Miller's Huts Dorset (Miller's Hut)

Do you need to escape? To a place with fresh air and space? With hands off hosts? Enjoy life's simple pleasures in Miller's Hut, with millpond views, at an organic stoneground flour mill. Down the hill from Shaftesbury, famed for Gold Hill and that Hovis ad, it's an idyllic spot for cosy contentment. Wrap yourself in a blanket, enjoy a glass of wine by the campfire with a good book. ***STRICTLY NO PARTIES*** ***NO DISPOSABLE BBQS ON THE GRASS*** Miller's Hut OR John's Hut OR both huts together (to sleep 4) are available to book. Our hutters then have exclusive use of the site. We request a prompt 10am departure to allow for airing / cleaning / preparation for incoming guests. For more pictures, take a look at: Insta: millershutsdorset -------- My husband's family have been milling since eighteen-thirty-two and his father started out on his own at Cann Mills in nineteen-forty-seven. Cann Mills was recorded in the Domesday Book and one of five mills within a mile on the River Sturkel, a tributary to the River Stour. We produce organic stoneground flour using French Burr millstones primarily driven by a late 19th Century iron waterwheel that is fed by the millpond. Not just for shepherds, Miller's Hut sleeps two and has beautiful millpond views. The comfortable bed is a small double dressed in a pretty William Morris design. The little cupboard is stocked with tea and coffee making essentials. Why not light a fire in the fire pit, sizzle some sausages on the tripod and grill and chase stars under our exceptionally dark night skies (wood is provided for your stay, if you require more it is £5 a bucket). We have outdoor chairs, rugs, cushions and lanterns for your use, so you can relax in comfort and enjoy your surroundings. FIELD KITCHEN We're sure our hutters will love our field kitchen a few strides from Miller's Hut ~ it's quirky with a wonderful patina. Totally transformed from a lambing shed to a very rustic but dry area for our hutters, with a table and chairs as well as an area to prepare food. In the evenings eat by candlelight beneath the twinkling fairy lights. You will find the field kitchen equipped with crockery, small fridge, two stove gas hob, hob kettle, toaster and further cooking equipment/utensils, as well as store cupboard essentials such as tea, coffee, sugar, oil and salt & pepper. Washing up available here too, though you'll have to boil the kettle! Pure spring water for drinking and cooking is in the 8L Kilner glass water dispenser and there's a tap in the mill yard (again pure spring water). A breakfast basket of homemade bread (made with our organic flour of course!), muesli, organic jam/marmalade, butter, stewed fruit (sometimes from our garden!), Greek yoghurt, juice and ground coffee (Lavazza Oro) is provided to enjoy at leisure. The bright washroom has a flushing loo and hot shower (a hairdryer and towels are provided) and is situated next to Panary in the mill yard, a minute's walk (there is a torch for night visits!). We suggest you bring a head torch if you have one. Although there isn't a wood burner in the hut like John's Hut, there is a small heater and blankets to keep you toasty on cold evenings. STAR GAZING: We tend to look at landscape as everything up to the horizon, but what about what's above it? We are situated on the edge of Cranborne Chase AONB, an exceptionally tranquil, deeply rural area, where we have access to some of the darkest skies in the whole country. Gazing skyward you can enjoy hundreds of spectacular constellations. With 80% of UK residents living under light polluted skies, we see thousands of stars overhead compared with a handful seen from towns and cities. From July to Christmas, you can enjoy the Milky Way in all its glory; in the winter star clusters, and in the spring planets and galaxies.  You can be a novice with a casual interest or a professional to uncover the secrets of the universe. The AONB recently gained international recognition for its dark skies and is designated an 'International Dark Sky Reserve'. If you enjoy night walking, our dark skies are also good for nocturnal wildlife, owls and moths.   The important stuff~ Check in: after 4pm Check out: 10am Please bring heavy boots if it's wet or been wet (we do provide torches and umbrellas for trips to the loo and shower, if needed). Wood for the fire pit is supplied for your stay, if you do require more it is £5 per bucket. You can hang wet coats and leave wellies, hiking boots etc in the Field Kitchen. The hut is well lit with two separate bedside lights, lamp and exterior light by the door. Our home is an old property and she can be a little quirky at times! If you find something isn't working properly please shout out and we can give her a gentle nudge. Please don't wait until you get home as we want you to have a lovely and restful stay. The hut and immediate environs are for your use. There is guest parking at the end of the mill yard. The loo and shower room are located off the mill yard. Unfortunately, we can't allow you on or in the millpond (the water isn't deep but the mud is!). We like to let you enjoy the hut and surrounds without our intrusion. It is self check-in, details are in the hut about where to find everything including some local knowledge suggesting places to eat/shop. We live in the mill house so please feel free to come and find us should you require help at any time. We are situated on the borders of Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset and have access to many historical places. Bath, Longleat, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Brownsea Island, the Isle of Purbeck, Thomas Hardy country and the Jurassic Coast are all within easy reach to explore, as are the beaches at Bournemouth, Sandbanks and Studland. Local National Trust properties include Kingston Lacey, Lytes Carey and Stourhead. There are plenty of traditional pubs in the area, the Chalke Valley has many country pubs with beer gardens and good bar menus. Of course there are many gastro pubs too; including the King John at Tollard Royal, the Museum at Farnham, The Fontmell at Fontmell Magna and Donhead St Andrew's popular Forester Inn. There is lots of lovely walking in the area. Why not enjoy an invigorating walk over Fontmell Down which has far-reaching views across the Blackmore Vale and a pint at The Fontmell, Fontmell Magna. The open chalk grassland of the lower slopes is covered in wildflowers in the spring and summer months and famous for its wild orchids. We have compiled a folder of local knowledge for your use and we have local maps and a Dorset walking book that you can borrow. If you want to get out and about to see beautiful Dorset, a car is recommended. We have had people to stay who have taken a taxi from Gillingham station (15 minutes away) or Tisbury station (20 minutes away) who have been happy to enjoy quiet days by the millpond with a book. It is possible to walk across the fields and up the lane to Shaftesbury, a hilltop saxon town. You arrive at the foot of the famous Gold Hill for the final climb and are rewarded with glorious views of Blackmore Vale. Why not stop at the 'Salt Cellar', perched at the top, for refreshment! There are local maps and a Dorset walking book in the hut for your use. Please note: If you require a taxi to attend an event, I highly recommend that you book one in advance as it's virtually impossible to find one spontaneously. Please drop me a line if you need assistance. ***STRICTLY NO PARTIES*** ***NO DISPOSABLE BBQS ON THE GRASS*** Unfortunately the hut isn't suitable for very young children or babies. We are close to the A350.