THE only sounds were the birds singing in the trees and our bone china chinking as the sun rose on a quintessential British scene.

There were drops of dew on the grass at the village playground opposite and the friendly locals were just waking up to another day in paradise.

Tea on the balcony overlooking the sleepy picture postcard village of Farnham on the Dorset / Wiltshire border was the most decadent of starts.

We had just stepped out of our vast room at the village pub in bathrobes and were indulging in a spot of people watching.

The odd car or villager passed en route to work or school, but they didn’t bat an eyelid at our unusual attire.

They’ve seen it all before.

The Museum Inn has been known to host the odd illustrious visitor, most notably Madonna with ex husband Guy Ritchie’s Ashcombe estate just minutes away. The pretty thatched 17th century inn offers eight double bedrooms, a self-contained lodge and exquisite venison, lobster and fine wine to wellheeled visitors shooting nearby, as well as anyone who loves the countryside.

It’s certainly remote. Our arrival down winding country roads in pouring rain and floods was an experience.

But, my husband and I felt immediately relaxed as we crossed the threshold of the historic pub, built by the father of modern archaeology General Augustus Lane Fox Pitt Rivers to offer accommodation and refreshments to those working in his museum.

Home for the night was the roomy General’s suite, boasting a stunning four poster bed, all mod cons, Branche d’Olive smellies and homemade shortbread.

Dinner was a delight, with an impressive selection of game from the local estates and fish from the south coast, plus other delicious locally sourced ingredients.

This is hearty food for hungry people, of which we were two after our adventure on two wheels.

My starter was a fishy feast of hand dived scallops and Devon crab risotto, while my husband opted for the more unusual Dorset snails on cheese rarebit toast, which are lovingly reared on Dave’s local snail farm and were delicious.

To follow, we opted for a superb 28-day aged sirloin on the bone, locally reared and topped with local cheese sauce, and a Dorset sea bream fillet, all washed down with a rather superb bottle of fizz from the extensive wine list.

We shared a lovely lemon tart and selection of local cheeses for dessert before retiring to the sounds of silence and a seriously good night’s sleep.

Off the beaten track you may be, but there’s no shortage of things to do on top of a brisk countryside walk or two.

We headed for Larmer Tree Gardens, famous for the festival and peacocks roaming free. The stunning maze of Victorian gardens is definitely worth a look.

Next stop was the quaint little town of Shaftesbury where we indulged in the essential ‘Hovis Hill’ photo shoot and a superb lunch overlooking the beautiful countryside of Hardy’s Dorset.

Corfe Castle is not far away and the Museum Inn is just over half an hour from the Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door if you fancy venturing a little further down those country lanes.

This is one idyllic spot in the heart of the Cranborne Chase, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Chocolate box doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Sometimes when I’m in need of just a little bit of peace and quiet, I dream of being back on that balcony.

The Museum Inn is at Farnham, near Blandford Forum, Dorset.

  • Postcode: DT11 8DE
  • Tel: 01725 516261
  • Email: enquiries @museuminn.co.uk
  • Web: museuminn.co.uk