Pointing the car northwards

Upcerne Manor

The winding route through the Cerne Valley is a good choice in inclement weather. Pass through Godmanstone by the smallest pub in England at a leisurely pace, there are three more good inns in Cerne Abbas where you might pause for lunch. Take time to wander, explore the Abbey ruins and hidden well of St. White or pay homage to the famous chalk giant carved on the hillside before you leave.

There are delightful gardens at Minterne Magna. Mellow-stoned Sherborne is peppered with antique shops an abbey and two castles. Head for the ancient hill-town of Shaftesbury where the cobbles of Gold Hill will doubtless seem familiar thanks to the Hovis advert.

You may return to Dorchester along the Piddle Valley with its congenial hostelries. Or detour to Sturminster Newton and picnic by the placid waters of The Mill. Or continue to the picturesque cottages of Milton Abbas and take a tranquil walk along the lake and through the beautiful Abbey grounds. Or simply stop the car on top of Bulbarrow Hill to absorb the splendid views before you return.

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