Dorset with elderly parents

[LifeOfBriony]

My DM has booked a week in a holiday cottage in Dorset (Purbeck end) and my DBro and I will be joining her and our DF. My parents are in their 80s and in the last year DM's health has declined quite significantly; suddenly she can't walk far and has frequent aches and pains (she is still trying to find out what is wrong with her). DF has dementia but is more mobile than DM.

I would welcome suggestions for things we can do with them. We will have a car. In healthier times we would all enjoy country walks, pottering on the beach (rather than sitting or sunbathing), DF liked museums, DM and DF both like gardens etc.

Corfe Castle model village and gardens
Swanage railway
The Walled Garden, Moreton
Lulworth Cove visitor centre
Swanage to Poole boat trip www.cityexperiences.com/poole/city-cruises/swanage-to-poole-return/
Athelhampton House

Thank you @Ricekrispie22 - I will look those up. We've been on the Swanage railway before - I'd be happy to do it again if they would like to. I love Corfe Castle but they wouldn't be able to manage it now. The model village might be a good option.

Durlston has a cafe which is accessible and lovely views. You dont have to do the whole walk (or something of you could while others stay longer in the cafe).

Drive to kimmeridge - you can walk down but the view from the car park is lovely.

Similarly car park at grange arch is a nice "spot".

Wareham river is good for fish and chips and a different view (bridge/old town etc.)

Tyneham village? Thats over a small area but interesting history wise.

Studland beaches have car parks close to the beach. Knoll beach in particular.

Athelhampton looks lovely and is an option - thank you @Ricekrispie22
Tyneham is really interesting but unfortunately in September it's only open at the weekends (when we will be travelling). Grange Arch might be possible - I hadn't heard of it before so will look into that. I've looked up Wareham and there's a boat trip which is wheelchair friendly (neither of them use a wheelchair but that suggests access is level). Thank you @L1ttleSeahorse!

Grange arch is just a car park really, but has amazing views!

Brownsea island...

Not sure how far your DM can walk but the main Corfe Castle/Model village car park is quite a long uphill trek. There is another carpark at the top of the hill, i think it is near the doctors surgery but it still may be too far away for her.

How about the Bovington tank Museum? Or the Royal Sugnals museum in Blandford Forum. Both are really interesting

There's a lovely little museum in Kimmeridge village; The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life and it's opposite a great restaurant www.clavellsrestaurant.co.uk/

Oh yes! That museum is lovely!

I had a very nice pub lunch in the garden of the Greyhound Inn at Corfe this summer; it's been extended onto a terrace which overlooks part of the castle and moat. Perhaps it would be a way to look at the castle without the walk?
The model village (not very spectacular) also does food in their tea garden.

Thanks for the further suggestions. Car parks with views, near cafes would be good. I wonder whether Brownsea Island might be too difficult with the need to get on and off a boat. I have been there but I'm not sure whether my parents have. I'll also look up the museums - thank you!

Ah yes the boat might well be tricky.

Durlston cafe is near a carpark which might be my fav from the list.

And etches museum is stunning.

A bit of a drive, but Abbotsbury gardens are nice - you could also go to the swannery.

I wouldn't go to Corfe Castle just for the model village personally, it's not that impressive and only worth it if you're doing something else in the village.

Oooh yes. Lovely drive there too.

Im similar about model village.

Lunch on the Quay at Wareham, the Old Granary
The Etches Museum
Laurence of Arabia’s House near Bovington
The Walled Garden at Moreton
Something a bit different The Jailhouse Cafe at HMP The Verne on Portland, views are spectacular from up there

The boat trip from Wareham is great

Grange arch is likely to be shut due to firing.

Poole museum is very accessible and interesting plus the Quay area is pretty and worth a visit. The RNLI in Poole do guided tours, you have to book but it is accessible and they have a canteen with excellent views.
Kingston Lacy is NT and near Wimborne which is a lovely town to visit, agree that the Tank museum and Blandford Signals are a good shout.

Really? It's open much of September. Will depend on the exact dates.

Kingston lacy is lovely.

So many lovely places!

Grange Arch Car Park is not within the ranges so is always open, you will need to come up the hill from Creech or through Church Knowle depending on where you are staying. Whiteways Car Park is only open weekends

Are they into history at all because as well as Kingston Lacy which is National Trust there are other NT places including Clouds Hill which is where T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) lived and Hardy's Cottage where Thomas Hardy was born. Both small and manageable but fab and interesting if that's the kind of thing they like.
Oh and Max Gate which is a bit bigger but equally interesting - Thomas Hardy designed it and lived there.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clouds-hill
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardys-cottage
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/max-gate

It's probably worth getting memberships if you're going to a few places.

On a nice day The Scott Arms in Kingston has a wonderful view over Corfe Castle and beyond

@FiveGoMadInDorset

Grange Arch Car Park is not within the ranges so is always open, you will need to come up the hill from Creech or through Church Knowle depending on where you are staying. Whiteways Car Park is only open weekends

That's not true, whilst in fairly recent history grange hill hasn't been used it is all covered by the military, the red flag used to fly when the path to grange arch was closed. From the gov website From February 2020 military training will take place in the Creech Car Park. This means that Grange Hill, the road between Creech and Steeple, will be closed to the public when ranges are active. Exact dates will be published in the monthly firing times programme

They are also able to close at short notice and September is often a busy firing month.

I live at the bottom of that hill

@FiveGoMadInDorset

I live at the bottom of that hill

We must be very close neighbours then, have you really never seen it closed?