THE famous Cobb Harbour at Lyme Regis has often been used for romantic inspiration.

Think Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant’s Woman or the pivotal moment between the lead characters in Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

And it was certainly windswept and atmospheric when I took in the beautiful Dorset coastal town recently whilst on holiday with my husband and our four-month-old baby daughter.

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Unfortunately this was combined with some of the worst torrential rain to hit the south coast in years. 

So, as Geoff braved the Cobb to try and take some photos, Imogen and I took in the view from the safety of the car.

Then, as my saturated husband wrung out his jeans, we wisely retreated to the genteel warmth of the historic Alexandra Hotel for traditional afternoon tea (£12.50, served 2.30pm to 5.30pm).

Sadly this soggy outing set the tone for our week away when it came to the weather – but it didn’t stop us enjoying a great first holiday with Immy.

A large part of that was down to the cosy cottage where we stayed.

Bramble Cottage, which sleeps four, is one of a terrace of pretty, beamed houses in Cerne Abbas, Dorset.

The village is famous for its legendary 180ft chalk giant carved in the hillside, but it’s also a great base for walking and cycling with many surrounding footpaths and trails.

There are several child-friendly pubs and Abbots, a lovely welcoming tea shop which also serves delicious home-cooked meals. 

Plus Cerne is handily located for many places of interest, including Weymouth, the abbey town of Sherborne and historic Dorchester.

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Or, if you choose to go when it’s slightly warmer, there are plenty of beautiful beaches within easy reach – including the stunning nature reserve of Studland Bay.

Bramble Cottage was charming and cosy with a brilliantly appointed farmhouse kitchen and a wood-burning stove in the lounge.

We really enjoyed staying there and, in our opinion, it’s a great choice for families with children.

We did have one day of glorious sunshine so Geoff gamely pulled on the baby sling and we took Immy on a seven mile jaunt across the countryside, stopping along the way for lunch at The Greyhound Inn at Sydling St Nicholas which comes highly recommended - although the secret's out, so it’s wise to book ahead.

Its menu focuses on fresh, seasonal produce and the Inn has twice won Dorset’s Dining Pub of the Year.

Dishes we enjoyed included shepherd’s pie made with confit of lamb and a red-wine jus, and asparagus with quail’s egg and hollandaise.

Other more rain-soaked outings included the Sea Life park in Weymouth where we got arguably more wet than the penguins we’d gone to see. We thought it quite expensive at £13.50 each, but it’s still a fun choice for an afternoon out.

We also visited the enchanting, Hogwarts-esque town of Corfe Castle but just wish we’d allowed more time to explore.

Becoming parents means you’re never going to head home from a break away as relaxed as you did before having children, but we found the lack of worrying about contending with airports really helped.

The advantage of a cottage holiday with a young baby, as we found, is that it doesn’t matter how much child-related paraphernalia you chuck in the back of the car.

Plus you can keep to your own schedule, which for us often meant heading out after lunch!

Now we’re just wondering which part of the UK will be the base for our next cottage holiday – hopefully with more sunshine!

* Alexandra Hotel, Pound Street, Lyme Regis, Tel: 01297 442010, www.hotelalexandra.co.uk

* Abbots, Tel: 01300 341349, www.abbotsbedandbreakfast.co.uk

* The Greyhound Inn, Sydling St Nicholas, Tel: 01300 341303, www.dorsetgreyhound.co.uk