Disappear into DORSET

Beautiful Cranborne Chase is the perfect base for exploring the countryside and nearby historic towns

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For a small village, Cranborne in Dorset packs quite the punch. You can stay in a restaurant with rooms run by an award-winning chef, there's a thriving pub, a fabulous garden centre and walks on your doorstep.

The first thing that strikes a visitor is the friendliness of the villagers. Popping into the Sheaf of Arrows pub on a Friday evening, there's a convivial atmosphere and it's not long before someone greets you. Small wonder that Cranborne is basking in the glory of being ranked seventh in the Daily Telegraph's list of Britain's greatest villages.

Scenic walks

The village is owned by the Marquess of Salisbury’s Cranborne Estate, which sprawls across more than 4,000 acres of the former hunting grounds known as Cranborne Chase. There are plenty of walks on the estate that start in the village, such as the four-mile Cranborne and Boveridge circular, which weaves through fields and lanes, skirting the manor house and the River Crane. Download this map and others, including cycling and accessible routes, at cranbornechase.org.uk.

Inviting gardens