Briar Cottage and Surroundings

The BridgeHouse (1.3 miles)
Blending old Dorset recipes with modern cooking techniques to create some fabulous fine dining. The Brasserie offers al fresco dining in the walled garden (and the vaulted canopy offers protection from the 'vagaries of the British summer').

The Half Moon (1.4 miles)
Thatched village pub.

The Wild Garlic (1.4 miles)
Mat Follas, winner of the BBC's 2009 MasterChef competition, has opened his own restaurant. A must-eat for serious foodies.

Beaminster (1.4 miles)
Beaminster sits at the head of the Britt Valley, through which flows the river of the same name. The countryside here is glorious and a stay in Beaminster would be incomplete without a stroll through the rolling hills that surround the town. For the history buff, playing ‘spot the listed building’ is great fun – even though Beaminster has been devastated by fire no less than three times, the town still lays claim to some 200 listed buildings. The highlight of Beaminster’s calendar is the Festival of Music and Visual Arts, a jamboree of musical, literary and artistic talent including many big names.

The New Inn (1.4 miles)
Sunday lunch is a speciality at this attractive, thatched village inn.

Mapperton Gardens (2 miles)
A terraced valley garden complete with grottos, a great lawn, topiary, croquet lawn, an orangery and 17th Century fish ponds, surrounding a Tudor/Jacobean sandstone manor house, home to the Earl and Countess of Sandwich. Used as a location in Jane Austen's Emma, Restoration and Tom Jones. Open March to October.

Ant Hill Trail (2.8 miles)
Venture through meadows and pastures, across streams and up sunken lakes along the 6km trail from South Poorton Nature Reserve to Loscombe Nature Reserve in the countryside near Bridport. Keep an eye out for foxes, deer and buzzards, as well as the ant hills that gave trail its name.

Visit The Dorset Wildlife Trust website for more Nature Reserve walks in the area.

Washingpool Farm Shop (3.2 miles)
Run by a local West Dorset family that has farmed here for generations. The shop has won acclaim from the national press and the restaurant is up there too. Sit on the terrace and gaze out over Marshwood Vale to the sea.

UK Llamas (3.3 miles)
Trekking around the Dorset countryside with llamas - a novel way to explore.

The Marquis of Lorne (3.7 miles)
This 16th Century country inn serves excellent food and real ales at reasonable prices. There is a children's play area and walkers will find The Marquis also makes a good starting point for walks up the famous Eggardon Hill, where there are the remains of an Iron Age fort and Bronze Age burial mounds, as well as great views across the Dorset countryside and coast.

Pilsdon Pen (3.8 miles)
Traditionally thought of as Dorset's highest peak (277m), until it was recently found to be a few feet shy of its neighbour, Lewesdon Hill. Height notwithstanding, the Iron Age hill fort atop this flat-topped hill provides great views over the lush Marshwood Vale in west Dorset. Walk the ancient ramparts in a circular loop to take in the 360 degree panorama across the gentle rolling hills, whilst buzzards wheel overhead. Reach it off the B3164 Broadwindsor road.

Chez Cuddy (4 miles)
Relaxed bistro.

Bridport Farmers' Market (4.1 miles)
Go celeb-spotting; Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall can sometimes be found here, selling produce from his River Cottage HQ, alongside 30 other local producers. Held in the Arts Centre on the second Saturday of the month, 9am-1pm.

Beach and Barnicott Bar and Restaurant (4.1 miles)
Dine or drink by candlelight in original 18th Century surroundings.There are three floors of beautifully decorated rooms to choose from in this grade II listed Georgian house .

Bridport Museum (4.1 miles)
The history of Bridport is housed in an attractive Tudor building.

Bridport (4.2 miles)
A busy and thriving market town, Bridport is one of the most popular gateways to the Jurassic Coast. The town still has three weekly markets, including a farmer’s market. Shopping in Bridport reveals its strong arts and crafts heritage. Bridport lies just inland from West Bay, with a gorgeous sweep of sandy beach and a pretty harbour that perfectly complement Bridport’s charms.

The George Inn (4.9 miles)
Enjoy a (not so) swift pint by the cosy log fire in winter or out in the patio garden in summer at this 17th Century thatched country inn. Lunch and dinner menus include locally sourced seafood and meats. You can enjoy a locally brewed pint of Palmers ale while the kids play on the giant Jenga. Booking is advisable in summer.