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.

Never, I know there is a gate on the Steeple side but can’t remember ever seeing a gate on the Creech side of the hill

I am he intrigued where you live 😂

Drive up to Sherborne for a day.

You can do the Abbey and two castles and potter along Cheap Street, all without much in the way of hills etc.

If you take the Cerne Abbas road, you can also see the giant from the roadside.

Thank you all - lots to look into! I'm an NT member but I'm not sure whether my parents kept theirs up.

I think I've been to the Scott Arms - haven't been to the Greyhound though. I have been to the Bankes Arms.

I've been to Dorset many times, as a child with parents and brothers and with DH and my own DCs, but until this year, everyone has been able-bodied and we're having to look at things a bit differently. It will be good for both my parents to have a break and different company. I'm looking forward to it but it may not be as restful and carefree as I like holidays to be!

@FiveGoMadInDorset and @Waveifyouknowme - I wonder whether you do know each other

(I will wave if we go to Grange Arch / Kimmeridge)

Thats so funny you 2 are so close. Will think of you both when we go that way!

There is another model village in Wimborne with a car park opposite - only takes about an hour or so but we rewlly enjoyed it and the town itself looks nice.

If you want pubs, I'd also throw in the Castle Inn Corfe Castle. Nothing special in terms of the views, but Friday night is fish night and there's a specials menu based on whatever they've got from the boats that day. Need to get there early/book (it's tiny inside, although there's a big garden), but it's a good old school pub with decent food.

They've also now got a sister pub in Wareham - the Duke of Wellington. Haven't been, but given it's the same owners, I'd say it's worth a punt.

And at the other end of the scale, the Pig on the Beach in Studland is lovely for a lunch, especially if it's warm enough to be outside with views I've the cost, and you can potter round the kitchen garden afterwards.

We also really rate Sea Beats in Weymouth for a meal, but I'm not sure that's the sort of beach walk you're after so probably not worth a special trip just for lunch.

A few more suggestions - Compton Abbas (bear Shaftesbury) airfield has a small carpark next to a viewing area where you can sit and watch the light aircraft taking off & landing; their cafe /snack van is open to the public too.

'Sculpture by the lakes', near Dorchester - very level and easy terrain, with lakes & rivers, a nice cafe etc. Pricey to get in (£12.50 pp), open weds- sun only

Hope you have an enjoyable trip!

We love compton abbas! That is definitely a win for not having to walk and yet something to "see".

Is it worth hiring a wheelchair? Red Cross did pre pandemic

Sherborne is beautiful. Nice cafe in the castle garden centre.

I think they have beach wheelchairs at studland beach if that is of any use

Would they be able to get on the top deck of one of the open top buses for a trip along the coast?

Durlston have some all terrain mobility scooters

Monkey world at wool is lovely

Holme Nurseries and Gardens have a cafe and garden you can potter around although you now have to pay to view the gardens

Hello all, we're back after a lovely week.

We visited:
Studland beach - we were lucky to find a spot near the entrance to Knoll beach from the car park - my brother and I walked along the beach (which was very busy due to the weather) and my parents sat and watched the world go by.
Crossed the harbour entrance on the chain ferry and drove a scenic route back
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum, which we all found interesting
Swanage Railway - we parked at Norden which has a large car park, and travelled the length of the line, spending some time in Swanage before returning. My DF in particular really enjoyed the train (we've done it before and it triggered some good memories for him of travelling by train when he was young, as well as past holidays)
We walked part of Wareham Walls - DM was better at walking than we'd expected, and it probably did her good
We pottered around Corfe Castle village, had a National Trust cream tea, and ate at the Bankes Arms (on a different day)
Fish and Chips from Wareham
We stayed in a lovely cottage with a garden so spent some time sitting in the garden with a drink (wine or tea and cake)

Unfortunately the boat trip we were hoping to do from Wareham didn't run every day. Tyneham was only open at weekends, when we were travelling.

Thank you for all the suggestions. We were very lucky with the weather which helped.