The Daggles Campsite

The farm is in the village of Leigh, set in the heart of lovely rural countryside. With boots or bikes, you can set off straight from the site on all sorts of routes, from a pootle to the village and back to a ten-mile circuit up onto the Dorset Downs. Just ask at the farm, they'll be happy to point you in the right direction. You wouldn't want to come all this way and miss the Cerne Giant (01297 489481) — Britain's largest chalk giant figure, carved into the downs. It's only a 15-minute drive away and there are several walks you can do from there too.

For urban pleasures, it's a ten-minute drive to the historic town of Sherborne — look in the dictionary under the words 'quaint' and 'picturesque' — which has castle ruins to run around, an ancient abbey, honey-coloured buildings, and a whole host of cute shops, boutiques, delis, and galleries.

Otherwise, and especially with young kids, all roads lead to the coast, via the county town of Dorchester, another historic gem and the birthplace of Thomas Hardy — his cottage (01305 262366), by the way, is almost absurdly gorgeous and well worth a visit. It's about a 45-minute drive to the sea all told, where the Jurassic Coast and its beautiful sands await. The huge, golden beach at Weymouth is a great target, and you can either grab some fish and chips here or head to the historic harbour where there are cafes, bars, and boat-watching. Rainy day? The Sea Life Adventure Park (01305 761070) is your best bet, with otters, sharks, penguins, and turtles (not all in the same tank obviously, that would be mad), and an impressive day-and-night ocean tunnel. For more beaches, Studland and Lulworth are a bit more of a trek (about an hour in the car), but also well worth it for a day trip to experience some of England's finest bits of coast.

The nearest shop is in the village, Leigh, or you can arrange deliveries from supermarkets in Sherborne, which is a ten-minute drive away. There's a wonderful artisan bakery in nearby Alweston — Oxfords (01963 23214) — which is over a century old now and is where you pick up your sourdough and Dorset Lardy Cake. Alweston is about a 15-minute drive away, and you might as well check out The Elms Farmhouse Kitchen (01935 713372) while you're there, just outside Alweston in North Wootton — excellent homemade brunches, lunches, and cream teas.

For pubs, you're spoiled for choice – it's hard to find a duff one in this part of the world and there are plenty of really nice ones within a ten-minute drive of the site. The Chetnole Inn (01935 872337) is just a couple of miles west — a five-minute drive or a 45-minute country walk — with proper old bars, a nice garden, fresh seafood, and a good-value bistro menu. Five miles east, the Hunters Moon (01963 210966) at Middlemarsh is an 18th-century inn that's good for a pint in the garden and a bar meal — nothing fancy but freshly cooked. Or there's the really pretty, ancient, and thatched Rose and Crown (01963 210202), four miles north and right by the church in the charming village of Longburton — everything you want from an old English pub, from stone-flagged floors and open fires to local ales and good food.