Bears Den

Bears Den is a stone-built barn on a working livery at Stour Row, surrounded by 40 acres of countryside and about three miles from Shaftesbury. It stands beside the owners' home, with privacy assured. You reach it along a long shared drive and across a shared courtyard. The barn sleeps six in three bedrooms, and it can only be booked for holiday purposes.

From the entrance hall, which has space for muddy boots, a utility room with a washer-dryer and WC is opposite. The double bedroom is on the ground floor, beside a bathroom with a freestanding bath, a separate shower and a WC. The open-plan lounge, kitchen and diner has a central island, a range-style cooker with a gas hob and electric ovens, a microwave, an American-style fridge-freezer, a dishwasher and a Smart TV. Stairs lead up to a king-size bedroom with a Jack and Jill bathroom, which has a bath and WC, and a super-king zip-and-link bedroom that can be made up as twins on request. It has its own staircase down. Headroom is restricted in places on the first floor because the rooms sit within the eaves.

Doors from the lounge lead to an enclosed garden with a patio, furniture, a gas BBQ and a lawn. A separate seating area, which is not enclosed, has a fire pit and a pizza oven, and logs are included. Guests can collect eggs from the chickens and pick seasonal vegetables and apples. Parking is off the road and ample. A shop and a pub are within 2.5 miles.

One dog is welcome, and additional charges may apply. It must stay on a lead in the open yard and in the occupied fields, and it is not allowed on the furniture, the beds or upstairs. A second dog may be considered if you call to ask. Arrival is from 16:00. It suits a family or a group of friends travelling with one dog, as long as the dog stays downstairs.