Easy-to-moderate walking with some ascents / descents, and occasional longer days.
The season for this holiday is:
01 April 2024 - 30 September 2024
01 April 2025 - 30 September 2025
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
°C | 7 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
mm | 77 | 53 | 62 | 45 | 56 | 52 | 41 | 57 | 62 | 68 | 73 | 83 |
We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.
6 nights: 01 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 & 01 April 2025 - 30 September 2025
Start Monday to Friday | End by latest date(s) shown above
Starting | Price | Single room |
---|---|---|
1 - 30 Apr 2024 | £995 | £350 |
1 May - 24 Sep 2024 | £1020 | £340 |
1 - 30 Apr 2025 | £1035 | £365 |
1 May - 24 Sep 2025 | £1065 | £355 |
3rd & 4th person discount | -£44 to -£46 | |
Single traveller supplement | £44 to £46 |
Included travel: transfer Shaftesbury-Cranborne to collect car OR Shaftesbury-Gillingham railway station
Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays
Room upgrades (£ per person per night)
Museum Inn, Farnham | ||
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'Feature': 01 Apr - 30 Sep 2024 | £13 | |
'Feature': 01 Apr - 30 Sep 2025 | £14 | |
'With View': 01 Apr - 30 Sep 2024 | £24 | |
'With View': 01 Apr - 30 Sep 2025 | £25 |
Connecting travel options - via Gillingham station
Outward route | ||
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not recommended in this direction |
Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest departure time |
---|---|---|
taxi hotel to Gillingham station (0h20) | included | flexible |
Connecting travel options - via Salisbury station
Outward route | Price per person |
Latest arrival time |
---|---|---|
taxi Salisbury station to hotel (0h40) | £20-£21 | flexible |
Homeward route | ||
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not recommended in this direction |
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From start to finish dealing with Inntravel was a pleasure and staff answered any questions we had before and during our hike. Maps and directions were very informative with trails being easy to follow and well maintained. Accommodations were beyond our expectations with delicious dinners and packed lunches enjoyed. Inntravel receives a Five Star rating !!
Lovely walk, very pleasant terrain to walk over in a very pretty area with picturesque villages. We appreciated the background notes regarding the area and Thomas Hardy.
The landscape was bucolic. Our highlights included stumbling upon a pagan rite and wishing tree in the evocative henge around the ruins of Knowlton church, seeing hares running across a field after the spectacular ridge walk (we had lovely weather) walking towards Farnham and frequent sightings of raptors above us. Shaftesbury was a gem - we combined visiting the museums in the morning rain with the town walk in the afternoon, taking advantage of the friendly shops and cafes.
From start to finish dealing with Inntravel was a pleasure and staff answered any questions we had before and during our hike. Maps and directions were very informative with trails being easy to follow and well maintained. Accommodations were beyond our expectations with delicious dinners and packed lunches enjoyed. Inntravel receives a Five Star rating !!
Lovely walk, very pleasant terrain to walk over in a very pretty area with picturesque villages. We appreciated the background notes regarding the area and Thomas Hardy.
The landscape was bucolic. Our highlights included stumbling upon a pagan rite and wishing tree in the evocative henge around the ruins of Knowlton church, seeing hares running across a field after the spectacular ridge walk (we had lovely weather) walking towards Farnham and frequent sightings of raptors above us. Shaftesbury was a gem - we combined visiting the museums in the morning rain with the town walk in the afternoon, taking advantage of the friendly shops and cafes.
Loved the walk the along the Long Barrow which was idyllic; seeing deer every day, and a golden eagle; the tasting menu at La Fosse, and, how well we were looked after at La Fleur de Lys.
We liked the itinerant walks and the discovery of a new place to stay at the end of these walks
We loved the countryside and villages we saw, in particular Farnham and Larmer Tree Gardens. The cooking at La Fleur de Lys was particularly good, but breakfasts were good at all the hotels. Shaftesbury is a lovely town, though the entrance to it on the route given is not the most attractive!
The walk showcased how beautiful Dorset is. Long Bottom near Shaftesbury in May is a wildflower heaven as is Win Green. Many breathtaking views. The walk notes were precise and made it almost impossible to go wrong. As ever with Inntravel the accommodation was varied and interesting. We were struck by how friendly local people were. A memorable holiday. Thank you Inntravel.
We very much enjoyed this holiday and your choice of accommodation. We had only walked the SW Coast Path in Dorset so this was a good introduction to the countryside inland. We did not meet anyone walking at all until the third day but that was a Sunday afternoon when one might expect to meet people. We had expected to meet far more! We were impressed how unspoilt the countryside and villages are, a result we think of the land being under the ownership of various large estates. There were miles of hedges edging the farm tracks and these were dense and wonderful for wildlife. The view from Penbury Knoll was worth the detour for the view from the top.
Peace and quiet along mostly remote paths. Enjoyed the variety of trees at the Larmer Tree Gardens and anyone that wants a good pint of real ale there is a micro brewery about 20 minute walk away from Cranborne village. Came across a quaint fayre at Wimborne St Giles, stopped for cake and coffee. We met very few people on any of the walks, so enjoyed listening to the birds and taking the lush countryside in.
We very much enjoyed exploring this part of the world, lucky to have had lovely weather until the last day, and scenery enhanced by seasonal blossom and spectacular bluebells and wild garlic.
The landscape throughout our walk was much more open and spacious than we had expected, very quiet. The villages are lovely, with examples of the thatcher’s art everywhere. Wildflowers abounded - early bluebells, anemones, violets, primroses - and daffodils nodded from every bank and garden. Each of our hotels had its distinct charms, but they were united in the warmth of the welcome they extended. We felt very at home, comfortable and well-fed at La Fosse, The Museum, and the Fleur de Lys in Shaftsbury. The walk from Farnham to Shaftsbury is wonderful, exemplifying everything we had loved along the way - views from the heights, woodlands, tight valleys, and glimpses of rural life. To open a farm gate and step into suburban Shaftsbury was quite a shock! Shaftsbury itself is most interesting; we enjoyed your walk through town. Both museums, Abbey and Gold Hill, are free of charge, and staffed with well-informed volunteers who are keen to tell the town’s story. Indeed, all along our walk, local people were happy to stop and chat with us, all very pleasant. Another great Inntravel walk - thank you.
We had a fabulous break, walking in an area we had not visited previously. The walk notes were accurate and reliable, leaving us only rarely needing to check the GPS notes to reassure. Do look at the 'On the map' notes before you travel so you can highlight your map in advance. We particularly enjoyed walks on days 1 (circuit from Cranborne) and 4 (Farnham to Shaftsbury). We did day 3's walk to Larmer Tree Gardens in reverse, which was pleasant but the Gardens were uninteresting (in early April), and we suspect the allternative longer walk would have been more interesting. Day 5's walk left us uninspired, not wanting to catch a bus to the start point. So we did a 9-10 mile loop to Donhead St. Andrew - a fabulous walk (just google to find it), that we recommend to others wanting to walk from the door. On accommodation, The Museum Inn won hands down, with good storage (the only one with hooks on the door for wet waterproofs) and the all important good shower - the shower at La Fosse was farcical). Our two evening meals at The Museum Inn surpassed by far the meals offered at the two prize-winning stops, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. For back pain sufferers, only the bed at La Fosse was reasonably firm, with the others far too soft (although the Museum Inn came up with a solution). For us, La Fleur was far too fancy for what we wanted at the end of a week's walking and we'd have been more compfortable at a more straighforward inn with friendly staff and places to put muddly boots and wet clothes, and good pub food. Overall though, a great holiday, which has restored our trust in Inntravel and its walk selection and notes after less impressive ones a few years ago.
Meals at the Fleur de Lys Inn were not included but there was no where else to eat in the vicinity so we ate at the Inn. The food was just about okay but the Sunday Roast Beef should be chosen with great caution and low expectation. The Museum Inn was very pleasant, friendly and service was good but the Stable rooms were incredibly small for two people, rucksacs, cases etc and we had great difficulty until we were transferred to the main hotel for the second night following a major flood in the bathroom which they weren't able to sort out. We also had a significant delay to the start of our walk on our departure date because the staff didn't turn up to open up. La Fleur de Lys in Shaftsbury was an excellent contrast to the prevous two hotels. Our hosts were extremely friendly and helpful, the environment was clean, warm and comfortable and the food was exquisite.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. My wife is a Thomas Hardy enthusiast having taught his works to students for many years and she was thouroughly immersed in the accompanying notes that you provided. The walking was good bit a little repetitive over the first couple of days but the walk from Farnham to Shaftsbury made up for it (despite the freezing, wild wind!) Villages were very pretty and interesting and some of the views were spectacular.
We have been using InnTravel for walking holidays, in UK and abroad, for many years and will continue to do so in the future.
Thought the views were very picturesque and really enjoyed the views from Farnham golf course and the views on the last 2 days.On the last day went to Blandon Forum in the morning very interesting.Then did the suggested walk.Due to bus times walked back via the wilderness
The first circular walk was a bit ordinary, reflecting the rather flat countryside locally. The Hardy Way itself provided varied and interesting walking with spectacular views from the higher downland sections as we came nearer to Shaftesbury. Our three hotels were highly individual and very enjoyable. One thing that united them was the unfailingly excellent food, often locally sourced.
Very enjoyable week in beautiful countryside, with plenty to see. The overnight stays are all really good and Inntravel's briefing notes and walk guides are - as usual - excellent.
Cranbourne Chase as a walking area seems relatively undiscovered. We found the one boot rating very accurate and the scenery spectacular - we will certainly return. The accommodation and food were both very good with warm welcomes at all venues and tea and coffee facilities in all the rooms on our arrival. The walking notes were very accurate and the background information supplied brought the history of the area to life. One of many highlights was our meal at La Fleur de Lys which made a great end to the holiday.
Excellent holiday - good hotels (all different), good food (particularly at the Fleur de Lys in Shaftesbury), good walks.
And we were lucky with the weather.
We felt that we had experienced a real feel of Wessex. The routes were varied with footpaths and tracks and we rarely encountered a road - a genuine sensation going back in time.
I liked the changes between huge open spaces and close enclosed woodland paths, the broad straight tracks and winding moments and sheltered valleys. There was great variety and a real sense of an ancient, traditional community coming to terms with modern life. The walks gave time to explore the many villages and dip into the churches and local farm shops and meet people who lived and worked in the area, who gave us a very friendly, warm and genuine welcome.
We walked through beautiful Dorset countryside from one enchanting village to another, staying in delightful but well-equipped accommodation. The food was excellent, particularly at La Fosse in Cranborne and Fleur de Lys in Shaftesbury. Hedonism with built-in exercise makes for a wonderful holiday experience, whether in the UK or further afield.
We were unfamiliar with Dorset so this was a discovery walking holiday for us. The countryside is lovely and the walks simply enjoyable rather than challenging. We were surprised by how much of the land is owned by large historical estates rather than more typical farmland, which added to the sense of history. We were also struck by how relatively isolated the walks were, passing through few villages, though these were typically very pretty and with many old properties.
We had a magical holiday, hotel accommodation, walking routes and the county were perfect. As a bonus we had wonderful weather.
Another excellent holiday with Inntravel. Thank you.
Excellent walking holiday in beautiful countryside but we were blessed with lovely weather with not a drop of rain. Good choice of hotels with nice rooms and good meals.
Oustanding scenery on days 1, 3 and 4 in particular. Saw 3 hares during our walks. Enjoyed a coffee at the Drovers Inn in Gussage All Saints and the Community shop in Chettle.
Country buses around Shaftesbury are very unreliable. If we had done the Melbury Beacon walk the best thing would be to walk on into Shaftsbury. We had a short walk around Fontmell Magna but had to cadge a lift from the publican at the Fontmell Pub as the bus did not turn up. The publican said that this was not unusual.
The walking was continuously high quality - difficult to achieve for all sections of a long route. Well done.
The whole holiday was very relaxing and enjoyable. The added value in September was the blackberries in hedgerows en route. There is an obvious friendliness towards walkers throughout north Dorset.
This was a pleasant, undemanding walk through pretty countryside, achievable I would think by anyone with a basic level of fitness. The food, especially at La Fosse and La Fleur de Lys is lovely, using locally sourced ingredients and supporting small producers. Full marks. The cheese board at La Fosse with ten cheeses was fantastic and the fish especially memorable. Both the food and the service at La Fleur wère impeccable. A real treat, and highlight of the year. There were issues with service at the Museum Inn. The food was good when it arrived. Farnham is especially pretty, with nearly all the properties thatched. I paid for an upgrade here which was definitely worth it - the room with bath was large and comfortable.
As I anticipated, the walk wasn't quite off the beaten track enough for me, with some level of traffic noise audible for part of each day, which is a bit of a bugbear of mine. Highlights included the walk through Chase Wood and from Farnham to Shaftesbury, the ancient churches to explore en route, the luscious blackberries in the hedgerows, the profusion of butterflies on the downs above Fontmell, and suddenly coming across a hare dozing on the track, literally four feet away from me, before he loped off into the distance. I collected my car from Cranborne the day after arriving in Shaftesbury as I was staying an extra night in order to visit the two Hardy properties in Dorchester. This also meant that I could do the Fontmell walk without relying on the bus service (doesn't run on Sundays). There is a permissive path from Melbury Hill back to Fontmell not shown on the map, which makes a very nice circuit. If doing this, beware that the entrance to the car park at the Shaftesbury hotel is very narrow so approach with care - ideally from the lane opposite rather than by turning directly off the main road.
Arrangements and route notes as detailed and efficient as ever. Many thanks Inntravel.
Fine weather, interesting walks, good food and the friendliness of our fellow Inntravellers will long be remembered.
All of the fields we walked over had been recently cropped, so with the temperatures of 27'c (early Sept!) it was hot and exhausting with little shade. When we were walking in the hedgerows, there was little breeze, but still hot and the added pleasure (!) of nettles & brambles -- you just can't win sometimes.
The walk from Farnham to Shaftesbury was varied - with sheep grazing fields, open hill vistas, woodland trails, farm buildings and open fields. It had rained so much the night before, my boots were soaked by the time we arrived.
The included meals at Cranborne and Shaftesbury were magnificent, and thankfully we'd booked well in advance for La Fleur de Lys (Shaftesbury). We can well recommend King Alfred's Kitchen for the other night here. It's under new management and they were very welcoming and it has a great tapas menu - makes a nice change from all the fine dining.
This was our first "staycation" with Inntravel. As usual, it was well organised by Inntravel, and we found the scenery delightful, if a little samey. Thank goodness we had good weather, which we take for granted when abroad! Inntravel's notes on the Hardy connections were useful. Highlights for us were the dinners at La Fosse at Cranborne and La Fleur de Lys at Shaftesbury. Tip - book ahead for your second night's meals as they are likely to be fully booked if you wait until you're there. Avoid Sunday in Cranborne as La Fosse restaurant is closed and the Fleur de Lys (Cranborne) had run out of food by 7.45pm, even though we had booked the night before. Even residents could not get a meal. The Sheaf of Arrows pub finishes serving food at 4pm on Sundays. Loved Shaftesbury and didn't mind that it rained on our final day there.
Our first trip to Dorset and we were definitely impressed with the variety of walks. The first day was maybe a bit of a trudge across fields, but gave us a feel for the area we were visiting and the walks became much more varied.
A highlight was walking up the combe away from Tollard Royal to the pealing of the church bells (unexpected on a Monday morning) that we had just been reading about in the walking notes. This is the kind of service we've come to expect from Inntravel!
Above all, we enjoyed the piece and quiet of this holiday. On most days we walked for hours without seeing a soul.
We enjoyed exploring this part of rural Dorset during harvest time, with the tall hedges and wind in the trees matching Hardy's writing. The views from Win Green and Melbury Hill were beautiful and the visit to Compton Abbas airfield was entertaining. The food and rooms at La Fosse and La Fleur de Lys (Shaftesbury) were excellent. We liked the use of local producers and the menu at La Fosse listed their suppliers and the distance that products had travelled. The paths were very quiet and we only met a handful of other walkers.
We loved all the walking trails and following the notes and extra detours. Such picturesque countryside and ancient woodlands to lose yourself in, not literally, of course.
We greatly enjoyed the holiday, although the weather was unkind. But nothing could detract from the superb choices of inns and restaurants for dinner - the food every day was sublime and the wine sensibly priced and excellent!
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