From walking holidays, to seaside weekends with ice-creams or ‘chocolate box’ country quaintness and curiosity, Dorset has something for everyone! Take a look at what to do in the area surrounding the Coach House Inn.
Abbotsbury
Abbotsbury is just over five miles from Winterbourne Abbas and is famous for its Swannery and Subtropical Gardens. The Swannery was established in 1040 by monks and today is a natural habitat for 600 free-flying swans. The Subtropical Gardens were originally created as a kitchen garden in 1765, but since then have developed into 20 acres of rare and exotic plants, most of which were the first introductions to England. This is an excellent day out for those who like the great outdoors and rare and unusual plants.
Jurassic Coast
Nine miles from Winterbourne Abbas is Chesil Beach. Extraordinary not only for its length – 18 miles but also because it is separated from the mainland by an area of shallow water, known as the Fleet Lagoon. Famous in World War II for the testing of the so-called ‘Bouncing Bomb’, this has now become a vital conservation area for many types of wildlife and lies at the centre of the fossil-filled Jurassic Coast, 95 miles of breath-taking coastline from East Devon to Dorset and a designated World Heritage Site. Why not take your kids here to try and find fossils in the pebbles on the beach, for a fun-filled family day out.
Events and News
There is SO much more to do in and around Winterbourne Abbas that we couldn’t possibly list it all here, so make sure you check out the ‘blog’ section of our website where we regularly post on a variety of things to do in the are. Those include dog-friendly things, family-friendly things and areas of outstanding natural beauty to visit.
Cycling
Many of the walking trails in Dorset can also be used for cycling, for example, the Rodwell Trail. From Weymouth to Ferrybridge, the trial is surfaced, which means mobility scooters, bicycles and scooters can whiz along.
If you are looking for a longer stretch to cycle on why not try the East Lulworth Cycle Ride. Starting from Wareham Quay, take in the sights on this 18-mile, four-hour circular route ending up at Lulworth. You will pass through many a quaint Dorset village.
For the more devoted cyclist, you could try the Purbeck Cycle Ride. This is a 47-mile route for all you pro cyclists out there, but it is worth the sore legs for the stunning rural scenery and historic Dorset landmarks that you will see along the way. At the end of the ride, you can always make your way back to us and have a rewarding pub meal and pint of beer! You will have earned it!
An excellent resource for cycling routes is the Dorset County Council website, where you can download maps and trail routes. Over on our Blog, we also post regularly on all the things to do in the area. Whether you are looking for family-friendly things to do in Dorset, or for an historic landmark to see, we give you suggestions.
Walking
Winterbourne Abbas lies a stone’s throw from the South Dorset Ridgeway, so many stunning walks are directly accessible from the village. These include the Jubilee Trail, a 90-mile route right across Dorset, which runs from Forde Abbey on the Somerset border in the west to Bokerley Dyke in the northeast on the Hampshire border.
In Winterbourne Abbas, we are lucky enough to have a circle of stones dating from the Bronze age regarded as sacred to Druids. English Heritage owns the site and it is open for the public to visit free of charge. Local legend has it that the stones are associated with the Devil and the stones themselves the souls of children petrified by the Devil into stone. Why not visit them yourselves to decide for yourself! Ask a member of staff to direct you.
If you are feeling like venturing a little further away from Winterbourne Abbas then why not try the Rodwell Trail, which takes you from Weymouth to Portland. The trail follows the disused line of an old passenger railway which has now become a beautiful haven for wildlife. Many rare butterflies, insects and birds can be spotted along the walk, so why not take your budding David Attenboroughs along and record all the species of wildlife you see. All this, of course, is set to the stunning backdrop of Portland Harbour sea views.
These are just a few examples of the many walks, parks and gardens there are to enjoy in Dorset. Please check out our blog where we regularly post about things to do in and around Winterbourne Abbas.
There is SO much more to do in and around Winterbourne Abbas that we couldn’t possibly list it all here, so make sure you check out the ‘blog’ section of our website where we regularly post on a variety of things to do in the are. Those include dog-friendly things, family-friendly things and areas of outstanding natural beauty to visit.
