Holiday cottages in Piddletrenthide, Dorset including self catering holiday vacation rental property in the English town of Piddletrenthide

Hound Cottage
Piddletrenthide

The places Hardy roamed as a boy, and later enshrined as rustic Wessex . . ._<strong>Lying in the picturesque Piddle Valley in West Dorset are the twelve acres of glorious rolling countryside in which these holiday cottages are set. No longer a working farm, Doles Ash Farm now has an established vineyard producing English wines. The splendid range of barns here have been sympathetically converted to form a group of very comfortable cottages, interestingly clustered around a grass courtyard with the owners&rsquo; 18th-century house. Facilities include an <em>indoor heated swimming-pool</em>, sauna, games barn with table tennis, snooker and table football, and tennis court. Outside, there is a pond, vineyard, sheep and chickens to visit and plenty of space for walking, playing, exploring and relaxing in the shared grounds. <br /></strong>Doles Ash Farm is the ideal venue for group get togethers, giving guests the benefit of families and friends being in the same place while still enjoying some personal space in individual cottages. Four of the holiday cottages have enclosed gardens, ideal for dogs, with the remaining four having individual patios. The <em>indoor heated swimming-pool</em> is open daily all year round and the building has full changing facilities, as well as a coin-operated sauna. The tennis court is also available all year round. The cottages, facilities and grounds enjoy an outstandingly peaceful setting with magnificent walks on the doorstep. Riding, golf, clay-shooting and fishing are all available locally.<br />Good shops can be found 8 miles away in Dorchester and 10 miles away in Sherborne. There is a host of local attractions and a long sandy beach within a half hour&rsquo;s drive at Weymouth. Studland beaches and Swanage are also firm favourites with visitors.<br />The Piddle Valley is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which boasts some of the prettiest villages in England and has a wealth of excellent family-friendly pubs to dine and relax in with the village of Godmanstone boasting the smallest pub in England. The beautiful village of Cerne Abbas, overseen by the legendary Cerne Giant, also lies just 3 miles from Doles Ash Farm. This is Thomas Hardy country with many of Hardy&rsquo;s venues have changed little since his time. At Higher Bockhampton, standing among soaring beech trees, is the thatched cottage where the novelist was born.<br />Lovely cottages in a fabulous setting, what more could holidaymakers want._<ul><li><em>Elec and full elec CH (oil CH in Keeper&rsquo;s Cottage DFM) incl (during Oct - May, a fuel charge applies - see individual cottage) </em></li><li><em>Wood-burning stove (except Keeper&rsquo;s Cottage) &ndash; initial supply incl, thereafter at cost</em></li><li><em>Parking</em></li><li><em>Shops 1 mile</em></li><li><em>TV</em></li><li><em>DVD</em></li><li><em>M/wave</em></li><li><em>Shared laundry room with auto wm and coin-operated t/dryer</em></li><li><em>Payphone</em></li><li><em>T/cot and h/chair by arr</em></li><li><em>Shared 12-acre grounds</em></li><li><em>Duvets with linen and towels</em><br /><em></em></li><li><em><strong>Indoor heated swimming-pool </strong>(36ft x 18ft) &ndash; avail daily all year round</em></li><li><em>Sauna (coin-operated)</em></li><li><em>Barbecue</em></li><li><em>Shared games barn with table tennis, table football and small snooker table</em></li><li><em>Large grassed play area with swing, climbing frame, slide and badminton/volleyball net</em></li><li><em>Owners&rsquo; <strong>hard tennis court</strong></em></em></li></ul>_Properties DGA, DGG, DFM, DFX, DGH, DGJ can be booked together for larger groups and family get-togethers_WINTER BREAKS AND OFF-SEASON HOLIDAYS<br />Doles Ash Farm is perfect for holidays in late Autumn, Winter and early Spring. All cottages are cosily heated with wood-burning stove (not Keeper&rsquo;s Cottage) and electric central heating (oil in Keeper&rsquo;s Cottage). And, of course, the indoor heated swimming-pool is open all year round._A two-storey conversion within the old barn. Spacious living/dining-room with wood-burning stove and sofa-bed (for +1 child)(will be for +2 children until 2010). Modern fitted kitchen. Bathroom/W.C. <em>First floor:</em> Double bedroom. Twin-bedded room._<ul><li><em>Fuel charge (Oct - May) &pound;30pw (&pound;20 per short break) </em></li><li><em>D/washer</em></li><li><em>Enclosed front garden with patio and furniture</em></li><li><em><strong>Friday to Friday</strong></em></em></li><li><em>From Jan 2010 this property will accept 2 pets</em></li></ul>