In a meadow bordered by hedges and backed by tall trees, the two wooden roulottes claim a secluded spot. Opening up the stable door and peering from the doorstep reveals views for miles across the lush, surrounding hills. Here you can sit out on the garden furniture, pop open a bottle of bubbly and BBQ up a storm in the fire pit provided. The chirping of birds and rustle of rabbits enliven the surroundings, otherwise tranquil and serene. Inside the waggons, finished in a calming light blue, campers are met by a log burning stove, small cabinets, a double bed set against the far wall, and ample storage space underneath. Chopped wood and matches are provided, so if you arrive in the winter months you can kindle a toasty fire and tuck yourself away from the rest of the world.
The spell of such gypsy isolation is only broken when you throw open the door once more and make your way around the corner to the Lancombe Cottage. While a private composting loo a few yards from the waggon enjoys the same grassy meadow location, showers are found in the cottage itself – a self-catering property that campers have access to. The showers are there for good reason too, as the house boasts a magnificent indoor swimming pool. Accompanied by a sauna and kept at a perfectly tropical temperature, the indoor pool is ideal for rainy days and soaks up the evening hours until you wrinkle into a waterborne prune.
If these delights take your fancy then it’s not just the pool you have to splash in. Come summer the beaches of the Dorset coast are a dream for paddling and rock pooling, while the long pebbly reaches of Chesil Beach trap a shimmering lake of water, ideal for wildlife and a short distance away from the remarkable Abbotsbury Swannery. Walkers, meanwhile, can climb from the beaches to coastal bluffs, searching for fossils in the famously ancient landscape.
Regardless of whether you chose the footpaths, the beaches or the charming local villages, a night or two in the gypsy waggons at Lancombe provide a wonderfully quirky base for exploring Dorset. The facilities of the nearby cottage are a fail-safe option for any English weather, while the offsite attractions will quickly draw you from your caravan cocoon when the sun reappears.
