Whitey Top Lodge

Whitey Top Lodge is located in the hamlet of Pentridge close to Sixpenny Handley on a working dairy farm set in beautiful countryside. Situated on the edge of Martin Down National Nature Reserve you can discover some of the rare flowers and butterflies the area is known for. Well positioned you are just 12 miles from Salisbury and about an equal distance to Blandford Forum making it an excellent spot to discover both Dorset and Wiltshire. Surrounding the lodge are acres of farmland and countryside for both young and old to enjoy. Lots of events close by throughout the year with the Great Dorset Steam Fair and Larmer Tree Festival just two of the highlights. The local shop and pub are in the village of Sixpenny Handley, 3.3 miles away.

The accommodation at Whitey Top Lodge is all on the ground floor and comprises of an open plan living area with two sofas, Freeview TV, DVD player, WiFi and a selection of games, books and DVDs. The dining area has a table and seating for four and the kitchen comes equipped with a gas hob, electric oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine and dishwasher. Bedroom one is arranged as a king-sized double with an en suite shower, basin and toilet. Bedroom two is arranged as a twin. The bathroom has a bath with shower over, basin and toilet.

Outside is a decked area complete with furniture and a private hot tub. There is off road parking for two cars. Your fuel, power, bed linen and towels are all included in the price.

Blandford Forum

A market town, Blandford Forum lies on the River Stour and is renowned for its Georgian architecture. Lying between Cranborne Chase and the Dorset Downs it is surrounded by some stunning countryside with many small villages to explore.

Surrounding Villages

There are a large number of villages around Blandford, all worth an explore as they are just so quaint. However, satnav will help! Heading east you will discover Pimperne and Tarrant Hinton, Stourpaine to the north, to the west Winterborne Stickland and Milton Abbas and to the south Charlton Marshall where the River Stour continues to flow.

Events

By far the biggest event in the area, or maybe all of Dorset, is the annual Great Dorset Steam Fair. Held between Pimperne and Tarrant Hinton the event has grown every year and now sits on a 600 acre site. It is the leading show of its kind in the world, attracts international attention and has now run for the last 46 years as of 2014. Due to the scale of the show there really is something for everyone with the roots of the show still very much steam related. Held at the end of August it's worth a visit if you are a heavy horse enthusiast, music fan, vintage and classic car, caravan, motorcycle, military vehicle or tractor fan, like freestyle motorcycle displays, monster trucks, rural crafts, great food, sheep shows, a countryside arena and even a set of Bernese Mountain Dogs. The music certainly isn't an afterthought with no fewer than six stages with bands such as the Kings of Lyon performing in 2014. All in all, a great weeks worth of entertainment.

Activities and Attractions

Blandford houses its own museum with a wealth of artefacts through the ages including militaria, the railways and archaeology. With free entry, the museum is open 6 days a week between April and October. Blandford also has the Fashion Museum, a collection of fashions from the 18th century to the 1970s, all housed in a classic Georgian building with garden and tea room. Just to the south of Blandford, in the small village of Thornicombe lies Gorcombe, an outdoor adventure centre with a bit of everything. Quad biking, paintball, dirt buggies, an extreme assault course and clay shooting. If you need a bit of adrenaline pumping round the system then this is where to head to. It is also the site of Home Farm where you can stop for a cream tea and the well stocked farm shop full of delightful local produce that puts supermarkets to shame.

The Hall and Woodhouse Brewery is in Blandford Forum and has a visitor centre and brewery tour. With a history dating back to 1777 you can learn about the process of brewing and then get to smaple some of their finest brews. Each tour lasts 2 hours and are run every day except Wednesday and Sunday. The Royal Signals Museum is also in Blandford and has a number of exhibitions that change on a regular basis.

Grab your bike and cycle along the old trailway between Blandford and Shillingstone taking in fabulous Dorset scenery all the way. At Shillingstone you will discover the Railway Project, run entirely by volunteers, they aim to restore the station and the surrounding area to how it was back in the 1950s. One of the first area to be restored is the cafe, offering needed refreshment for your trip back. Have a bite to eat in the cafe, al fresco or in the restored buffet coach.

Eating Out

With just under 50 eateries in Blandford the choice is good with the Yellow Bicycle Cafe, The Woodpecker and the Forum Cafe getting particularly good reviews.