At Goathill Farm

At Goathill Farm you can stay in a perfectly-proportioned shepherd’s hut positioned by a lovely little lake on a farm with cows and sheep. Farmer, Alan, might wave you hello as he passes in his tractor while ducks are quacking on the lake. On a sunny day, it’s a scene straight out of a children’s story book – but if you’re planning a stay here, we suggest you leave the kids at home. The shepherd’s huts are designed for two. Each is a lovely rural bolthole that’s perfect for a couple wanting a weekend in the Dorset countryside. What’s, perhaps, even better is that to enjoy this boutique glamping site near Sherborne, you don’t even need a car. The town, a short taxi ride away, has a mainline train station with a direct link to London.

A typical weekend might start with take-away fish and chips from the award-winning chippie in the neighbouring village, followed by a campfire under the stars. After a good night’s sleep in the comfy made-up double in your shepherd’s hut, you can make coffee on the camping stove in your little kitchenette. You then pull on your walking boots to head out on a 90-minute walk across fields and farms stopping in well-to-do Sherborne for your lunch at Cafe D’Urberville. Pop into a nearby local deli to pick up some supplies then stomp back to the farm for a relaxed afternoon. Read, play board games, or watch wildlife on the pond before another campfire outside your little hut.

Bill’s is one of three shepherd’s huts on the farm in this idyllic lakeside setting, an hour inland from Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. It’s named for host Annabel’s grandfather, a geographer, whose map collection inspired its decoration. A vintage OS map covers the wall over the bed, logs for the campfire are provided in an old travelling trunk. These antique pieces give character to a handcrafted, whitewashed hut which is a lovely living space. You have electricity but no running water. That’s little matter though as there’s a flushing loo, hot water shower and washing-up sink a short walk away, shared with just one other hut at Goathill Farm.