Places to see in Dorset

The Dorset Towns and Villages are the heart beat of this very beautiful county. The county town is Dorchester, and is still predominantly a market town - in many respects little has changed here from the days when Thomas Hardy cycled these streets in search of inspiration for his novels.

You will of course remember the name "Casterbridge" in Hardy's novels - and with this in mind, when you're touring this very historic city of Dorchester, look for Hardy's statue that stands tall in the middle of High West Street in the city.

Making your way east along the coast path of Purbeck you will arrive at the picturesque harbour of Poole, which is one of the most continental towns in Britain.

Poole has a wonderful balmy climate, and
in the harbour you'll see sail boats of every shape and size and yacht's galore moored along the pavement where the cafes give you the impression you could be in Le Touquet or Sainte-Maxime.

Interestingly, in 1747 smugglers boldly raided the Customs House in Poole and left with rich cargo of tea and other valuable merchandise.

To the west of Poole Harbour you'll come to another picturesque town called Sandbanks, and as you look out across the few hundred yards of water you will see Studland Bay, which is where the Isle of Purbeck starts its way west, and this is the beginning of the Jurassic Coast Path.

At Studland Bay you will also see the Old Harry Rocks jutting out to sea, and in the distance you will see the white cliffs called the Needles on the western edge of the Isle of Weight.

In Poole harbour itself you'll see Brownsea Island, 500 acres of woodland and heath run by the National Trust, this has to be a camper's paradise.

To the west of here you'll discover other wonderful resorts like Swanage, just beyond Studland Bay, Wareham, the old town of Bridport and West Bay, its fishing village outlet to the sea, Lulworth Cove, part of the Jurassic Coast Path and Lyme Regis, is where Jane Austen, would go when bathing in the see, which was all the rage back then.

You gourmet lovers will be pleased to know that restaurants in the coastal towns and villages around here make a speciality of lobster, and as you can imagine, fishing is still an important industry on the coast of Dorset, and don't forget after these gourmet cuisines you will be able to enjoy Blue Vinny, a very strong Dorset cheese similar to Stilton.

Wareham:
Market Town: The attractive and tranquil Wareham lies on a low ridge between the rivers Frome and Piddle. This Dorst town has been a market town for over 500 years and its market has the accolade of two royal charters; still today, regular farmers and general markets are held in the town on Thursday and Saturday, maintaining its reputation as a lively market town.

Walls Walk:
The town has over 200 buildings listed as being of architectural interest - indeed evidence of a settlement during the Bronze Age some 3,500 years ago has been found. The perfect way to discover the history of Wareham in Dorset is by following the Walls Walk which takes you round the town walls which were orignally built in Saxon times and the Town Walk which includes highlights such as The Rectory, the site of Wareham Castle, the Rex Cinema which has been open since 1920 and Wareham Museum (leaflets available at the Tourist Information Centre).

The Quay:
A hub of a former major port where ships arrived from all over the world, today the Quay remains lively with pubs and restaurants around the square. From here you can take a boat trip or hire your own boat or if you want to relax, simply sit in the sun with a drink on the quayside, feeding the ducks.

Wareham's Rivers:
Both the River Frome and the River Piddle can be enjoyed by taking a waymarked circular riverside walk; along the way, don't miss the Priory Meadow. The Meadow has been restored into a conservation area and offers a tranquil spot where you can enjoy the wildlife habitat. There is a short circular path for walking and wheelchair users with some benches and a bird watching hide.

Wareham Forest:
To the north of Wareham is Wareham Forest managed by the Forestry Commission site. There is free parking from which you can ramble through heathland and forest, watch wildlife, have a picnic at one of the picnic tables and follow wayside walks on foot or by bike. Walk or cycle the Sika Trail through the forest which offers one of the best opportunities in the country to spot the elusive deer.

Blandford Forum:
The most handsome and uniform Georgian red-brick and stone town centre by the Bastard Brothers.

Bridport:
Once famous for its marine rope-making, now an attractive old town. The wide pavements are said to have been for twisting the lengths of hemp.

Gillingham:
Historic town where Edmund Ironside defeated Canute's army in 1016. Royal manor of Plantagenet kings and hunting lodge King John's Palace; the moat still survives.

Lyme Regis:
Scarily steep and winding road drops you into this predominantly late-Georgian seaside town.

Poole:
Sunny resort - tear yourself away from the harbour to see the largest Bronze Age canoe found in Britain, in the Town House museum in Poole.

Shaftesbury:
Market town of Saxon origin. Don't miss the museum and its display of buttons for which the town was once famous.

Sherborne:
A gem of a Dorset town historically and architecturally, with two castles and an abbey with a suberb fan-vaulted roof. Cheap Street (cheap means market) has a row of Tudor tenements.

Swanage:
Medieval fishing village along spectacular cliff-lined coast that became a fashionable Dorset seaside resort with the coming of the railway.

Weymouth:
Port with a good-looking seafront with late-Georgian terraces along the Esplanade.

Wimborne Minster:
This friendly and intimate small Dorset town with unusual twin-towered church, many old inns and hotels and excellent local museum.

Skip to top

Web london-day-trips.com

Leave Dorset to explore othe London Short Trips

© copyright 2007 - 2011 London-Day-Trips.com

SBI!