Laycock Cider

Laycock Cider is based at Church Farm in Purse Caundle, right on the Dorset-Somerset border, where the orchard is chemical-free and shared with sheep grazing under the trees along with owls, foxes, rabbits and birds of prey. The cider itself is hand-pressed from the farm's own apples and made the slow way - no additives, no shortcuts, just fruit and time - producing a range that runs from medium dry and medium sweet through to sparkling cider and apple juice, alongside a few special blends.

Alongside the orchard, Laycock runs a cider barn cafe, deli and live music venue, serving freshly made breakfasts, paninis, cakes and seasonal specials to go with the cider. It's a working farm rather than a polished visitor centre, minutes from Milborne Port and Sherborne, and the pace of a visit reflects that - wander the orchard, sit down for something to eat, and try the cider that's been made a few hundred yards from where you're drinking it. The setting and the wildlife are as much a part of the appeal as the drink itself.