The Castle Inn

This award-winning thatched rural 16th-century pub in the heart of the Purbecks near Lulworth Cove offers 13 real ciders and six real ales (complete with a booklet of tasting notes) in its traditional, friendly bars, and holds a beer festival every year. Outside, you'll find large tiered gardens packed with plants, and in summer there's a giant outdoor chess set. The wide-ranging menu includes beef bourguignon, pork medallions in cream and Calvados sauce, and scampi and scallop Provençal. This is a dog-friendly inn.