DORSET MINIBREAK

About eighteen months ago we went to Cornwall for a quiet long weekend with no plans. We loved it, walks, wine, good food and true relaxation at its simplest. Turns out it’s possible to do the very same with a baby in tow! We chose Dorset this time – a shorter car journey was far more appealing. It was equally relaxing for us all!

We’ve walked parts of the Purbeck way before and loved the scenery, and so my accommodation research was very straightforward. On Airbnb I found properties relatively near the sea on the Isle of Purbeck and worked my way through the pictures until I found one I liked!

That my friends was the extent of our planning and research! On the drive there I realised we hadn’t packed the Ordnance Survey map. Thankfully, the cottage had one!

As is becoming the norm, the only planning I did related to packing all the things for baby, and for that I have 65 tips and a detailed packing list (you’re welcome)! That packing list now includes things for us like milk, wine and beer, because my Sainsbury’s delivery didn’t arrive until early evening on this trip by which time we were a little parched!

On the day we travelled to Dorset we toured National Trust car parks! They are always near beautiful places and when short on research, this is a good bet! Membership also means free parking! So we had a mooch around the village of Corfe Castle which included lunch in a tea room and a visit to the swings and a gawp up at the castle on the hill… I’m sure it is less precarious than it looks?

And then we went on to Dancing Ledge to watch the stormy sea! Little man wasn’t that keen on the gale force winds despite being wrapped up against Sam! Nevertheless he fell asleep in his carrier while we ate our sandwiches!

We found our cottage, hidden away down a quiet road it was just what we needed. Clean, spacious and quiet. We unpacked all the toys and relaxed! My only complaint of the cottage was that the bedroom had a skylight with no blind so it wasn’t dark at baby’s bedtime. It also had a wall of mirrors that were similarly unhelpful! We decided to put baby to sleep in his Bugaboo and transfer him to the cot at our bedtime. It worked a treat, we didn’t stress about it, and I know what to look out for in my next booking!!

By our second day we had found the map and a route that took us to the coast about 5km away. We were up at 7am (obviously…) and as soon as we had breakfast we were off! We walk most days at home so it made a nice change to be somewhere we didn’t know and with the smell of the sea!!

Our stroll actually became quite a long walk because the day was getting more beautiful and baby was obliging, so we just kept going! We took ourselves down to Chapman’s Pool which was a quirky abandoned little place, a mix of Cornwall and Jamaica with craggy hills that reminded us of South Africa too! On the beach we found fishing nets, a rusty anchor and an old mine from the war. Excellent exploring for baby and if we had planned ahead, the perfect spot to picnic!

Since we found ourselves near Swanage, after baby had lunched at home we took ourselves into town for Fish and Chips on the beach… A British summertime staple – lunch by the sea with us all wrapped up warm so we could dine al fresco!

Baby looked intensely bored and grumpy during lunch and scowled at any chip he was offered… That is until I followed his gaze, he wasn’t grumpy but spellbound by something he didn’t have!

I then spent the best £1.50 possible on a tin foil windmill that he still loves to watch and grab at in the wind today! Obviously we played with it on the beach much to his delighted squeals and giggles!!

By chance the Swanage railway steam railway ran past the end of the garden and as we got home a train shot past. Another moment of fascination for the little one!

So often on the final day of a trip it’s just a day of travel. But on this occasion to make the most of time together, we made plans! In fact these were the only plans I made in advance! We were booked for lunch at The Pig on the Beach, somewhere I’d long wanted to visit!

They were excellent and so very family friendly! I suspect it’s a tad ‘London’ on a weekend, but on a Monday it was perfect! We arrived about two hours early for lunch (Mr P had a conference call and I wanted a coffee) and spent the morning lounging around before going on a little walk to see a pill box. A definite fascination for the little one – dark, light, light, dark…

When eventually lunchtime arrived, the food was superb as was the service. It felt like summer as we sat on the terrace enjoying the last of our holiday!!

All too soon it was home time, although we still had one last bit of fun – catching The Sandbanks ferry to avoid a longer drive!

A few months ago I would have thought a couple of nights away with baby was more effort than worth. But this was perfect! We have packing down to a fine, swift art and we make the most of the time away. Getting outdoors for the full day is still possible with good sense to our plans. And adding little moments of fascination in for baby does us all good – train, windmill, swings.

Taking a holiday through his eyes is always magical!