Large Houses to Rent in Dorset
RENT A BIG HOUSE IN DORSET
Famous for its distinctive, UNESCO-listed coast and idyllic landscapes immortalised by writer Thomas Hardy, Dorset is the perfect setting for a peaceful getaway or family get-together. Stay in a beach house, a riverside manor or a real castle and explore the beaches, resorts and rolling hills of this quietly beautiful county. Walk out on the pebble spit at Chesil Beach, hunt for ammonites at Seatown and buy ice creams in Weymouth. Spend your days getting to know the county that Hardy loved and that inspired so many of his classic novels. Come back to a house with an indoor pool, a fabulous cinema room or a garden terrace with far-reaching views. Often overlooked in favour of its southwest neighbours, Dorset has maintained its unspoilt charm, and has something for everyone, from carefree little ones to nostalgic grandparents. Check out our full portfolio of large Dorset holiday homes for a memorable getaway.
Choose your Dorset holiday house
WHEN TO STAY IN DORSET
Spring
Step into spring at the Dorset Spring Show in early May for a spring celebration of food, farming, flowers and countryside life. See the daffodils, rhododendrons and cherry blossom at Minterne Gardens and walk among the bluebells at Kingston Lacey House. With its mild climate, plentiful country gardens and parklands coming into bloom and welcoming coastal resorts, Dorset is a delight in the springtime.
Summer
Summertime in Dorset is holiday time. Visit the seaside resorts of Weymouth and Bournemouth for golden sands, amusements and walks along the prom. Get active by sailing on the Dorset seas, cycling through the country lanes or visiting one of the county’s outdoor adventure centres such as Dorset Adventure Park. It’s festival time too, with Camp Bestival being the biggest, and you can do it in style, staying in one of our Big Houses.
Autumn
Dorset is one of the most beautiful counties for autumn colour, with woodlands, hedgerows and gardens all blazing in an array of colours. Witness the richly coloured acers in the Japanese Garden at Kingston Lacy, walk beneath the golden canopy at Thorncombe Wood, next to Hardy’s Birthplace, or take a boat trip out to Brownsea Island where the red squirrels will be collecting nuts for the winter ahead.
Winter
Winter is a lovely time to visit the popular seaside resorts on the Dorset Coast. Walk for miles along the empty beach at Bournemouth, go winter rock pooling at Kimmeridge Bay or hunt for fossils without the crowds on the Jurassic Coast. Visit Corfe Castle and enjoy the winter atmosphere and panoramic views, or watch for winter visitors like Bewick Swans, Avocets and Spoonbills at the Fleet Lagoon by Chesil Beach.
PLACES TO VISIT IN AND AROUND DORSET
With coast, countryside, rivers and rolling hills, Dorset is all about the great outdoors. Take a tour along the 90 or so miles of coast, from the heights of Hengistbury Head to the delights of Swanage Bay and further east to the UNESCO World heritage site of the Jurassic Coast. Head inland to Thomas Hardy Country, visiting Evershot, Bridport and Dorchester - which becomes Casterbridge in the novels. Visit the town of Shaftsbury and walk up Gold Hill, a step back in time made famous by the classic Hovis ad. Take a riverside walk along the Stour, to Blandford Forum, England’s most complete Georgian town, or follow the River Avon from Ringwood through pretty villages out to the sea at Christchurch.
Special experiences in Dorset
MONKEY WORLD
Learn all about our closest living relatives and meet the primates that have been rescued from around the world, including, lemurs, chimpanzees, orangutans and gibbons.
ENGLISH OAK VINEYARD
Discover how English sparkling wines have taken the world by storm, learn all about the winemaking process, and soak up the views at the Dorset vineyard named as one of Europe's 10 most beautiful vineyards.
INSIGHT ACTIVITIES
Get everyone together for a day of outdoor activities in the Dorset woodlands. Test your aim on the archery range, have a go at axe throwing and learn some bushcraft skills,
MOONFLEET ADVENTURE SAILING
Learn to sail on a tall ship, take a tour of the Jurassic Coast on a boat trip, be pirates on the high seas, or charter a boat for dolphin and bird watching out on the English Channel.
DORSET ADVENTURE PARK
Ready for adventure? Get a soaking in the water park and covered head to toe in the mud trail, against a backdrop of lush green countryside and Corfe Castle in the distance
THE TANK MUSEUM
View over 300 military machines that have been deployed in battles, from the from the mud of the Somme to the beaches of Normandy and the deserts of Iraq, and learn the stories of the soldiers that fought in them.
FANTASY ISLAND FUN PARK
Add some fun to your seaside trip at this child-friendly fun park, where the children can enjoy the rides, indoor play areas and amusements and you can enjoy a cocktail overlooking the beach.
WIMBORNE MODEL TOWN AND GARDENS
Wander round the town of Wimborne as it was in the 1950s and in 1/10 scale. Marvel at the model railway and dolls houses, play crazy golf, and explore the gardens.
FARMER PALMER’S
Visit Dorset’s award-winning, family run farm park for indoor and outdoor activities, attractions, and animal events for children aged 0-8 years.
HARDY’S BIRTHPLACE
Immerse yourself in Hardy’s Wessex. Visit the cob and thatch cottage where he was born and at which he penned his early novels and explore the woods that inspired him.
CORFE CASTLE
Feel the weight of 1,000 years of history among the ruins of Corfe Castle, one of the most evocative survivors of the English Civil War. Explore the castle and enjoy far-reaching views over Purbeck.
HIGHCLIFFE CASTLE
A romantic castle, gardens inspired by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, sea views and a nearby beach. All this and a welcoming tea room. The perfect day out?
NOTHE FORT
Visit this award winning museum and visitor attraction and explore the underground tunnels, gun deck and nuclear bunker, before re-emerging to take in the stunning views.
ABBOTSBURY SUBTROPICAL GARDENS
Explore over 30 acres of sub-tropical gardens on the Jurassic Coast. See the Jungle Ride, the Sino-Himalayan Glade and the Secret Walk among many other eye-catching landmarks.
BOURNEMOUTH OCEANARIUM
Come face to face with all sorts of strange and wonderful marine creatures including penguins, crocodiles and string rays, and learn about conservation of this mysterious ecosystem.
DORSET HEAVY HORSE CENTRE
Visit one of the last Heavy Horse centres in the UK. See Shire, Suffolk Punch and many more heavy horses, take carriage rides, meet the miniature ponies and experience life on a farm.
DORSET MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
Discover Dorset’s history and culture over four amazing floors that take in everything from dinosaurs and archaeology to artists and writers. With lots of activities and exhibitions too.
THE ETCHES COLLECTION
Step into prehistory and discover the creatures that roamed the seas in the time of the dinosaurs. This unique museum of fossils showcases the marine life of Jurassic Dorset.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DEVON
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What is Dorset famous for?
Dorset is famous for the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO world heritage site that shows evidence of 185 million years of geological history. You can go fossil hunting on the beaches and visit the museums that have some amazing fossils, giving you an insight into the evolution that this coast and Britain as a whole have undergone. Swapping history for literature, Dorset is also famous for being the birthplace and inspiration for Thomas Hardy’s Wessex novels. Finally, Dorset is famous for its beaches, two in particular are Lulworth Cove, close to where the iconic Durdle Door limestone arch rises from the sea, and the Bournemouth coastline, which has seven straight miles of golden sands.
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Is Dorset busy in the summer?
Dorset is popular with holidaymakers, but it is less busy than Devon or Cornwall. There are hotspots on the coast that get particularly busy such as Lulworth Cove, Weymouth and Bournemouth, but with seven miles of sands at Bournemouth there is always plenty of room. The Jurassic Coast is also popular, but not at all overcrowded. There are plenty of attractions to enjoy and inland, the countryside in Dorset is great for walking holidays at any time of the year.
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Is Dorset worth visiting out of season?
Dorset has something to offer in every season, from the woodlands, parks and gardens that bloom in the spring to the quieter beaches and restless seas in autumn and winter. Visit in March or April for an early spring, the mild climate putting it ahead of places further north. Visit i September and October for food festivals and autumn colour on the hillsides and woodlands. Visit in January or February to enjoy the dramatic outlines of ruined castles against the windswept landscape, before dropping onto a cosy village pub for lunch in front of a roaring log fire.
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How do I get to Dorset?
Dorset is on the south coast and is easy to get to from almost anywhere in the country via the motorway network. From the west, it’s the M5 motorway joining the A37 at Yeovil or the A35 at Honiton. From the Midlands, North and East, get to the M25, then M3, then M27 and finally the A31. Dorset is easy to get from London, with a daily train service stopping at the major towns. Dorset also has its own international airport at Bournemouth.
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What are the main attractions in Dorset?
From castles to country houses, from adventure parks to activity centres, there are lots of things to do in Dorset. Some highlights include the Dorset Museum, which gives a broad history of Dorset since prehistoric times, The Bournemouth Oceanarium which offers an unforgettable introduction to marine life, and Highcliffe Castle, a Romantic Gothic clifftop castle overlooking the English Channel. Scroll up the page for many more suggestions. One note of caution, wherever you choose to go, it’s worth checking that they are open outside of the main holiday season
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Which Dorset beaches are dog-friendly?
Most beaches in Dorset are dog friendly but many have restrictions during the summer months. Even with the restrictions, there are usually parts of the beach you can take dogs. The Bournemouth beaches have plenty of space for dogs and the signposts are very clear about where you can take the dog. Charmouth East Beach welcomes dogs all year round but they are not allowed on Charmouth West Beach at all in the summer. Dogs are allowed all year at Mudeford Sandbank and Hengistbury Head beaches and are also welcome all year round at Worbarrow Bay (owned by the MOD) and Durdle Door.
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What food and drink should I try in Dorset?
Dorset food traditions have been handed down across the centuries and while you are staying it’s worth sampling some of the local delicacies. Dorset Apple Cake is a delicious traditional dessert, while Blue Vinny Cheese just melts in the mouth. Try, Dorset Knob Biscuits too, made from bread dough with extra butter and sugar. Dorset now has many vineyards benefitting from its mild climate, and some of the sparkling wines are winning awards on the international stage, including Langham’s Blanc de Blancs and English Oak Quercus Blanc de Blancs. Also worth a sup are Badger Beers from the Hall and Woodhouse Brewery. Meanwhile, Dorset’s clear waters serve up oysters and mussels from Poole and Portland, crab and lobster, Dover sole, plaice and dab . And did you know that, according to the Dorset Seafest Festival, around 40% of all line-caught fish is landed in Dorset?