Ashwood

Why you'll love staying here

Ashwood is a delightful, single-storey Victorian barn conversion on a working farm situated beneath Bulbarrow Hill, the second-highest point in Dorset, set in the picturesque Blackmore Vale, famously known as Thomas Hardy country. Built in the 1830s and originally used to house small animals, it has been beautifully restored to provide stylish accommodation for a family or group of friends.

The open-plan living space has a contemporary kitchen with sleek cream cabinets and a range of high-end appliances, making it easy to prepare home-cooked meals. A spacious dining table offers plenty of room for everyone to gather, share a meal, and chat about the day’s adventures. A large skylight floods the space with natural light, while a partial wall with an original beam and exposed brickwork nods to the barn’s history and creates a separation from the sitting area.

The sitting area offers plenty of comfortable seating, and is the perfect spot to relax with a favourite box set or challenge the group to a lively board game. Patio doors open onto the terrace with lovely views over the garden, filling the space with brightness and a strong sense of connection to the outdoors.

Both bedrooms have been designed with comfort in mind, with deep mattresses and crisp white bedding to ensure a restful night’s sleep. Each room benefits from its own en-suite shower room, so you can begin each day feeling refreshed.

Outside, a private terrace furnished with a picnic table and bench is a real suntrap, providing a wonderful setting for a leisurely al fresco lunch. A bubbling hot tub awaits for a soothing soak after a day of walking or cycling, as the sun sets over the surrounding fields.

The farm has an excellent range of leisure facilities, all just a short stroll from the cottage. For indoor family fun, visit the games barn housed in a beautiful oak-framed building. Perfect for rainy days, it includes a pool table and table football, or you can simply relax on the sofa with a book and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. In an adjacent barn, an activity suite offers table tennis, badminton nets, and a selection of toys and board games for guests of all ages.

You’ll also have access to an indoor heated swimming pool available every day of your stay, giving you plenty of opportunities to unwind with a relaxing swim. For further indulgence, a sauna provides soothing heat to ease muscles, relieve tension, and leave you feeling rejuvenated.

Children will love the outdoor play area, complete with a net swing, slides, trampolines, and a charming playhouse that sparks imagination and encourages creative play.

Ashwood is also a haven for anglers, with three coarse fishing lakes on the farm. Stocked with carp, bream, perch, and rudd, some weighing up to 30 lb, the lakes offer a rewarding challenge for anglers of all levels of experience.

The farm, originally a dairy enterprise and now home to beef cattle, welcomes guests to explore the grounds. The owners are dedicated to sustainability and wildlife conservation, planting native trees such as oak, ilex, ash, and hornbeam to encourage species such as deer, hares, hedgehogs, and bats. Birdlife on the farm includes red kites, buzzards, and house martins, which you may spot on the nature trails that wind through the estate.

The nearby market town of Blandford Forum is just a short drive away. One of the most complete Georgian towns in England, it has stunning architecture, a charming parish church, independent shops, and a lively market place. Blandford Fashion Museum, located in Lime Tree House, displays a superb collection of clothing from the early 18th century to the 1970s, including day wear, evening gowns, wedding dresses, and accessories. Another fascinating attraction is the Royal Signals Museum, which tells the story of military signalling from visual methods to modern digital battlefield communications.

A little further afield lies Shaftesbury, a medieval town home to Sherborne Abbey and two historic castles. Sherborne Old Castle was once a grand fortified palace of the Bishops of Salisbury, and the ruins of its great tower, chapels, and impressive southwest gatehouse can be explored. Nearby Sherborne Castle, a 16th-century Tudor mansion built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, houses fine collections of art, porcelain, and furniture, and is surrounded by Grade I listed gardens designed by Capability Brown, with spring bulbs, herbaceous borders, and majestic trees around a 50-acre lake.

The Jurassic Coast offers a wealth of pretty seaside towns and beaches to explore via the South West Coast Path. The iconic limestone arch at Durdle Door is one of Dorset’s most photographed landmarks, with a shingle beach, chalk cliffs, and dramatic sea caves, but can get very busy during the summer season.

For a traditional seaside day out, head to Weymouth. Its award-winning sandy beach and gently sloping seabed make the water ideal for swimming and watersports, while classic seaside entertainment, including Punch and Judy shows, donkey rides, pedalos, and amusement arcades, adds to the charm of the Georgian esplanade. Hire a deckchair, enjoy fish and chips on the beach, and while the children entertain themselves building sandcastles.