Dorset is the ultimate garden. The fields wend their way through sleepy thatched villages to bustling seaside towns and the rocky, romantic Jurassic beaches. But there’s a slice of that English dreamscape right out of the French windows, with the promise of serene seclusion and cricket and croquet on the lawn.
The sun’s out, so let’s celebrate. And where better than in the heated outdoor pool? Dive in with the kids. This is where memories are made. Towel off and explore the nooks and crannies of the garden trails beneath the big skies and the swooping skylarks.
Work up an appetite with pre-prandial strolls or football on the lawn, then light the gas barbie, get the steaks out and toast the rolling hills and the taste of freedom. Simmer under the stars in the wood-fired, six-person hot tub.
Spread out, chill out and catch up in the expansive spaces at Holmegate. Be apart, be together and be yourselves on comfy sofas in front of roaring fires.
This is a period-features world of grand fireplaces, picture rails and wooden-chest coffee tables. Everything is cosy and incredibly stylish – from the throws on the chairs to the rugs on the floors.
There’s space to read, feed logs onto the fire, watch the flicks on TV or play games in the lounge or drawing room. For a view of the rolling gardens, repair to the conservatory.
Kids can let off steam with table tennis in the games room or air hockey and table football in the conservatory. There’s a space, a place and a pace for everyone at Holmegate, the house with big spaces and an even bigger heart.
Pile the pot high and let it simmer in the classic country kitchen. Pick up your fresh mackerel, mullet and scallops at The Salt Pig, then let the Aga belt out the heat and cook up a storm as the air fills with the aroma of fresh produce about to hit the huge oak dining table.
Gather at the table, butter the bread, pour the drinks and chinwag away as you remember the simple beauty of family and friends being together over fine food. If you’re celebrating, let us do the work. Pick the phone up and put your feet up as our chef wades in and even washes up afterwards.
In East Holme, you can cook your own steaks on the Black Grill at The Quay Inn or enjoy hearty, family-friendly fare at The Antelope Inn. Head off for for a day at Lulworth Cove and leave with freshly caught fish and shellfish from Cove Fish.
Half an hour away by road but a world apart in quality is Sienna. Celebrate in style at this Michelin-starred Dorchester eatery. Or let the fine dining come to you as Lyme Bay Field Kitchen cook up a gorgeous celebration meal while you clink glasses on the terrace, mingle in the conservatory or take a pre-dinner dip in the pool.
The six bedrooms on Holmegate’s first floor cater for deep and dreamy sleep. Sash windows stare out on an English scene of rolling greenery. At night, the clear skies glitter with a billion bright constellations.
The master bedroom comes with superking bed and en-suite bath for long and languorous soaks. There’s a superking in bedroom two as well, and bedroom three follows suit – but, with zip-and-link, converting to twins is the work of a moment. Bedroom four is another en-suite superking.
There’s further flexibility in bedrooms five and six, which you can use as superking doubles or zip-and-link twins, plus a zed-bed, for the folks you simply can’t leave behind.
Holmegate is the rural retreat that’s a riot of fun for families. But the bedrooms are a haven after a long day. Inch up the sash, wind down with a book or a soak and drift off with clear country air in your lungs and the hoot of an owl in your ears.
So it’s down to you to book a house that will keep every generation happy. Holmegate ticks the boxes for kids with activities inside and out that’ll win the day for you and make memories for them.
They’ll dive right in on day one when they see the pool in the garden. If they’re ever done with that, the adventure playground awaits. Before tea, there’s just time for hide-and-seek in the expansive acres, or cricket or croquet on the English lawns.
The fun continues inside. Prepare to be challenged at ping-pong in the games room, or maybe some air hockey or table tennis in the conservatory? Elsewhere, there are ample spaces for cards or charades, or just a family film night in front of the TV and the burning logs.
Holmegate and the Jurassic Coast make a wonderful destination in autumn and winter. There are great walks from the house into East Holme and the countryside around. The Farm Shop at Holme for Gardens has a scrumptious selection of local food and you can pick up fish and shellfish caught fresh each morning from Cove Fish in Lulworth Cove. For a hearty lunch and some great local ales head to one of the many excellent pubs close by.
Kite surfers and windsurfers scud across the water at Studland as you wrap up for a walk on a beautiful, deserted beach. Enjoy golf, shooting and sailing on crisp, clear days. Make the most of Dorset’s many attractions, including the Tank Museum, Corfe Castle and Monkey World, open all year round. Try your hand at baking in the warm, comfortable kitchen, simmer in the hot tub or curl up in front of the open fires with a glass of red wine. Holmegate is a haven of comfort, perfect for a winter weekend.
