The Old Pump House Child Okeford

The Old Pump House is my cottage in Child Okeford. It’s a funny old building that used to be, you guessed it, the village pump house. It’s just for two people. One bedroom, one bathroom.

The inside is on two floors. Downstairs is the kitchen with a table, and a separate living room. There's a little utility room with the washing machine and a loo. Upstairs is the bedroom, which is a decent size, and an en-suite bathroom. The bathroom has a bath with a hand-held shower attachment over it, so it's not a power shower or anything like that.

It’s got a 4 Star rating. It feels clean and comfortable but not over the top. The stairs are a bit steep and narrow, like you’d expect in an old building.

Outside, you have your own enclosed garden bit with a patio. It gets the sun in the evening. Parking is right there.

Child Okeford is a proper village. You’ve got two pubs, a farm shop with a café, a post office and a village shop. Everything you need is a few minutes’ walk. The Iron Age hill fort, Hambledon Hill, is right on the edge of the village. The views from up there are incredible.

You’re on the edge of Cranborne Chase, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The old Dorset Trailway, which is good for walking and cycling, is easy to get onto from here.

Blandford Forum is the nearest town, about ten minutes by car. They’ve got a brewery you can tour, a signals museum, and the usual shops. For National Trust places, you’re well placed. Kingston Lacy, Corfe Castle, and the Cerne Abbas Giant are all within half an hour or so.

The coast, the Jurassic Coast, is about 45 minutes to an hour's drive. That’s where you’ll find Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. The New Forest is about the same distance in the other direction.

In the cottage, there’s a TV, WiFi, a dishwasher, and all the bedding and towels are included. It’s not suitable for pets, sorry.

If you’re looking up walks or days out, the National Trust for Dorset and the official Visit Dorset site are useful.