Treat yourself to a delicious pub meal and local beers
While every one of our self-catering cottages has a fully equipped kitchen, you probably want to treat yourself to at least one meal out. We highly recommend a visit to the Smuggler’s Inn at Osmington, which serves up hearty pub classics alongside amazing views of the Dorset coast.
This is a short walk we often take and we know it’s popular with many of our guests.
Don’t drive - it’s a short walk
The Smuggler’s – named for its associations with the gentlemen who pursued that occupation – is less than a mile away from the cottages at Upton Grange.
It’s a short drive from here, but parking can be tricky at busy times. Much better to enjoy a walk along Dorset lanes and footpaths, within sight of the sea. Be aware that there are a few stiles to climb over and the path can be a little muddy in wet weather.
You can ask Google for directions, but it doesn’t know the local footpaths as well as we do. Follow our step-by-step guide and you’ll soon be sipping a glorious Badger beer beside the sea.
Step 1 - Leaving the Upton Grange gardens
The walk begins right outside our front door, in our courtyard with the fountain. From our main front door, turn left and head towards our grassy paddock. Walk up here until you get to the top of the paddock. Here there’s a gate that takes you onto the lane.
There’s a stile to the right of the gate. Go over the stile and step into the lane.Turn right along the lane.
Step 2 - Crossing the lane
Now that you’re in the lane, walk along until you see a driveway on the left, with a sign to Upton Glen.
It’s a quiet lane but take care to walk on the right-hand side, facing any oncoming traffic. You won’t be on it for long.
Step 3 - Onto the country footpaths
Follow the driveway for just over 300 metres and you’ll encounter a fork. The track going to the left is gated and there’s a stile just to the right of the gate. Climb over that stile.
Follow this track to another gate, where again there’s a stile to climb over. This one is to the left of the gate.
Continue along the footpath until you reach a tarmac lane, where you turn left. Follow this lane for another 250 metres until you reach an opening in the hedge, to the right.
Pause to enjoy the view of the sea, with Portland in the distance, and then climb the stile to the left of the gate.
Step 4 - You’re almost there!
Follow the footpath into the field. A short distance from the gate, take the right fork, heading for the bottom right corner of the field. Keep the trees and hedges on your right.
At the bottom of the field you join with the South West Coast Path. Turn right onto the path and, in just a couple of minutes, you’ll reach the Smuggler’s Inn.
Now take a seat (inside or outside) and enjoy a glass of wine or a Dorset beer and a tasty meal.
