I went on a family alpaca trek at UK beauty spot with sunrise seal spotting, clifftop stays and cosy saunas
ISLE BE BACK I went on a family alpaca trek at UK beauty spot with sunrise seal spotting, clifftop stays and cosy saunas
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ALPACAS and art are just two highlights of Dorset's Isle of Portland, says Food Editor Kirsty Spence.
Gulping in the sea air, I trail behind my daughter Ava, 12, and her new bestie – an alpaca named Crumble.
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The striking red-and-white Portland Bill lighthouse, where we climb all 153 steps to the top and witness its 3.5-second foghorn blast
Credit: Getty
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The foodie gem of the trip has to be The Club House in West Bexington, a scenic 40-minute drive away at the other end of Chesil Beach
Credit: Supplied
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The Island Sauna, a beautiful wood-fired pod beside Portland Castle, £50 for 45 minutes
Credit: Island Sauna/Instagram
'Twitch your ears twice if you love me,' I catch her whispering, as she takes the reins on our walking tour of Dorset's picturesque Isle of Portland.
My husband Ross and his son Jem, 11, are equally enamoured by fluffy-headed Ziggy, and we're all tickled to hear the alpacas love to munch on peas.
It's the perfect kid-friendly start to our holiday, £60 for a one-hour family trek (Portlandalpacas.com).
Our base is a swish two-bedroom, two-bathroom Clifftops apartment on the Pennsylvania Castle Estate, where panoramic views of the Jurassic coast prove hypnotic.
So much so, we set our alarm every morning to catch sunrise, stretching out in the window seat, binoculars in one hand to spot soaring peregrine falcons and seals bobbing in the sea, and coffee in the other.
The interior is all soothing neutrals and natural materials, while sliding doors open on to a huge terrace and outdoor kitchen.
Everything is top-spec, from The White Company bedspreads to the Heston Blumenthal barbecue.
Make like Gillian
Lured by the sight of Church Ope Cove below, we follow a winding path past the ruins of Portland's first church, before emerging on to a mass of white pebbles.
Despite a history of Viking raids, the cove is idyllic with colourful beach huts, and we have a splash around, before scrambling up the cliffs to spy bunnies on the South West Coast Path, star of Gillian Anderson's latest film The Salt Path.
The Isle of Portland is famed for its quarries, and the pale stone was used to build much of London, including St Paul's Cathedral.
The Dorset Hamlet of Seatown is Overlooked by Brits
These days, Tout Quarry hosts more than 60 sculptures and carvings by artists including Antony Gormley, and is a prime spot for kids to burn off energy (Learningstone.org).
As is the striking red-and-white Portland Bill lighthouse, where we climb all 153 steps to the top and witness its 3.5-second foghorn blast. A family tour costs £27 (Trinityhouse.co.uk).
Back on terra firma, Ross spots an ammonite fossil, so we toast the find at The Cove House Inn on Chesil Beach – a majestic 18-mile-long stretch of shingle.
We devour slow-cooked beef brisket baguettes with onion jam and a side of chips and gravy, £13.95, while the kids wolf down sausage and chips, £7.95 (Thecovehouseinn.co.uk).
But the foodie gem of the trip has to be The Club House in West Bexington, a scenic 40-minute drive away at the other end of Chesil Beach.
Here, we feast on fresh shucked-to-order oysters, £4 each, scallops with garlic butter and parmesan crumb, £12.50, and a whole wild black bream to share with samphire and potatoes, £45 (Theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk).
Hot stuff
Keen to soak up more of the isle's good vibes while we can, we pull on our cossies for a family session at The Island Sauna, a beautiful wood-fired pod beside Portland Castle, £50 for 45 minutes (Theislandsauna.co.uk).
With a window out to the harbour, where you can spot dolphins if you're lucky, we reach peak relaxation – until the kids discover the cold plunge barrel and things take a competitive turn!
Elsewhere, Weymouth is a 15-minute drive away and you'll find the best fish and chips of your life at family-run Bennett's.
Go for the Ultimate Fisherman's Lunch, £17.50 (Bennettsfish andchips.co.uk). Alpacas Crumble and Ziggy would certainly approve of the peas!
FYI
Stays for four at Clifftops cost from £196 a night (Thepenn estate.co.uk).
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The Sun's Kirsty on her alpaca walk
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