Access unclearno public right of way confirmed — check locally before setting out
A deer park of some 600 hectares, laid out for the Strangways family who have held Melbury since 1500 and still live there. Capability Brown reworked the landscape in the 18th century, and fallow deer still graze among the oaks and lime avenues; the photography pioneer Henry Fox Talbot was born in the house. Melbury House itself only opens for occasional guided tours through the Dorset Gardens Trust and Heritage Open Days, but public paths, including the Macmillan Way, cross the park year-round for anyone happy just to walk among the deer.
