Is this the best pub view in England? Oldgreytravel was in the Isle of Purbeck for a few days recently and stayed a couple of nights at The Scott Arms in Kingston. Set on the top of a hill, it has stupendous views towards the ruined Corfe Castle sitting in the strategic gap of the Purbeck Ridge, and beyond, the blue splash of Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island. The Scott Arms itself is a picture postcard delight with the grade II listed C18 Inn having a warren of tiny higgledy piggledy rooms and parlours set across a multitude of levels. Accommodation was smartly furnished and food of a high quality. Not cheap at £80 a night (single occupancy) but given the view, food and overall ambience probably fair value for money and, obviously, much cheaper if shared between two.
The weather was perfect, so walking was the obvious diversion. From Kingston, there is a marvellous 10 mile round walk, taking in the magnificent viewpoint of Swyre Head, down to Kimmeridge Bay, a site of special scientific interest replete with fossils and working oil well. Then back along the Coast Path with the 500 foot high ascent of Houns-tous Cliff waiting at the end, before returning back along the top towards Kingston. A good 4-5 hour walk and nice to know there is a welcoming bar at the end. In fact, the walking options are extensive and the following day a no.40 bus into Swanage allowed for another good bracing 8 mile walk back to the Scott Arms, past Durlston Head and along the Coast Path.
There was a surprising lot of old grey activity around Purbeck in May and the Scott Arms could only accommodate me for 2 nights of my stay, so the last night was spent at an old favourite, the Bankes Arms in Studland, a pub which I always though had the best view in Dorset until I had stayed at the Scott Arms. The view from the bar and beer garden across the blue expanse of Studland Bay towards the lights of Bournemouth is magical, but does it beat the Scott Arms? A difficult choice, why don’t you stay at both and decide for yourself.
The Bankes Arms is a bigger operation than the Scott Arms with more rooms, a bigger and busier bar and its own micro brewery. Massively busy at weekends and in the summer months during the day, it quietens down nicely in the evening as the tiny village of Studland settles down for the night. The bar has an extensive range of ales and the food is good, but not quite up to Scott Arms’ standards. Prices are on a par, like for like, but my non-en-suite room came in at a bargain £45.
Studland Beach is the obvious attraction, though there are good walks nearby, including the Godlington Heath Natural Nature Reserve immediately behind the beach road, one of the best places to see adders in the UK, and the walk up to the impressive Old Harry Rocks and around to Swanage.
So does Purbeck fit the bill for an oldgreytravel mini-break – it has wonderful villages, excellent beaches and coastal walks, Corfe Castle and some great places to stay, so it seems to tick the box. It certainly feels as though there is a slower pace of life as you cross on the chain ferry from Poole and while it is not an Island, there is a distinct and rather pleasant sense of being somewhere slightly different to the rest of Dorset.
www.thescottarms.com & www.bankesarms.com
