Dorset Gardens Tour

This is a 2 day (3 night) accompanied tour of four of Dorset’s most beautiful gardens, including visits to places of interest en route. It can be combined with our Thomas Hardy tour to make a memorable 5 night holiday.

About the walk/tour

Our Dorset Gardens tour is the complete opposite of a mass tourist coach trip. It is a much more flexible, personalised itinerary for individuals or very small groups, who want not only to visit a number of stunning gardens but also to discover a particularly scenic and unspoilt part of rural England, accompanied by a local person who is not a horticulturalist but who is passionate about the area.

In addition to visiting gardens, time will be allowed for three quite easy optional walks, each of around 2 miles, in beautiful Dorset countryside to or from some of the gardens. Those who opt out of these walks will be taken in our vehicle to see some of the most beautiful villages in the area.

An attraction of the tour is the drive each day along small lanes through gorgeous countryside and picturesque villages, including a stop at an attractive pub in the middle of the day. There should also be enough time for a Dorset “cream tea” or just a cuppa in the late afternoon.

Accommodation and services

Depending on the accommodation option that you choose, you will stay in a B&B, inn or hotel that is situated in an attractive village or small town in the area. You will be collected each morning in the Footscape vehicle and driven to each of the gardens and other sites of interest during the two days, returning in the late afternoon.

Tour Highlights

  • Athelhampton House and Gardens
  • Mapperton House and Gardens
  • Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens
  • Minterne Gardens
  • The iron age hill fort of Eggardon
  • The beautiful village of Cerne Abbas, with its chalk giant.
Please note that garden entrance fees are not included in the price of the holiday. This is because many people are members of clubs or associations that offer reduced or free admission to historic houses and gardens, or else may be senior citizens or both. If you do not have any such entitlement, you can expect to pay around £40 to visit all the gardens (and one house) on the tour. The website of each of the gardens can be found on our links page.
Athelhampton
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Rates

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All prices are per person per night and in £ sterling

3 nights = Dorset Gardens Tour
5 nights = Dorset Gardens & Thomas Hardy Tour

Duration Accom. option Double / twin room Single room
5 nights (combined tour) A2 £80 £110
A1 £115 £165
3 nights A2 £90 £120
A1 £125 £175
A2 a comfortable B&B or simple village inn
A1 a good hotel, luxury inn or equivalent
Occasionally we may propose accommodation with a standard and price between A1 & A2.
10% 10% discount for groups of 3 or more. For very large groups (10+), please contact us.
We can sometimes offer family rooms with special prices for children. Please give us details on the enquiry form.

Make an enquiry


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Just a note to thank you for everything last week: your hospitality, your attention to detail, the whole Footscape service. ”

— Malcolm Baker, California

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