Britain's finest selection of holiday cottages.

For a Cottage Holiday with a Hearty Welcome, Make Dorset and Somerset Your Haven

There's a very good reason why Dorset and Somerset are among the most popular destinations for quintessentially English cottage holidays. Not only is our range of beguiling country cottages situated in breathtakingly stunning locations, but the welcome here is a warm one. The region is just as proud of its friendly character as it is of its rich history and unspoilt landscape. If you want a holiday full of magical memories, then choose an English Country Cottage in Dorset or Somerset.

Accommodation with Nature on the Doorstep

Nature lovers dorset and somerset's fossil rich jurassic coast, rocks arching into the blue sea who visit an English Country Cottage in Dorset are spoilt for choice: see the inspirational 150 miles of fossil-rich Jurassic Coast unfold to reveal 185 million years of history in front of you. Explore the rugged moorland walks, and cliff top paths, or head inland tracing historic routes, keeping watch for shy wildlife such as butterflies, otters, kingfishers and lizards. The New Forest, Chesil Beach, Poole Harbour, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door are all breathtaking sites within easy reach of our range of Dorset holiday cottages.

The rocky cliffs of Exmoor are the highest in England, while the wildly beautiful Exmoor National Park stretches out to meet the western coast - home to wild ponies, red deer and buzzards. The limestone caves of the Mendip Hills offer yet more possibilities for holidays or short breaks in Somerset. Wherever you choose your countryside retreat, we know you'll be moved by your surroundings.

Character Cottages Steeped in History and Heritage

From glastonbury with its legendary tor, the tor peeking through the mists prehistoric stone circles to medieval monuments - on a cottage holiday in Dorset and Somerset you can walk the ancient paths of our ancestors. This area of countryside is littered with historic sites - Corfe Castle, Camelot (at South Cadbury), Glastonbury and its legendary Tor, Wells and its tiny cathedral, Stone Henge, the Cerne Abbas Giant, and a host of picturesque medieval and Roman towns - enough to give any holiday a historic flavour.

This is a region alive with enduring history and legend, and any of our range of rural holiday cottages make the perfect base for exploring it all. Walk in the footsteps of King Arthur and King Alfred at Shaftsbury Abbey, or look out over the views that inspired Thomas Hardy, John Fowles and Jane Austen. Retrace the steps of the Mayor of Casterbridge in Dorchester, and the French Lieutenant's Women in Lime Regis. Stop time, and soak up the history, when you make a traditional English Country Cottage your holiday home.

Choose a Cottage Holiday for Culture and Cuisine

From a the local tradition of a pint of prawns on the Dorset cliff tops in summer to the freshly pressed Somerset scrumpy of autumn, this region tempts food lovers with a box of dorset sea bass, layed out on a platter freshly caught and cooked culinary delights at any time of year. You'll be glad of the self-catering facilities in your holiday cottage when you catch sight of the many farmers' markets. You could even take a boat trip, and try your hand at sea fishing for the freshest of fresh ingredients, or see the cheese being made at Cheddar Gorge. Whichever corner of the countryside you choose as your destination, you'll find a real flavour of the West Country!

And, in terms of culture, cottage holidays in Dorset and Somerset put you right in the heart of a region brimming with a vibrant arts and craft scene, where traditional skills such as basket weaving have been kept alive for hundreds of years. Don't miss attractions such as the Terracotta Warriors Museum in Dorchester, The Festival of the Sea in Weymouth in May, or the friendliest folk festival at Priddy, in the magnificent Mendip Hills in July. Perhaps you'd enjoy a cottage holiday near Lulworth, where Medieval Knights do battle every day throughout summer.

Holiday Homes near the Highlights and Hotspots

It's easy to relax and unwind among Dorset and Somerset's fossil beaches and timeless rolling moorland, but, should you prefer to get active, you'll find a host of great days out within easy reach of our range of holiday cottages. On holiday here you can take in the Beach Polo Championships in Poole, or the North Somerset Ploughing Match. Find a cottage near the Cheddar and Mendip walking festival, or enjoy motor racing on the beach at Western Super Mare, at the unique Weston Sandocross in August.

For family fun, you'll find attractions such as Wookey Hole Caves and Papermill, Brean Leisure Park, with over 30 rides and attractions, Dorchester's Dinosaur Museum, and don't miss the amazing aerial views from the Bournemouth Eye, a spectacular tethered balloon flight. Head to the award winning beaches of Bournemouth, Sandbanks and Studland, or get really active at the Olympic standard water sport facilities of Weymouth Bay, Portland and Poole Harbour. Stay in a English Country Cottage in Dorset or Somerset and you'll find all the ingredients for a heavenly holiday.

Visit our availability search page to find your next holiday cottage in Dorset or Somerset.

Browse our holiday cottages by resort:

	Security & Privacy	\|	All About Cottage Holidays	\|	Register For Our Newsletter	\|	Terms Of Use
Stoney Bank, Earby, Barnoldswick BB94 0AA
English Country Cottages is a trading name of Holiday Cottages Group Limited
Registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number 01400552
VAT Registration Number: GB 598 22 99 77

For a Cottage Holiday with a Hearty Welcome, Make Dorset and Somerset Your Haven

Browse our destination guides:

Browse our holiday cottages by resort: