Holiday cottages in Dorset appeal for lots of different reasons. Families often like the freedom it gives them to wake at leisure and organise their own schedules, for example, while foodies enjoy the opportunity to source local ingredients nearby before coming home and cooking up a feast in their well appointed kitchen.
Bridport is a great destination for both, with lots of independent shops – not to mention an excellent market – selling meats, cheese, breads and many other supplies from the local area, as well a beach close by at West Bay, where the golden cliffs made famous by TV’s Broadchurch form a dramatic backdrop. Take a picnic with you, then treat the children to a refreshing ice cream from one of the harbour cafes nearby.
Staying at holiday cottages in Dorset is all about relaxation. On those occasions when you’d rather have someone else do the cooking for you, you’ll find there are choices to suit every taste and budget. Fish and chips on the beach is quick, easy and delicious, and you won’t have to look far to find an ice cream cone when it’s hot. But more upmarket restaurants are also in plentiful supply, from celeb chef Mark Hix’s Oyster & Fish House in Lyme Regis to Michelin starred The Jetty in Mudesford.
And if you want to hone your kitchen talents while you’re self catering, why not head to the TV chef Lesley Water’s Cookery School at Abbots Hill in West Dorset? There are also a growing number of arts and crafts workshops on offer across Dorset.