Hardyes Countryside Camping

The campsite is six miles west of Dorchester within the Dorset National Landscape. Host Chris provides lots of local information on things to do in the shared area in the barn. Some of the highlights are in Dorchester itself where you can visit the Dorchester Museum and the Roman Town House. Not far beyond town, in Higher Bockhampton, is Hardy’s Cottage (nine miles), birthplace of Thomas Hardy, which is open to the public thanks to the National Trust. The Hardy Monument, to Vice Admiral Thomas Hardy, is five miles south of site and a good place for a walk in the hills with outstanding views – all the way to the Isle of Wight and Torquay on a clear day. In the other direction (north) you can visit the hillside Cerne Abbas Giant (11 miles). The closest place to reach the coast is Abbotsbury (eight miles) at the west end of Chesil Beach, an 18-mile shingle beach with the Fleet Lagoon behind it. Perhaps a better bet for family-friendly swimming, though, is Weymouth (13 miles) where there’s sheltered sand and plenty of facilities too. The famous chalk arch of Durdle Door is 18 miles from the campsite while Charmouth and Lyme Regis, which are great for fossil hunting, are just over 20 miles away.

Hardyes Country Camping is just six miles from Dorchester and you’ll find supermarkets on the edge of town with plenty of independent shops in the centre. Market day in the town is Wednesday. For basic supplies, there’s a village shop a little closer in the village of Winterbourne Abbas (three miles). You’ll also find the closest pub, The Coach House Inn, there. It’s a modern country pub that does food and it’s walkable on local footpaths. Another nearby pub is The Saxon Arms in Stratton (four miles), a pretty thatched inn with a good menu. It’s about the same distance to Martinstown and The Brewer’s Arms, a freehouse serving ploughmans, pizzas and more.