Pound Cottage

Pound Cottage is a detached stone cottage at Kingcombe, in the grounds of the Kingcombe Visitor Centre and surrounded by 450 acres of pasture and woodland. Dorset Wildlife Trust owns the cottage. The village of Maiden Newton is 3.4 miles away, and the shop and pub are within 3.4 miles.

In the sitting room, a large brick fireplace holds a woodburning stove next to the original bread oven, and one basket of logs and kindling is included on request. The kitchen/diner has an electric oven and hob, a microwave, a fridge and a washing machine. Upstairs, one double bedroom becomes a twin when the day bed is used, and the shower room is next door. WiFi and a TV are provided, though mobile phone coverage may be intermittent.

There is no private outdoor seating, but an enclosed orchard behind the cottage opens through a small gate; it belongs to the nature reserve and the public can enter it. The cottage stands in a small car park used by staff, volunteers and reserve visitors, with one space allocated to guests, and visitors may use the other available spaces. There is no EV charging at the cottage, and the nearest point is at the visitor centre, about two minutes by car.

One well-behaved dog is welcome, but it must stay downstairs and off the furniture, and it must be on a lead outside the cottage and on the reserve. Smoking is not allowed, and a good-housekeeping bond is payable. The minimum stay is a strict three nights, with arrivals on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday only; midweek check-ins need an enquiry. It suits a couple who want walks on the reserve from the door.