Moreton Estate

Moreton Estate sits on the River Frome below Dorchester, and it's reckoned among the best of the Wessex fishing on this river. The estate itself owns the land and the water; Wessex Chalk Streams sells the day tickets and handles the booking. A large, peaceful meadow carries the main river down one side and the North Stream, a pretty carrier close in size to the Piddle, down the other, and it's this layout that lets the estate offer combination beats pairing a length of main river with a stretch of the carrier.

3 beats are on offer: Middle Moreton 1 and 2 combine the main river with sections of the North Stream, while Lower Moreton fishes the main river alone. All three hold Brown Trout, Grayling, with an outside chance of a sea trout or salmon. Wading is essential on every beat here, and all fishing is strictly catch and release.

The season is short and starts later than most of the Wessex water, mid May to 15 October rather than the usual April opening, so check the dates before booking. Rod numbers are controlled through the season too: earlier bookings favour a single rod or up to three who know each other, while from June onward pairs and larger groups, up to six rods on a date, can take both beats together. The hamlet of Moreton itself, less than ten minutes from Lawrences Farm, makes a good base for the day, with tea rooms, a pub and a church whose windows were engraved by Laurence Whistler.

The estate is in Dorset. Day tickets start from £70.