Dorset
With sandy beaches and breathtaking views across the countryside, Dorset is an area of outstanding natural beauty and one which has much to offer its visitors.
With one of the most famous and beautiful coastlines in the UK, Dorset is the home of the Jurassic Coast. Awarded World Heritage status back in 2001 for its unique geological history, the region has several remarkable landmarks such as the Isle of Portland, Old Harry Rocks and the Cobb Harbour Wall. With popular resorts such as Poole, Swanage and Weymouth, the area also has more traditional areas such as Chesil, an expansive pebble beech popular with fossil hunters.
Known for being the mildest spot in the UK, Dorset’s fame as a seaside resort grew in the Victorian era, when crowds flocked to Bournemouth. The area’s popularity has grown over the years and now it offers not only the traditional attractions such as wonderful beaches, the pier and its famous winter gardens but also windsurfing, a spectacular nightlife and Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre amongst others.
Often referred to as “Thomas Hardy Country”, much of Dorset is still as the great writer described it. The gentle pastures of the Blackmore Vale, which are so vividly described in Hardy’s work, still create a patchwork quilt of fields and country villages. Theres nowhere better to view this than Gold Hill, the setting of the famous Hovis advert. Fans of the author might like to visit his childhood home, a beautiful thatched cottage in the small village of Higher Bockhampton, only 3 miles out of Dorchester, the real life Casterbridge.
For many, much of Dorset’s charm is held in its picturesque towns and villages, each one offering it own history. One of the most popular tourist spots is Lyme Regis, a beautiful seaside town on the south west coast which not only has one of the most spectacular beaches but a wealth of history, which is covered in the Philpott, the town museum. The village of Abbotsbury is also well-liked by visitors, known for its historical sub-tropical gardens, which cover in excess of 20 acres and house beautiful rare plants. The area is also home to the world’s only managed colony of mute swans at Abbotsbury Swannery, along with numerous pubs and restaurants.
The vicinity is also home to many historical buildings. A firm favourite with Dorset’s visitors is the National Trust’s Corfe Castle, one of Britain’s most spectacular ruins. Dating back to William the Conqueror, the attraction offers its guests the chance to explore the building and its ground extensively, gaining a real insight to life though the various ages.
The Cerne Abbas Giant is also a sight worth watching out for. Set within a hill in North Dorchester, this figure of a 180 metre naked man is renown across the globe. Its mysterious origins have caused much deliberation amongst locals and experts.
Whether you’re looking for history, beaches, watersports or open countryside, whatever you are looking for, Dorset has everything needed to make a perfect holiday
