The Cottagecore aesthetic seemingly took over the world last year, no doubt as a reaction to being cooped up at home for months on end.

At its heart Cottagecore is a lifestyle movement all about embracing simplicity, being more sustainable, living in harmony with nature and dreaming about gorgeous quaint cottages in the English countryside. Think Far from the Madding Crowd but with modern sensibilities and TikTok.

We have picked 5 of the most aesthetically pleasing cottages in Dorset that perfectly fit the Cottagecore vibe.

Thomas Hardy's Cottage

This cob and thatch cottage was the birthplace of Thomas Hardy, one of the greatest British writers of the 19th century. He was chiefly a poet but also wrote some beautiful novels focusing on country life in his fictional 'Wessex', a stand-in for the South West counties.

The National Trust own the cottage and have tried to keep it as authentic as possible. The garden is an absolute dream with an abundance of flowers and greenery carefully cultivated to look outstanding whichever the season.

Due to Coronavirus, Hardy's Cottage is currently closed to the public, but we hope it opens back up as soon as it's safe.

Cove Cottage

This gorgeous Orné style cottage is a stone's throw from the iconic Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coast. Quintessentially English, it's hard not to be charmed by this property, and luckily Cove Cottage is available to rent for up to 6 people. However, you may have to wait until 2022 as holidaymakers have already snapped up the property for the whole summer!

Beehive Cottage

This cottage nestled in the quiet and characterful village of Osmington is really quite charming with its blue accents that pop against its sandy-coloured brickwork.

Osmington interestingly has a couple of art world connections. English landscape painter John Constable spent his honeymoon in the village in October 1816 and produced several paintings while in the area. And Romantic painter Talbot Hughes moved to Osmington in 1913 and remained there until his death; he is buried in St. Osmund's churchyard.

Updown Cottage

This dreamy cottage is a luxury 5* self-catering getaway on Gold Hill in Shaftsbury, which has been declared "one of the most romantic sights in England" and was featured in the iconic 1973 'boy on the bike' Hovis advert directed by none other than Ridley Scott.

Updown Cottage also featured in property guru Phil Spencer's History of Britain in 100 homes where he declared, "This iconic cottage is simply one of the most charming houses in England'. High praise indeed.

Burton Bradstock Village

This cottage is just one of the many beautiful properties to be found in the delightful village of Burton Bradstock. Its pistachio coloured accents, climbing roses and heart-shaped wreath further add to its country charm. Surely this cottage is what dreams are made of.

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