Pound Cottage

A well-appointed cottage in a beautiful setting, thank you!

A superb little cottage in the most beautiful setting.

As soon as I arrived I saw a green woodpecker and swallows and swifts are nesting in the nearby barn. The staff at the nature reserve are great and there are a lot of lovely walks immediately outside. I recommend booking one of the guided nature walks beforehand and eating at the cafe at the visitor centre. The nature reserve is very special as no pesticides or fertilisers have even been used on the land. The cottage has been sensitively restored, with interesting features. Everything works well. Don't worry about it seeming to be in an overflow car park, we didn't find it intrusive as it's only occasionally used.

Absolute heaven ,coffee in the orchard early morning, great walks, cafe at reserve center, brilliant, friendly staff delicious apple cake and scones.

Cottage cosy clean and well fitted out for so small a space everything you need. Only small down side is in car park so can get busy but all gone by four so back to peace and blissful quiet.Perfect for nature lovers

This was our second stay at Pam Cottage and once again we really enjoyed our time here even though the temperature reached into the 30s we were cool in the building from its solid stone walls.

The staff at the visitor Centre and volunteers were so helpful finding walks for us in our dog and also the café staff are really kind and cook a lovely breakfast will be back.

I just wanted to phone Sykes Cottages to request the other bed was prepared and also some logs for the wood burner.

Unless you are phoning to book a holiday, getting Sykes Cottages to just do the above meant 3 phone calls of 30 mins duration each time and no reply which was very frustrating. I eventually was invited to chat about my requests on WhatsApp but although the bed was made up there were no logs. Awful communication problems. Thank goodness the staff at the Dorset Wildlife Centre were so helpful and gave me logs. Sorry I can’t recommend Sykes Cottages. Pound Cottage was lovely though.

We loved the peace and quiet of the area around the Reserve, it was nice to take walks in the early evening and look for deer or listen to the birds.

The cottage was clean & tidy and we appreciated the Ginger biscuits and tea/coffee/milk which were left for our arrival. Everything that we could need was available in the cottage and we had a great week. A five star stay!

Beautiful cottage and great views ideal for the 2 of us.

Lovely and warm and a very comfortable bed and the only downside was the wifi connection but we could manage without that for a week made a nice reklaxing break thank you

Accommodation was great on a lovely peaceful location.

It was really disappointing that we could not get any loss provided for the wood burner. I couldn't get through to Sykes on the phone, 2 calls on hold for 45mns then an hour on separate days then used the WhatsApp wrth a tx reply from a real person 24hrs later when I expected a call back and then no logs received. Really poor and had put me off using sykes again.

Bwthyn clyd, croesawus, glân a heddychlon.

This cottage, and its location on a fascinating nature reserve, is a small treasure. Well-equipped, spotlessly clean and located in the most peaceful of areas, Pound Cottage, along with Kingcombe has an interesting history and a lovely, welcoming atmosphere (and staff/volunteers). The landscape is beautiful with several lovely walks and lots of history nearby. Dorchester is not too far and the stunning coast 30 minutes or so away (by car). Very highly recommended.

We loved staying at pound cottage.

It was so cosy and the location was rural and wonderful. We woke to seeing cows outside our window and if you're a keen bird watcher you can do that from the living room window when it's too cold outside! We had an issue on arrival which was sorted straight away.

A lovely property, well kitted out in a very peaceful location.

An ideal get away. The only slight gripe is the size of the bed. The next size up from the current one would have been ideal. Unfortunately not everyone is under 6’ tall and has the BMI of 2. I found the bed size absolutely fine, but my wife who had to sleep on the sofa/daybed was not so happy!

We really enjoyed our stay at Pound cottage.

It was very comfortable and clean home from home comfort. It was peaceful, lovely walks across the reserve. Sadly we didn't get to the cafe next door, whatever they were cooking smelt wonderful. We will be back in the spring so we can enjoy the lighter mornings and evenings.

A cosy, clean and comfortable cottage, which has been thoughtfully restored and furnished.

Very efficient electric heating plus log burner. Small kitchen but perfectly manageable for a week. The cottage is in the Wildlife Trust's nature reserve, which together with a good local footpath network, makes for some excellent walks in the rolling Dorset hills. One or two cars a day used the small car park which surrounds the cottage, but I was hardly aware of them. It certainly wasn't intrusive, but obviously would be busier in summer. Absolutely quiet at night, apart from various owls and the breeze through the trees. Don't forget to look up at the stars!

Second stay in this little cottage.

Great walks on the doorstep and enjoyed one or two apples from the orchard.

lovely little cottage with everything you need.

home from home

We loved our stay at Pound Cottage, the perfect hideaway for a couple and a handy location for exploring Dorset and the N Devon coast.

It's compact but very well thought out interior layout. Don't be put off by it being in the middle of a car park. It's very quiet and undisturbed. There are wonderful walks from here around the nature reserve and beyond, its the heart of a wildlife wonderland. Bring a recliner to enjoy the night-time stars, bats and owls (so glad I brought my recliner and binoculars). There's also a bird hide which is a nice place to hang out with your coffee , camera or sketch book. The Cafe at Kingcombe is the best in Dorset ! The home-cooked lunches and cakes are absolutely delicious (Thank you Sharon) . Sharon also did us a wonderful packed lunch for the long journey home.

A lovely comfortable cottage.

Ideally situated for touring the area, or just enjoying a quiet time away from it all with plenty of wildlife to see. The staff and volunteers are all very helpful. Any minor issues were dealt with.

Lovely cottage in nice setting, only downside is being in middle of a car park although it’s not busy and you get your own space.

The views are lovely and the cottage is nicely decorated, clean and fairly spacious. It’s a very quiet spot and the nature reserve is worth an explore. There’s a cafe onsite although I didn’t use it, I would book again but it’s a bit too quiet for me and if you want to fill your days going on days out there’s not much close by so it’s a 30-40 min drive to local zoos etc. But perfect for nature lovers. Note my phone had no signal here but there is WiFi you can connect to.

The cottage is in the middle of the overflow carpark so people coming and going, but saying that the gate to the nature reserve is right opposite.

The cafe is only a stones throw away which was great for a weekend break as we needed minimal supplies. The nature reserve has enough to do, walks etc to fill a weekend.

Lovely quaint cottage, very private.

Lovely cottage.

Beautiful setting. From the moment I opened the front door I felt at home. The cottage was equipped with everything I needed. Really appreciated the clothes horse when I got soaked while out running around the local area.

The only small concern was the outside bench was in poor repair and the grassed area was was unkempt.

We had a great stay at Pound cottage and enjoyed being able to walk out directly onto the nature reserve.

It's in a peaceful location ideal for a quiet break. The cottage was comfortable and adequately equipped.Dorset Wildlife Trust staff at the nearby visitor centre were friendly and helpful- the cafe there also serves tasty food.

Perfect location as have family just up in Toller.

With heating on lovely and toasty, thought of everything even got tray to put your boots and wellies on. Pint of milk in fridge. Will book again no problem.

We stayed at Pound Cottage for 8 days over Christmas it was a truly magical experience.

The cottage was cosy , peaceful and comfortable set in the beautiful surroundings of the Dorset countryside. It is in within easy reach of Dorchester, Bridport and West Bay. The cottage was well equipped and the log burning fire makes this place really special. We would definitely go back again.

Very nice cottage, perfect for a couple and their dog.

Very comfortable and everything in good working order. Internet connection is slow (5 Mbps) but that's probably not what you come here for. Extremely quiet during the night and mostly in daytime: beware that the cottage stands in the middle of a carpark, so it's not so private as you would expect. Very small dinner table!

Wonderful cottage in a wonderful location.

We will definitely be back for a third stay!

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

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

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

Lovely cosy, well appointed cottage.

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

Lovely place to stay.

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

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

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

onsite staff friendly and helpful

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A wonderful cottage for chilling, and reconnecting

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

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.

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!,

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lovely cottage.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Very cozy cottage in a beautiful area.

We would definitely book again.

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

Will definitely be staying at Pound cottage again the future.

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.

A delightful cottage and surrounding.

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

This is a magical spot!

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

An enjoyable stay in a lovely peaceful and quiet location

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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

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

Really sweet cottage and everything was as described.

Lovely views and very peaceful.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

WiFi installed but very broken service

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.

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.

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.