A British Beach Holiday - Our Half Term in Dorset

Over half term we spent a few nights living the dream in a tiny house right on the beach in Dorset.





We had an amazing week, Henry & Coco did not stop the whole time. We swam in the sea, flew kites in the field behind the house, built rock sculptures on the beach, we cooked fresh fish on a fire as the sun dipped down and had a delicious gourmet lunch a few meters from our door at The Seaside Boarding House. And although it all sounds action packed I feel like I also managed to totally relax.
We went away with our friends so workloads were shared and the children entertained themselves - spending a lot of time in the hot tub (yep, our kids now has hot-tub expectations of holidays... what have we done!?).





An alfresco breakfast with a view...



Staying right ON the beach was quite a revelation, no time wasted packing bags to go to the beach. In fact at some points we parents hardly knew what to do with ourselves (I guess we're out of practice at doing nothing)... so much so that on one afternoon we took our little gas burner 400 yards up the shore to make a cup of tea on the beach; just because we could. I did spend some time faffing with a cow parsley posy picked from the meadows on the cliffs - I was planning on posting this as my May Styling the Seasons post but kind of missed the boat with that one.





Sea swimming made much more bearable for the kids in their saltskin wetsuits.







Henry taking the controls.



The countryside was deliciously lush with buttercups and hedgerows full of wild flowers - I do think May is my favourite - it's the time when you can really see the summer stretching out ahead of you.






The Details

We stayed at Hive Beach House where there were enough beds for all eight of us with all the kids sharing the loft bedroom. The living space is a bit on the wee side but fine if you have good weather, it would have been too small if we'd have had to be inside, but as it was we were mainly outside on the deck above the beach (feeling a bit like lords of the manor)! The house itself is really nicely done, it has a classic beach-hut feel, with warm wood underfoot (and lovely heated tiles in the bathroom). There is something so nostagic for me about padding around on wooden floors with sand between my toes.
The kitchen was really well equipped for all eight of us - except in sharp knives but that is always the same in holiday homes I find. 

We ate in: We bought supplies for our BBQs in the fish shop at West Bay and the fish was wonderful. Loads of people fish along the beach and one guy offered us some of his mackerel - next time it would be great to try to catch our supper. The rest of our shopping we got in Bridport a couple of miles away where there are two fab butchers and Palmers for locally brewed beer - they also have a very good wine selection in their shop.
We got our daily bread from The Hive Beach Cafe and it was delicious - the sourdough loaf in particular, we also bought a mouth wateringly good Dorset apple cake from there to go with our beach tea.



We ate out: On the one day when the wind was really up we retreated to The Seaside Boarding House for a long, boozy and very delicious lunch. Prices are pretty steep for the area but the food was very good and the ingredients all really fresh and seasonal. The bouillabaisse soup was particularly good. The children were made very welcome too. I would have loved to have a nose around the rooms, would be a great spot to escape to for a weekend, right by the beach and with beautiful views across the bay.



All in all a very good week - and at the end of the week Flora picked me up for the Sisterhood camp which I've still got to write about in full... but in the meantime you can read all about it via some of the other people I was there with...
By Sarah Lou,  Melanie, Sara, Jeska or Laura, or by Emma B, Flora, Heather, Xanthe or by Hannah, Katy, Caroline, Bethan or Emma or of course by the sisterhood camp leader Lou! 

This post is NOT sponsored - just genuine views on stuff we've done...