Visit Beaminster a picturesque country town

Nestled within a natural valley in stunning West Dorset is the delightfully picturesque town of Beaminster.

Just a short drive north of Bridport, Beaminster is a town known for award winning historic gardens and being home to some wonderfully talented artists.

Places to visit in Beaminster

Voted the nation's Finest Manor House by Country Life and the location for the 2020 Daphne du Maurier’s adaptation of 'Rebecca', Mapperton House and Gardens is a must visit attraction while you're in the area. This Jacobean manor overlooks acres of award winning gardens and enjoys outstanding views of rolling hills and woodland that surround it's magnificent location. The wider Mapperton Estate is being gradually 're-wilded' for nature and Beavers have recently been reintroduced to an enclosure.

The delightful Beaminster Museum is well worth a visit and boasts a number of intriguing collections highlighting the town's rich historical heritage. The museum provides a fascinating insight of how the folk of the town lived and worked with items on display that will entertain young and old.

Nature on your doorstep

Beaminster’s location lends itself perfectly to hiking and should certainly be explored by keen walkers and cyclists. Surrounded by four of Dorset’s highest peaks the local countryside provides some of the finest views to be found anywhere.

If you fancy a walk along the Wessex Ridgeway, you can visit both Lewesdon Hill and Pilsdon Pen Iron Age hill fort. At Pilsdon Pen on a clear day, you can see Golden Cap and the sea to the south, the Hardy Monument to the east, Exmoor to the west and the Mendip Hills to the north.

Where to eat in Beaminster

The town is a great place to visit if you're looking for some delicious food in beautiful surroundings.

Beaminster's stylish hotel, The Ollerod, offers great food and wine and is the perfect place to relax with a cocktail, enjoy some lunch or a mouth-watering evening meal. The hotel sources its food as much as possible from the local area and also grows vegetables and herbs in its own garden. The restaurant is set for all seasons as you can enjoy summer on their garden terrace or winter by the fire.

A date for your diary

Beaminster offers some wonderful events throughout the year with one of the highlights being the Beaminster Festival, a week long festival of arts, performances and food! You can be sure whatever time year you visit they will be plenty going on. 

For further information, visit the Discover Beaminster town community website.