In the village of King's Stag, just under 3/4 mile from Ridge Farm, King's Stag Garage has a shop where you can buy newspapers and some basic foodstuffs. About 1.5 miles in the opposite direction there is the Red Barn, the local shop for the village of Hazelbury Bryan, which has a more extensive range of groceries and fresh vegetables.

In Sturminster Newton (6.5 miles) there is a Coop supermarket and a One Stop store (with Post Office). There is also an excellent butchers, a very good greengrocers and a small pharmacy and chemist. If you like olives and other tasty delights, we recommend Olives Et Al on the near Sturminster Newton on the A357.

Other local supermarkets include Dykes in Stalbridge (6 miles; good local produce),Sainsburys and Waitrose in Sherborne (8 miles), several Tescos -- in Dorchester, Blandford and Yeovil (all about 15 miles) -- and Morrisons, Asda and Lidl in Yeovil.

During your stay with us we will be happy to tell you about any other amenities you might need.

The Green Man, our nearest pub (1/2 mile) is an easy walk from the house. Re-opened under new management in 2019, the food, beer and atmosphere are highly recommended. Dogs are allowed in the bar.

Other nearby pubs we have tried and can recommend include (in no particular order), The Ibberton, The Brace of Pheasants at Plush, The Crown at Marnhull, The Rose & Crown at Longburton and the Fontmell Inn at Fontmell Magna. The Kings Arms at Charleton Horthorne is a 5 star hotel and restaurant. If you like real ale or local ciders, try the Ship Inn in West Stour, which was awarded "Heart of Wessex CAMRA Pub of the Year" in 2016.

Nearby restaurants include Felini's, an Italian restaurent just a few minutes drive from here, Plumber Manor near Sturminster Newton and Carluccios in Dorchester. Further afield there is the Crab House Café in Portland. It's not cheap, but if you love seafood, this is a must.

To be fair, there are many other excellent pubs and restaurants in the area; it's just that we haven't tried them all.

Useful Links

Dog-friendly pubs in Dorset

Dog-friendly beaches in Dorset