TURNING the corner from the winding seaside path leading down to Lulworth Cove, I gasped. In front of me was a perfect horseshoe bay and the sea had only the tiniest ripples disturbing the surface.

The sun was setting, bathing everything in a soft pink glow.

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I stood and gazed at the view, trying to take it all in. It was perfectly peaceful until a voice beside me piped up: "Mummy, where is the sand?"
Ah, small children. The perfect antidote to a peaceful moment. "The saaaaaaaaand, where is the saaaaaaaand?" the voice repeated as my left arm was tugged repeatedly.

Dragged back into the here and now I looked down at my three-year-old son Harry, who was clutching his bucket and spade. Having heard the word beach, Harry was expecting sandcastles, so he was confused by the bumpy stones he found underfoot.

After a bit of explaining and a few attempts at filling the bucket with stones, Harry soon decided that the pebble beach was much more fun than a sandy stretch and headed off happily with my husband Alasdair.

Keeping an inquisitive three-year-old entertained is one thing but my parents had also joined us for the week.

Finding somewhere suitable for a group with ages that range from three to 73 (sorry dad!) was quite a task.
Thankfully we found West Lulworth in Dorset to be the perfect choice.

We booked Christopher Cottage, a three-storey, modern, yet cosy holiday home a mere five-minute walk from the beach. The three airy bedrooms were fitted out with exceptionally comfortable beds, there were two luxurious bathrooms and a well-equipped kitchen which made our stay easy and fun.

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With bedrooms on the ground and top floor and the open-plan lounge and kitchen in the middle, we all felt we had our own privacy.
A pretty terrace out the back was soon put to good use for our evening G and Ts.

My parents and our son spent a lot of time simply pottering around the bay while my husband and I tackled a few of the coastal walks. It took a couple of days for Alasdair to persuade me that a mile-long jaunt uphill to see the coastline to the right of the cove would be worth the effort but fuelled by a hearty seafood lunch and a pint of local Hopping Hare ale from the nearby Lulworth Cove Inn we finally made it up.

From the top we could see for miles, watching enormous waves crash against the famous Jurassic coastline, a complete contrast to the peace and quiet of the cove.
The Jurassic Coast, which stretches from East Devon to Dorset was the first place in England to be awarded World Heritage status and you don't need to walk very far to see why.

We did manage to drag ourselves away from the bay a couple of times. First stop was Corfe Castle, a dramatic set of ruins now in the care of the National Trust. Built 1,000 years ago, the crumbling relic is set at the top of a hill.

With stunning views and hidden nooks and crannies for Harry to play hide and seek, it was a great afternoon for all of us. A delicious cream tea in the National Trust tearoom soon restored our strength after all the exercise.

A ride in a traditional steam train on the Swanage Railway was a great family hit too. To this day I'm still not sure who was more excited, my son or my dad. The deep-green train puffed its way through six miles of beautiful countryside before dropping us in Swanage where we walked along the beach.
There are so many things to do in Dorset I feel we only scratched the surface. We're already planning another family break for next year.

GETTING THERE: Farm and Cottage Holidays (01237 459 889/www.holidaycottages.co.uk) offers seven nights at Christopher Cottage from £490 (sleeps six) Visit Dorset: 01929 422 855/www.visit-dorset.com