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Pound Cottage

(Ref. 1015347)

Kingcombe near Maiden Newton, Dorset Show on map

4.5

Sykes rating

  • 2 Guests

  • 1 Bedroom

  • 1 Bathroom

  • Pets Yes

Features

  • Off road parking
  • Open fire
  • Garden / Patio
  • Washing machine
  • Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing
Cleanliness
Comfort
Facilities and Maintenance
  • All reviews
  • cottage (44)
  • lovely (29)
  • stay (16)
  • reserve (16)
  • nature (15)
  • staff (15)

59 Customer Reviews

  • "First impression opening the, mouldy smell."

    Kitchen, crockery and cutlery dirty, we had to wash everything we wanted to use. Cottage layout and location as your description, just great. Mould on nearly every wall at some location, both up and downstairs. Shower outlet completely blocked and tray flooded on first use. I managed to clear this. Wash basin outlet blocked, managed to partial clear this so we could use it. Last few sheets of toilet paper, good job we brought 2 rolls with us. Looking through guest book we noticed that damp musty smell and hard to use front door lock had been noted by other visitors. fresh linen would have been nice but it was nearly time to leave when we told it was available. Otherwise we enjoyed the location and area, pity about the rest. Regards Ian

    Reviewed by Ian2.8Sep 2024

  • "It was in a fabulous setting Very musty smell & shower was very temperamental"

    Reviewed by Hayley3.1Aug 2024

  • "Lovely cosy, well appointed cottage."

    EV charging at Visitor centre a bonus. Great location for exploring Dorset

    Reviewed by Colin5.0Aug 2024

  • "Excellent property to stay at and not to far to go touring around Dorset."

    Helpful staff in the visitor centre and although a good cafe we dis not use it as we were out and about early and it doesn't open until 10.30am. Don't forget your boots should you want to walk the reserve. Would definitely come back

    Reviewed by Kevin5.0Aug 2024

  • "Lovely place to stay."

    Great local walks Incredible being so close to nature. Very restful Comfortable stay

    Reviewed by Mark4.4Jun 2024

  • "Cottage was a very comfortable place to enjoy a peaceful holiday."

    Onsite staff friendly and helpful

    Reviewed by Kay5.0May 2024

  • "Our third visit to Pound Cottage, and our favourite of all the Sykes cottages we've stayed in over the years."

    Its perfect for exploring beautiful Dorset, but the best bit is the Kingcombe Nature Reserve, the best place for calm and peace, beautiful walks, and the cafe is a definite bonus, delicious brunch or lunch. We will definitely be back again. Peter & Jenny Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

    Reviewed by Jenny5.0May 2024

  • "Our second visit to your cottage, staff are very welcoming and friendly."

    Cottage is lovely and comfy. Lots of places to visit near by.

    Reviewed by Russell5.0May 2024

  • "Lovely stay."

    Great staff. Banged my head on the fire place twice. The nails hurt. Thank heavens for the washing machine as the rain had made it very muddy on the walks. But a very comfortable stay. Thank you

    Reviewed by Pete5.0Mar 2024

  • "If you can be confident in the single track roads then you will enjoy the peace and tranquility of pound cottage."

    The Dorset wildlife Trust staff leave you to enjoy your stay, but if you ask for advice or help they are outstanding. Put your boots on and explore the lovely surroundings with wildlife around every corner.

    Reviewed by Anthony4.7Mar 2024

  • "We have loved staying at Pound Cottage."

    It has had everything we need. We have stayed there twice now and hope to visit again in the future. It is a very sweet cottage within Kingcombe Nature Reserve. So it is an excellent place to get away from reality and relax. We love lighting the fire on a cold evening, sitting with our books. During the day there are plenty of walks, with so much to do nearby. We would highly recommend this holiday cottage.

    Reviewed by Sharon5.0Mar 2024

  • "On arrival the cafe was closed and there was no access to a shop, it was disappointing that there was no basic welcome pack, small jug of milk, bread for example."

    The bed was comfortable and the bedding fresh and clean. The cottage was tidy, basic but charming. The shower was very basic in that the water pressure was very low. The hand wash provided was very watery and the toilet paper was very poor quality. After long walks in the cold and wet this was not really sufficient. The log fire was great and there were plenty of logs, fire lighters and matches. Cosy blankets were also provided. There was only one wine glass in the cottage. Good quality washing up liquid and cleaning resources were provided and there was access to a washer dryer. Lovely rural location, great for walks.

    Reviewed by Dulcie2.8Feb 2024

  • "Lovely cottage on wonderful nature reserve."

    Reserve staff very helpful when we were trying to locate the property and more or less talked us through the narrow lanes from the A37. We were there in December and it was soon made nice and warm with the log fire and electric heating. Great base for venturing further afield.

    Reviewed by Megan3.8Dec 2023

  • "Lovely little dog friendly cottage in beautiful rural countryside."

    Great walks. Everything included for a comfortable stay. Wood burner and electric heating very effective. Spacious bedroom with great bed. Staff at the Kingcombe Centre very helpful and café provided a good lunch. Fox and Hounds at Cattistock also had reasonably priced home cooked food. Although not actually far from the coast there are a few miles of winding lanes (with amazing views) between the cottage and the main roads.

    Reviewed by Marilyn5.0Nov 2023

  • "This was a lovely well maintained comfortable cottage."

    Staff onsite very helpful.sometimes Wi-Fi was erratic but found that if you switched wi fi off on your phone then back on again all was well.

    Reviewed by Kay5.0Sep 2023

  • "There were a couple of areas that require attention."

    Firstly the shower hose and head show up repeatedly as needing fixing - the hose leaks at both ends and should probably be replaced as should the shower head itself as the handle is split asprays out water. Additionally the carbon monoxide detector above the fireplace has no maintenance date and is probably it the wrong place. Minor niggles but would increase our Facilities comment to a full smiley.

    Reviewed by Mic4.7Jul 2023

  • "Prima verblijf."

    Alles zeer netjes en ruim voldoende spullen aanwezig. Een minpuntje buitenmeubulair minimaal aanwezig. Slechts een houten bank en die staat ook nog bij de vuilnisplaats.

    Reviewed by Gerrie4.1Jun 2023

  • "A wonderful cottage for chilling, and reconnecting"

    Reviewed by John5.0Jun 2023

  • "Our second visit to Pound Cottage, and we'll definitely be back again next year."

    The perfect location, lovely cottage with every thing you need, and beautiful surroundings in the Kingcombe Nature Reserve, just heavenly.

    Reviewed by Jenny5.0May 2023

  • "The cottage is in a beautiful location, staff are extremely helpful and friendly."

    Loads of places to visit in Dorset. Cottage was very clean and tidy, a comfy place to stay. Would highly recommend. Thank you. Wendy and Russ

    Reviewed by Russell5.0May 2023

  • "I think that in this day and age owning up about the variability of wifi connexion is important."

    It would lose you as many bookings as it would gain! But for many of us it is important to know whether or not it is dependable, and here, it was not. Everything else was excellent, and I daresay we would be back.

    Reviewed by Graham4.4Apr 2023

  • "We had a wonderful stay in Pound Cottage!"

    The cottage was so cosy and warm, lots of hot water to shower after a muddy and cold walk, cooking in the well equipped little kitchen was no hassle at all and then off to sleep in a super comfortable bed! The Reserve and surrounding areas are beautiful! We would certainly stay there again and have no hesitation in recommending a stay in Pound Cottage. Well done and thanks to all at Kingcombe Nature Reserve for their help and kindness!,

    Reviewed by Elizabeth5.0Mar 2023

  • "Good property in a lovely nature reserve."

    It was just small things that stopped this getting full marks - the nearest shop is a few miles away. We arrived to half a toilet roll for 5 days and 1 firefighter for the fireplace. Small things but stopped full marks. Cob webs upstairs and the bedroom does suffer from damp which needs some work. Overall a good stay. Heating was excellent - had to turn it off a few times! Well stocked kitchen. Local walks are gorgeous. Will return!

    Reviewed by Michelle4.1Dec 2022

  • "We loved this cottage and the wildlife centre."

    Lit the fire each night, although the garage had run out of logs so we had to search. The setting was so peaceful. All the cookware was good quality. Lovely stay. Would be good to have a vacuum to use to help keep it clean. Will be back. Thank you.

    Reviewed by Rosalind4.4Nov 2022

  • "Had a lovely stay, cottage was lovely had everything there for that you needed, would love to go back"

    Reviewed by Ronnie5.0Sep 2022

  • "This is a lovely cottage which is very homely and cosy."

    The location is quite remote and is wonderfully quiet and dark at night time. The one drawback for me was that it is situated in the middle of a (small) car park. At times, there were groups of walkers milling about directly outside the cottage so you don't get a feeling of privacy.

    Reviewed by Graeme4.4Jul 2022

  • "This is a lovely cottage in a lovely part of Dorset."

    You are within relatively easy distance of the coast and inland places to go. The only thing you may want to consider is that the cottage is quite remote eg. there are no pubs or shops you can walk to, and access to main roads is by way of very narrow roads for the first 2-3 miles, with occasional passing places.

    Reviewed by William4.4Jul 2022

  • "The cottage itself was delightful."

    Clean, cosy and reasonably well equipped. Unfortunately, it felt as if it where on a roundabout as we were surrounded on all sides by cars, for most of the week. The Sykes brochure, described use of a private orchard. A bit like the rest of a Nature Reserve, left to nature, so we really missed being able to have a BBQ or a simple glass of wine outside our front door.

    Reviewed by David3.8Jul 2022

  • "We had a lovely week in this tranquil peaceful location."

    Fantastic to step out of the front door into the meadows. Cottage was well equipped and very clean - it was good to see the use of eco friendly products. Staff at the Dorset Wildlife Trust visitor centre who own the property were friendly and helpful, as we're the staff at the cafe which is run independently and serves tasty light bites and cake. Cars do park very close to the cottage but it was not really a problem for us. There is no hairdryer (i had taken my own just in case) and no freezer compartment in the fridge. Also, it would be good to have some sort of clothes dryer in the property to avoid using tumble dryer or radiator to dry towels etc.

    Reviewed by Jane4.4Jun 2022

  • "Beautiful quiet location, but be prepared for a lot of driving slowly down narrow country lanes as you venture out."

    The cottage is adjacent to the Kingcombe wildlife centre who are open every day until 4pm for lunches and teas. Local walks are enjoyable, but one route was blocked by a grumpy cow! Pillows were fine - but bed can be a bit sweaty (plastic under cover?) and is only a double. Some dishcloths and tea towels would be useful - so recommend you bring your own. The cottage has a good shower, heating, TV and wifi, and we really enjoyed our stay.

    Reviewed by Timothy5.0Jun 2022

  • "The cottage is lovely in a great setting."

    Generally everything you need is provided although there were a few issues. There's no spare cupboard to store food and no freezer, or freezer compartment in the fridge. We spent a cold first night as the quilt is very thin and the bedding uncomfortable due to the mattress cover bunching up under the sheet. This was happening because the mattress cover being practically in shreds as it was so worn out. I asked for, and received a blanket but it only made a little difference. Also the pillows were rather flat and I feel the towels should be changed mid week as one bath and one hand towel are not enough. The staff were very nice and replaced the tin opener as soon as I told them it was broken. Linda and Ian.

    Reviewed by Linda3.4May 2022

  • "Lovely cottage."

    Soft bed and poor pillows. No freezer or freezer compartment.

    Reviewed by Jayne4.4May 2022

  • "What a lovely cottage, clean, tidy, everything you could want for a short break and ideally positioned for sight seeing"

    Reviewed by David5.0Apr 2022

  • "Great little cottage."

    Ideal for a chill out time. Lovely walks from the door with some quaint villages nearby. The nature reserve was very peaceful and the staff were so friendly and helpful. The cottage had all that we needed for a short stay. We were really comfortable.

    Reviewed by Karen5.0Mar 2022

  • "I think you should have a key at each window rather than one, also, a couple of hooks on the inside of the shower room would be good."

    Mats in the kitchen could be cleaned or replaced

    Reviewed by John4.4Mar 2022

  • "A very cosy, clean and convenient place to stay."

    The local area is idyllic and we very much enjoyed exploring the reserve and learning about its history even in the damp and rainy weather. Would highly recommend this as a place for nature lovers and walkers and would like to visit again.

    Reviewed by Michelle4.7Feb 2022

  • "Very cozy cottage in a beautiful area."

    We would definitely book again.

    Reviewed by Donna5.0Dec 2021

  • "Perfect cottage to get away from it all and enjoy the countryside."

    Will definitely be staying at Pound cottage again the future.

    Reviewed by Sharon5.0Nov 2021

  • "This is a warm and comfortable cottage of charm and character, and has been sympathetically restored."

    The remote location gives a great taste of rural Dorset, and the helpful and friendly staff at the centre are mines of information about the importance of this national nature reserve.

    Reviewed by Roger5.0Oct 2021

  • "A delightful cottage and surrounding."

    Clean, excellent heating.A place to recharge your batteries.will return!

    Reviewed by Josephine4.7Oct 2021

  • "This is a magical spot!"

    We enjoyed our stay on the nature reserve so much that we have booked Pound Cottage again for 2023.

    Reviewed by Caroline4.4Oct 2021

  • "An enjoyable stay in a lovely peaceful and quiet location"

    Reviewed by Jack4.7Sep 2021

  • "Lovely little cottage in such a peaceful setting."

    Good to have the farmland and wildlife centre in which to roam. The cafe and its food were very good too.

    Reviewed by Patrick5.0Aug 2021

  • "Lovely stay at Pound Cottage!"

    Thoroughly enjoyed the remoteness, local staff were friendly & helpful. Relatively easy commute to Durdle Door, Lulworth, West Bay etc. WiFi was an unexpected bonus too. Would definitely return, aesthetically pleasing, snug & inviting. Pound Cottage was perfect for us.

    Reviewed by Rachelle4.4Aug 2021

  • "The only drawback for us was no TV in the bedroom apart from that fabulous"

    Reviewed by Paul4.4Jul 2021

  • "The fact that the cottage is slap bang in the middle of a nature reserve, with ..."

    The fact that the cottage is slap bang in the middle of a nature reserve, with great walks and quiet nights is a real bonus

    Reviewed by David5.0Jul 2021

  • "It would have been good to have detailed instruction for how to get the key."

    All we were given was the number for the key box. It took us half an hour eventually to obtain the key. It was unclear whether the box by the door was the right box and it was not obvious how to access it. There were no instructions for how to open it, which line the numbers should be on, and what buttons to press. Someone who had used that kind of box before would no doubt have kown what to do, but we hadn't used one and were baffled by it, until eventually we got the right combinatiion of numbers and buttons almost by chance. Apart from that, it was a lovely cottage in a beautiful location, and immaculately clean - though cold at night!

    Reviewed by Richard4.7Jun 2021

  • "Need to make sure you have enough food as it is too far to walk to shop ie milk etc"

    Reviewed by Susan4.4Jun 2021

  • "The cottage is quite basic could have done with a freezer as we travelled a ..."

    The cottage is quite basic could have done with a freezer as we travelled a considerable distance with a cool bag and wanted to take stuff home with us and wasn't able to refreeze them, the bed could do with a thicker and King size duvet other than that it was fine the cafe at the centre was lovely and the staff very friendly

    Reviewed by Douglas3.8May 2021

  • "Really sweet cottage and everything was as described."

    Lovely views and very peaceful.

    Reviewed by Lesley5.0Apr 2021

  • "Warm, well appointed cottage."

    No wifi advertised, but when we got there, there was a fast, reliable WiFi connection. The wood burner and comfortable furnishings made for a cosy place to retreat to after long walks. It’s also ideal for exploring the countryside, as it is set in an utterly beautiful nature reserve, with mikes of walks from the door.

    Reviewed by Christina4.4Dec 2020

  • "The property did not advertise wifi, but when we arrived it had installed an excellent wifi connection."

    Whilst it is not in our interest to point this out, there are many people who would be attracted by being able to enjoy a working week from the cottage. It was actually very useful for us, as we suffered a punctured tyre, and getting it fixed was much easier with internet connection. The arrival instructions were fine until the last mile or so, and these should be clarified as the house is very remote. We arrived on a dark and rainy evening, and were lucky to encounter a very helpful lady who showed us where to go as we were roaming around in the dark outside the wrong building. The house met our expectations in every other respect, and was a real discovery. Top marks!

    Reviewed by Jonathan5.0Dec 2020

  • "Idyllic country cottage with peace, quiet and fabulous scenery."

    The cottage was beautiful, warm and cosy and lovely to come home to after exploring the wonderful countryside. We can't wait to return.

    Reviewed by Lesley4.7Dec 2020

  • "An excellent cottage lost in deepest Dorset, but with good access to a number of pubs and restaurants within 15 minutes drive."

    Access to the coast is about half an hour, but it is a great retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the resorts. Walking in the area is superb - you are spoilt for choice The narrow lanes are not for the feint hearted, but the local drivers seem very careful. The cottage is lovely and was very clean. Very cosy, albeit slightly quaint as it's in the middle of the reserve's carpark (very lightly used). The reserve is interesting, but the facilities wee mainly shut due to Covid-19 There was no wifi, but the manager on site explained they had been having problems with BT. We were happy to be wifi free though as it added to the wonderful sense of isolation!

    Reviewed by Stephen4.7Sep 2020

  • "A wonderful spotlessly clean retreat!"

    This was just what we wanted although we were out of wifi and phone reception range, it was easy to connect from outside the valley. As expected, the Kingcombe Centre was closed but a member of the team was on site regularly and very helpful, and we had full access for walking round the area.

    Reviewed by Robert4.4Aug 2020

  • "WiFi installed but very broken service"

    Reviewed by Julie4.4Aug 2020

  • "We loved the stunning countryside and comfortable cottage."

    We were not so happy with the fact that it says broadband will have been installed, however there was no wi-fi at all and phone calls were also impossible. Our friends who came to visit for lunch tried to call us as they got lost, but could not get through to us. It needs to be better described that Wi-Fi is not available. I would not normally worry about this but currently restaurants, pubs and attractions all ask you to book online, which we could not do. Also, we feel that there should be better signage to people driving into the cottage car park that they need to respect our privacy, some people drive in quite fast and the orchard garden should say private. That all said we liked the pretty cottage and the many walks in this tranquil part of Dorset.

    Reviewed by Alexandra4.1Jul 2020

  • "Cottage is situated in the middle of a car park?"

    But don’t let this put you off it’ has been well restored and it’s very peaceful, wonderful natural countryside all around with many marked walks. Would definitely like to make a return visit.

    Reviewed by Peter4.1Jul 2020

  • "Pound cottage is a very nice cosy cottage situated in a lovely picturesque and quiet part of the dorset contryside, very good if you like to get away from it all (the phone signal is very weak), yet only a short drive from West Bay (narrow super scenic road) and other towns."

    The nature reserve is muddy in the winter so take a pair of wellies for nearby walks. We had a nice week in November, thought the cottage was great and the people that manage the nature reserve are very friendly and helpful.

    Reviewed by Colin5.0Nov 2019

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Summary

  • One bedroom: 1 x double bed with 1 x day bed
  • Shower room with shower, basin and WC
  • Kitchen/diner
  • Sitting room with woodburning stove
  • Please note: This property only accepts arrivals on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
  • Electric central heating and woodburning stove
  • Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge, washing machine, TV and WiFi, mobile phone coverage may be intermittent in the property
  • Fuel, power and one basket of logs and kindling provided for wood burning stove inc. in rent on request only
  • Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
  • Off-road parking in allocated space
  • Enclosed Orchard nearby for guests to use; no private garden
  • Note: Orchard is part of the nature reserve and allows public access
  • One well behaved dog welcome; Note: Dog not allowed upstairs or on any furnishings
  • Sorry, no smoking
  • Shop and pub within 3.4 miles
  • Note: The cottage is located within a small car park which is used by those visiting the nature reserve - one space has been allocated to Pound Cottage guests and cottage visitors are welcome to use the other available spaces
  • No EV charging available at property
  • There is a local EV charging point at the visitors centre approx
  • 2 minutes drive away.

The property

Maiden Newton 3.4 miles.

This beautiful detached stone cottage is set in the idyllic county of Dorset, within the grounds of the Kingcombe Visitor Centre, the gateway to the Kingcombe National Nature Reserve.The cottage is owned and managed by Dorset Wildlife Trust and is surrounded by 450 acres of unimproved pasture and ancient woodland.

In the cottage you’ll find the sitting room with a large brick fireplace and woodburning stove.This sits next to the original bread oven, one of the unique features of the cottage.Equipped with a TV and WiFi, you’ll be able to relax in this homely room after enjoying a delicious meal prepared in the contemporary kitchen. When you're ready for bed after a long day of exploring, head upstairs to the plush double room.This room is perfect for couples but if you are holidaying with friends, the room can be made into a twin by using the day bed.

The shower room, equipped with a shower cubicle, basin and WC, can be found next to the bedroom.

Guests are welcome to bring one well behaved dog to stay.We only ask that dogs remain downstairs and that they do not go on any furniture.There is ample room in the sitting room for a dog bed or cushion.Please keep dogs on leads at all times when outside the cottage and on the nature reserve.

At the back of the property there is an enclosed Orchard which you access using a small gate.The Orchard is part of the nature reserve and allows public access but is still peaceful and relatively private.

From the cottage you can enjoy direct access to the nature reserves of Kingcombe Meadows and Powerstock common nearby, as well as walking and biking routes into West Dorset.

Not far away are the bustling towns of Lyme Regis, Weymouth and Bridport, all excellent choices for a day out, for sightseeing and soaking up local history.You’ll also find the stunning Jurassic Coast at West Bay, one of the more challenging sections of the South West Coast Path.

Pound Cottage is a lovely property to come to in order to relax and experience the rare freedom to explore, taking in the wildlife that thrives in this protected habitat. Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £100.

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £100.

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About the location

MAIDEN NEWTON

West Bay 14 miles; Weymouth 17 miles; Lyme Regis 23 miles

Maiden Newton is a town-sized village in the county of Dorset and surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Within the village you'll find shops, a pub and a restaurant. Maiden Newton is also home to the Church of St. Mary, which is one of the most interesting buildings in the village. The church door is thought to be the oldest wooden church door in England. For fine beaches, fossils and cliff walks, look no further than the South Dorset Heritage Coast where you'll also find the towns of Lyme Regis, with its famous Cobb, Charmouth, with its sandy beach, or West Bay, where you can fish off the pier.

Please note: This property only accepts arrivals on Friday and Monday only.

Please enquire if you are wanting to book a midweek check in.

This property offers the following short breaks:

  • Winter
  • Off-season
  • Last minute
  • Christmas