Dog-friendly Cerne Abbas

Sixteenth-century Palmers inn on Long Street in Cerne Abbas, mullioned windows and a walled garden, a few minutes below the Giant. The brewery lists it as dog friendly, with outside dining, parking and rooms. The village is one of the best-looking in Dorset and the abbey remains are behind the church.

A 3.4-mile loop of two hours climbing the chalk down beside the 180-foot figure, along the top of Giant Hill to the ancient earthwork of the Trendle and back down through the village and the abbey ruins, with 190 metres of steep grass climb. The turf is short and slippery when wet and there is one long pull that leaves you breathing hard. Start from the free Kettle Bridge car park on Duck Street, about thirty spaces beside the stream, which fills quickly on a fine morning; the number X11 bus from Dorchester stops in the village. Sheep and cattle graze the down, so leads on the hill, and the figure itself cannot be walked on. The Cerne stream at the bottom is clean, shallow and the best drink for miles.