Dorset countryside. Accessed via a rough track, the property is located in Chickerell, close to the Georgian town of Weymouth, which boasts a golden sandy beach, picturesque harbour and is ideally positioned along the UNESCO Jurassic Coastline. It borders the owners’ home and is perfect for couples, family and friends who wish to enjoy the beautiful surrounding area of Dorset. The name Fossils’ End derives itself from local fossils that were found in nearby Dorset villages, which have been entwined into the barn, including a sea anemone found in Nottington and a petrified wood fossil found in nearby Charminster. The property offers an open plan living space with electric fire and French doors opening on to the front of the property with a large unspoilt garden (not enclosed). In the garden shed you will find sun loungers and patio chairs to use during your stay. The rear of the property offers some lovely Dorset countryside views and walking areas.
The UNESCO Jurassic Coastline is 3 miles away, with highlights such as Chesil Beach to explore, while Abbotsbury, West Bay, Bridport, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove are slightly further away. The Jurassic Coastline is home to over 300 coastal country walks, offering some breath taking views over Dorset’s 200 million year old shoreline. The county town, known as Thomas Hardy’s town, of Dorchester, is home to Roman relics, Brewery Square and the pioneering architectural royal development of Poundbury. Take a trip to the Isle of Portland, host to the 2012 Olympic Games and home to the world famous National Sailing Academy.
Heading out west from Chickerell is a delight, where the outstanding views and ‘chocolate-box’ villages can be admired. The swannery at Abbotsbury provides the opportunity to observe the resident colony of mute swans, which has been in existence since the 14th century. From late May, visitors can walk around the nesting area, observing the cygnets at close quarters. Another attraction at Abbotsbury are the sub-tropical gardens, which flourish in a site protected from the cold winds. Here you can find species rare to Britain such as Japanese camellias and Caucasian wingnut.
It’s a great location with so many popular tourist attractions close by including Monkey World, Bovington Tank Museum and the National Trust’s Corfe Castle, all of which all make great family days out. Slightly further afield, you can visit Swanage, Poole and Poole Quay. Poole harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world and from here you can take the ferry to Sandbanks or Brownsea Island Nature Reserve with its red squirrels. Why not take the ferry for the day to visit the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey? Lyme Regis is also another hot spot to visit, known locally as the ‘Pearl of Dorset’, and is a great place for searching for fossils found in the cliffs and along the beach. Beach 3 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant ¾ mile.

Set in a picturesque location within the 350-acre Rousdon Estate, this delightful property is the ideal base for a relaxing holiday, and has easy access to the coast, scenic walks and the surrounding counties of Dorset, Devon and Somerset. Sea View Lodge sleeps eight people, which is perfect for a family getaway or time away with friends. It has two double bedrooms on the ground floor with a shared bathroom, and two more bedrooms upstairs, both twin rooms, as well as the second bathroom. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to bringing everyone together, since the property has a spacious living room, a large kitchen, a beautiful sun room, which spans the entire width of the property. The sun room doubles up as a dining area and also has soft relaxing chairs, making it the perfect spot in which to sit back and reflect as you gaze into the beautiful garden. Heading outside you can enjoy the large enclosed garden, with coastal views and your very own hot tub. Come nightfall, the living room is the ideal place for you to to snuggle down in front of the warming wood burner.

The grounds of the Roudson Estate are made up of woodlands, pastureland and glorious countryside. The estate even benefits from, for the more adventurous, its own private beach which is situated approximately 2 miles away, as well as the coastal path towards Lyme Regis or Seaton for the more adventurous. There are walkways around the estate - you can take a relaxing stroll, enjoy dog walks, or the quiet lanes are ideal for cycling. Being only a short distance from the Jurassic Coast, there is no shortage of stunning scenery. Take a trip to the charming cobbled streets of Lyme Regis, 4 miles, with its beach, where you can wander through the galleries and visit the historic Cobb, before testing out one of the many cafés and eateries. Also nearby is the seaside village of Beer and the towns of Seaton and Sidmouth - or why not explore one of the numerous National Trust properties that are easily accessible by car? Children will love exploring the numerous beaches along this coast, or having fun at the many attractions on offer, including Pecorama, Seaton Jurassic Experience and Trams, Dinosaurland Fossil Museum or Crealy Adventure Park, which all make for great days out. Beach 2 miles. Shops, pubs and restaurants 4 miles.

This beautiful Victorian house, situated in 30-acre grounds, and is a small vineyard, close to the Georgian market town of Blandford, makes a great home from home for families or groups to enjoy Dorset. The property offers a small, outdoor heated swimming pool, a hot tub for 6 and a tennis court to enjoy at your leisure. Downward Vineyard has eight spacious bedrooms, all with TVs and three with en-suite facilities, and also boasts two wonderful living rooms, both leading into the large conservatory. There is also a large games room with a pool table and table football for all to enjoy, or why not go outside and play croquet in the garden?
Set in 30 acres of what used to be a vineyard, you can wander around the grounds, relax in the pool or hot tub, burn off some energy on the tennis court or have a barbecue for all to enjoy. Ashley Wood 18 hole golf course is accessible along a bridle way from within the grounds or would be a 2-minute drive from the property. Within easy driving, you can exploring Shaftesbury, Wimborne, Poole, Bournemouth, Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland, making Downwood Vineyard a good base for taking in the best the county has to offer. Slightly further afield you can visit the popular Isle of Purbeck, with its rugged and picturesque coastline, or take a ride on the Swanage Steam Railway, with its 6 miles of track going through scenic Dorset countryside. There are many family attractions nearby, enjoy a day at Monkey World, the Bovington Tank Museum, historic houses such as Kingston Lacy, Milton Abbey and Althelhampton, or the sandy beaches at Sandbanks, Bournemouth, Weymouth and Poole. Beach 18 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1½ miles.

This delightful detached single storey holiday home with large lawned garden and plenty of parking, is located on a quiet residential street only a 10-minute drive from the cosmopolitan seaside city of Bournemouth.
Inside, this immaculately presented home has a light and airy living/dining room with sofa bed, with French doors to the lovely, well-maintained garden and sitting-out area with rattan furniture. There is a large bedroom with a 6ft super kingsize bed (which can be split to make twin beds) and a TV. The well equipped kitchen has a door to outside. Extra thought has been put into ensuring guests with young children are well catered for, with a highchair, baby bath, changing mat, toddler toilet steps and seat all readily available in the property.
There is so much do to in this ever popular area. Bournemouth itself has a host of year round entertainment and leisure for all ages – Oceanarium, Bournemouth Eye, Compton Acre Gardens and shopping centre, various eateries, theatre, mainline station, bars and clubs. There are bands playing outside in the warmer months and a wonderful holiday atmosphere! Take a ride on the Bournemouth Eye, which rises high above the town to give the most amazing panoramic views over the whole area. At the foot of the pier is the fascinating Oceanarium, where the whole family can discover life beneath the waves. Compton Acres Gardens in Bournemouth and the delightful Exbury Gardens, 18 miles, are both worth a visit. Beaulieu, with its world-renowned National Motor Museum, Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey, are 20 miles away. The beautiful New Forest National Park is within 5 miles, and for those who enjoy the thrill of a theme park, Paultons Park is 25 miles away. Other places of interest include Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park, Adventure Wonderland, Christchurch Priory, Mudeford Key, Poole Harbour, Highcliffe Castle and the National Trust’s Brownsea Island.
There are a number of nature reserves close by, one of 40 acres just a short walk away. Nearby Boscombe Chine Gardens offer a good mix of flower beds, grassy areas and a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees, growing on steep banks on either side of the Chine. In addition to the wildlife, there is also a water themed play area, crazy golf and a cafe. Hengistury Head is 7 miles away, not only a nature reserve it is a place where archaeology has been ongoing for many years. 8 miles from the cottage is Poole, which boasts being the second largest natural harbour in the world, and with Sandbanks, a peninsula, being one of the most expensive pieces of land - some notable footballers and their families have bought properties on this spit. A short drive takes you to the New Forest National Park with its famous wild ponies, or head for the Purbecks and enjoy coastal walks and pretty villages. Christchurch is nearby with castle and harbour, or visit Beaulieu in the New Forest, with the National Motor Museum. The New Forest National Park, where you can see the free-roaming ponies, donkeys and cattle and enjoy off-road walking, riding and cycling. The quaint market town of Fordingbridge is close by with its famous stone bridge and fine arches, plenty of shops, pubs, a café and riverside location to enjoy, and closeby is a waterpark. Both Wimborne and Ringwood are a short drive, which also have a selection of shops, pubs and eateries. Shop 1 mile, pub ¼ mile.

Situated on a 300-acre working sheep and beef farm in the beautiful surroundings of the north west Dorset countryside, and only 5 miles south of the delightful abbey town of Sherborne, these three holiday homes offer a great location to get away from it all. The Farmhouse (UKC2911), which sleeps up to twelve guests, and the smaller wing of the property, Churchill Cottage (ref DQR), which sleeps six guests, have an interconnecting door allowing for both to be booked together (sleeping 18 guests) or independently. Standing detached is The Stables (ref DSG) which sleeps five guests.

The Farmhouse and Churchill Cottage have interesting historical connections, having once been owned by John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough and the highwayman John Clavell respectively. The Farmhouse offers its own games room with a pool table, and a dining area seating 18, although all three properties have use of a shared outside games room. The properties also have use of the coarse fishing lake, 100 yards away.

The properties are ideal for a family or groups who might wish to get away from it all, and their location lends itself for some fine country walking and cycling. Visit Sherborne with its abbey, castle, fine character shops, cafés and inns. Within easy driving there are also many historic houses, such as Montacute House and Gardens and Stourhead House and Gardens to name just two. For family outings Yeovilton Fleet Air Arm Museum and the Haynes Motor Museum, with its fascinating classical car collection, are worth a visit, and slightly further afield, the ever popular Longleat House and Safari Park is great for a day out.

The south coast resorts of Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis, on the famous World Heritage Jurassic Coast, beckon, with plenty of water activities to enjoy, or going inland to south Somerset, one can take in the Clarks Village Outlet, Glastonbury Tor and the very popular Roman city of Bath with its many tourist attractions. Nearby, visit Cerne Abbas, famed for its chalk giant on the hillside, and just beyond is Dorchester, the county town with its many museums. Shop, pub and restaurant 3 miles.
Churchill Cottage (ref DQR), The Stables (ref DSG) and The Farmhouse (ref UKC2911) can be booked together to accommodate up to 23 guests.

Located only 8½ miles from the centre of Bournemouth, Fortis House is a great base for large groups of families or friends to book an exciting mid-week getaway together in the wonderful south coast county of Dorset. Travel down a long private country road and arrive at the gates into the sweeping driveway, with ample parking for up to five cars.
Relax or party with your friends and family in this secluded property, which is also dog-friendly, with its huge 2-acre gardens, outdoor swimming pool (available summer season only) and six-seater hot tub. This venue is very private and peaceful with no nearby residents to worry about during your holiday time.
The property can sleep up to 22 guests, across five bedrooms, and there are three bathrooms, large kitchen and dining areas, a utility room and games room. There is a Sky TV service in the living room, including Sky Cinema and Sky Sports, free superfast Wi-Fi is provided and the table football and American pool table in the games room will provide great entertainment and memories. Beach 8½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1¼ miles.