Loose Reins
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Ridgeway Farm Lanchards Lane, Shillingstone, Blandford Forum DT11 0TF England
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Travellers' Choice
Unique, hand crafted Pioneer Cabins and Canvas Lodges set in a natural Coombe, surrounded by hills and forest and looking out across the Blackmore Vale. Accommodation is luxuriously appointed with private bathrooms, electricity, hot water, kitchens, bedding and lots of extras to make your stay special.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Breakfast available
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
BBQ facilities
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor fireplace
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Non-smoking rooms
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Ridgeway Farm Lanchards Lane, Shillingstone, Blandford Forum DT11 0TF England
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120Reviews2Q+A13Room tips
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I have wanted to stay here since I first heard about it 10 years ago, but never found availability to coincidence with my time off and school holidays. I was so excited when I found availability on my birthday weekend and booked even though I thought it expensive at £550 for 2 nights in a cabin. The check in is after 5pm and check out 9am so the holiday is only 2 nights and 1 day. Positives: The cabins are tiny but beautiful, very cleverly thought out and perfect for 2 people. (4 would be a bit of a squash). They are kitted out with everything you could possibly need and a lovely welcome hamper of eggs, bread, butter, jam, tea, coffee, biscuits and milk. The bed was extremely comfortable and really good quality linen and towels. Decent size bathroom although we struggled with the shower. The wood burner is fab and kept us toasty at night and enough complimentary logs for the 2 nights. Everything was spotlessly clean. The porch is large and a lovely place to sit and watch the sunrise and set. It is a very tranquil setting and very quiet. We enjoyed watching the horses and saying hello to the ponies and goats Negatives Couldn't get the shower to maintain a warm temperature which was a bit annoying. Check in time is very late and check out time very early. I understand the accomodation needs deep cleaning but 8 hours to do so seems excessive. It would be nice to have more time to enjoy a laid back morning on departure day rather than rushing to pack up and be out before 9am. The shop doesn't sell wine or cider although some of the literature says it does. We were looking forward to a cream tea but although there were scones and jam they had run out of clotted cream. I struggled to contact Loose Reins prior to our visit, no answer to 2 phone calls and no response to my first email. An extra £25 charge for our dog. I didn't realize there is no longer any horse riding so this was a disappointment, although my fault not theirs. I expected the place to be fully booked but there were only 2 other families staying over a school holiday weekend, which I imagine is due to the price. We had a lovely time and really enjoyed our stay, but it is too expensive for what it is and this is why I have given 4 stars. (I've booked a stay at a very similar place in August, with the added bonus of a hot tub for £400, which I think is a more realistic price).…
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
We have just returned from a perfectly enjoyable break at Loose Reins. We would like to thank our hosts for an amazing experience in our cosy Ranchers cabin and for the lovely welcome pack and card provided on arrival. The cabin is equipped with everything you need for the perfect break and the truly peaceful and relaxing surroundings of the countryside views, that we enjoyed from our lovely rocking chairs on our cabin porch. Loved listening to the owls at night time. Loose Reins really is the perfect retreat away from busy lifestyles. We certainly hope to return again soon. Many thanks Jackie and Gareth
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Date of stay: November 2021
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We had a great four day break at Loose Reins, thank you. The welcome pack was lovely surprise on arrival, a great start to our stay. The lodge was all that we could wish for and was extremely comfy. The view from the front of the lodge was stunning and the area was extremely peaceful. Having a variety of animals around the site was a fantastic bonus. We would certainly recommend Loose Reins and the location is central to highlights of Dorset.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled
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+1
We stayed here for 4 nights in a cabin on the 2nd week of September (when the kids were back to school) and we brought our dog. Me and my partner needed an escape from what has been a very stressful year. Not only did we destress but I think even our Pug managed to get some relaxtion! When we arrived were were greeted with a fantastic welcome hamper with a lovely card and all the amenties you would ever need (especially in the kitchen). The ranch is located in a valley and so the first thing we realised was the lack of any noise except birds and nature and our friendly horse neighbours who greeted us every morning for head scratches! The amenties for dogs were also fantastic and probably the first dog friendly accomodation that I've experienced that offered a dog bed, towel and bowls (plus much more). It was also very helpful having the dog friendly attractions and beaches as it saved us alot of research. We spent most of our evenings in front of the firepit or rocking chair just absorbing all of the nature surrounding us. We never felt we were disturbed by any other overlooking guests. We took advantage of the on site shop and brought ourselves a BBQ pack as well as some marshmellows and more firewood (we loved the firepit!!) and it was all reasonably priced and local food. Plus the scones, jam and cream were AMAZING! We will 100% be back as I've never experienced such an amazing, peaceful place to stay (and I've been dragged around many UK stays when I was a child). Me, my partner and our Pug would like to thank the hosts for such a perfect stay and the cabins are beautiful.…
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
We stayed in Trappers for a long weekend in September and had the most lovely time! The cabin itself was spacious, furnished really nicely and had lots of extra touches. The bed is super comfy and the shower was surprisingly powerful! Sitting on the porch in the morning with the sun rising over the fields was very peaceful. We preordered lots of food and it was yummy! Having the animals around us was lovely and our dog enjoyed the empty paddock to run around in. Would highly recommend staying here
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Date of stay: September 2021
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Really enjoyed our holiday. Great place and central location to visit other nice places in Dorset. Lodges are adequately prepared and great fun. Very helpful and welcoming people. So nice to sit on deck and relax with a nice cuppa or something stronger should you prefer and look out at the beautiful views. We will return!
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Date of stay: July 2021
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Room Tip: Lodges are best in my opinion
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Helpful
We stayed in Gold Panners cabin for 4 nights in June for our Honeymoon and had the most wonderful time! The location was gorgeous, with woodland to the right and rolling hills to the left. The site was easy to find but still felt remote, being around half a mile from the nearest village. The cabin, which was absolutely immaculate on arrival and we were greeted with some lovely local treats left by the host. The cabin itself felt ‘off grid’ with no TV and limited internet/wi-fi allowing you the space to properly disconnect and be present in the surroundings, however still had enough of life’s luxuries for the stay to feel like a real treat (hot water, a shower, a comfortable bed and good cooking facilities). The highlight for us was watching the beautiful sunsets sitting in the rocking chair on the veranda, with ponies grazing in the surrounding paddocks.…
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
Wow.. We have just returned from the most enjoyable stay! We booked the Trappers ranch/cabin which is nestled into a private corner with the most incredible views, front & back. The tree line surrounding the grounds was just magic and so peaceful. We had a small dog which was perfect for her. The cabin's themselves are tiny (which we expected) but they have everything you need. The bed is really comfy, the kitchen has every utensil imaginable, the shower was always hot and actually more spacious than ours at home! There's a log burner which we used whilst playing cards of an evening inside. The decking is out of this world! Drinking a cold beer on the rocking chair looking at the amazing view was so special at the end of the day. The personal touches made it extra special, a lovely welcome basket with fresh eggs, bread, jam etc. They also had a welcome hamper just for the dog! Outside there's a firepit perfect for BBQ's. There's also the most quaint honesty farm shop on site which has the essentials should you need them. My only constructive feedback would be that it would be nice if the grounds surrounding each cabin was fenced off a little just so our dog could run around freely but it didn't ruin our stay at all, we were just fed up of her long-line getting tangled around & under the cabin :) She had the most perfect stay and I can tell she misses it so much since coming home! Thanks so much, I can't wait to come back and try out your larger cabins with our family!…
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Date of stay: June 2021
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Helpful
We visited 5 years ago and stayed in a cabin, but booked a lodge this time so we could bring our 2 dogs. We had the most amazing time again and so did the dogs. They were made so welcome by the owners, who are very friendly and helpful. The lodges are just lovely, very private and unique and the place is so peaceful. Fantastic walking from the door and an hour away from the Jurassic Coast beaches. It’s a shame that COVID took away the finishing touches we had last time in terms of cushions and rugs and fresh herbs, but we hope that next time we come the restrictions will be lifted as these touches really finish the experience off. It’s a truly unique experience and one we highly recommend. We will be back!!!
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Date of stay: June 2021
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Helpful
We had an amazing stay at Loose Reins, staying in Trappers cabin. From arrival, check in was easy - all details were sent by email in advance and we arrived to a prepared cabin with a cute little box of essentials (and some bonus bits) and a personalised card. The cabin was well equipped, every kitchen utensil thought of was in there and it really was geared up to living. We spent hours of an evening sat on the deck, watching the sun set across the rolling hills. It honestly felt like 2 weeks away, not 2 days, we were so relaxed. There are beautiful walks and villages nearby with little pubs, or the honesty shop on site for quality food and supplies, if you're staying in. We put a photo of our stay on Facebook and have been non stop with friends asking where we were, quoting how it looked amazing and like we were on a ranch in America. We cannot stop recommending Loose Reins to others who want a peaceful escape. Thank you Yasmin and Sam for being such great hosts! We will be back again.…
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Date of stay: May 2021
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PRICE RANGE
US$183 - US$187 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandDorsetBlandford ForumShillingstone
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Loose Reins
Which popular attractions are close to Loose Reins?
Nearby attractions include AA Shooting School (4.7 miles), Sturminster Newton Mill (3.3 miles), and Shillingstone Railway Project (1.1 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Loose Reins?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and kids activities.
What food & drink options are available at Loose Reins?
Guests can enjoy breakfast and barbeque facilities during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Loose Reins?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Baker Arms, Yellow Bicycle Cafe and Deli, and The White Horse Inn.
Is Loose Reins located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.6 miles away from the centre of Shillingstone.
Are pets allowed at Loose Reins?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Loose Reins?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Shillingstone Railway Project (1.1 miles).