Dorset is a county of outstanding natural beauty and a land of great contrast and breathtaking scenery. On the south coast of England, tucked between Devon and Hampshire lies the stunning, unexplored county of Dorset. It boasts rolling hills, breathtaking countryside, beautiful villages, sandy beaches and a coastline so unequalled it has recently received World Heritage status, the first time England has ever been given this prestigious award for a natural site.
But the Jurassic coast, with its amazing fossil finds, is not the only rich, historical pride of this lovely place. The county is littered with stone circles, earth barrows and ancient hillforts (Maiden Castle near Dorchester is the finest and largest Iron Age hillfort in Europe). There is an excavated Roman house at Dorchester and the remains of a Saxon abbey at Shaftesbury, founded by one the most famous kings of all, Alfred the Great. And then there is the famous naked Giant, the huge, ancient figure hewn into the chalk hill of Cerne Abbas, looming over the village, wielding his club.
Along the coast there are the lovely resorts of Bournemouth and Poole and the beautiful, Victorian Swanage, all with their award-winning beaches as well as the picturesque harbours of Lyme Regis and Weymouth, where small fishing boats bob on the waters once prowled by pirates and smugglers.
A journey inland through the winding country lanes reveals much more than the numerous pretty chocolate-box villages. There are carnivals, village fairs and maypole dancing and traditional thatched pubs and tearooms offer locally brewed ales and homemade fare. There is also the historic market town of Sherborne boasting a stunning Gothic abbey, a medieval high street, antique shops and two castles, one of which was the home of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Dorset is also the home of one of the greatest writers of all time - Thomas Hardy. In fact, Dorset is 'Wessex', the county where Hardy based the majority of his books. His birthplace at Higher Bockhampton and his final home at Max Gate, now both owned by the National Trust, can still be visited today. Dorset was also the home of the enigmatic T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. His house at Cloud's Hill (also owned by the National Trust) is situated just north of Bovington and he is buried in the churchyard at Moreton.
Dorset amazes and delights at any time of the year. There is something for everyone in this rich and varied county: numerous boat rides, the steam railway at Swanage, tank rides at the Tank Museum at Bovington, long distance walks, cycleways, horseriding, llama-trekking, windsurfing, rock-climbing, fishing and a choice of 45 golf courses.
Locations within Dorset:
Abbotsbury
Alderholt
Almer
Arne
Ashmore
Askerswell
Batcombe
Beaminster
Bere Regis
Bincombe
Bishops Caundle
Blandford Forum
Bloxworth
Boscombe
Bourton
Bovington Camp
Bradford Abbas
Bradpole
Bridport
Broadmayne
Broadstone
Broadwey
Broadwindsor
Buckhorn Weston
Buckland Newton
Burstock
Burton
Burton Bradstock
Canford Magna
Castletown
Cerne Abbas
Chalbury
Chaldon Herring
Charlton Marshall
Charminster
Chelborough
Cheselbourne
Chesil
Chetnole
Chettle
Chickerell
Child Okeford
Christchurch
Compton
Compton Abbas
Corfe Castle
Corfe Mullen
Corscombe
Cranborne
Daggons
Dewlish
Dorchester
Durweston
East Lulworth
East Orchard
East Parley
East Stoke
East Stour
Easton
Edmondsham
Evershot
Farnham
Fern Down
Fontmell Magna
Fortuneswell
Frampton
Frome Saint Quinton
Frome Vauchurch
Gillingham
Godmanstone
Grimstone
Gussage Saint Michael
Halstock
Hammoon
Hampreston
Hamworthy
Handley
Haselbury Bryan
Haydon
Hilton
Hinton
Holdenhurst
Holwell
Hooke
Horton
Hurn
Iford
Iwerne Courtney
Iwerne Minster
Kimmeridge
Kingston
Langton Matravers
Leigh
Lillington
Little Bredy
Loders
Long Bredy
Long Burton
Long Crichel
Longham
Lulworth Camp
Lydlinch
Lyme Regis
Lytchett Matravers
Maiden Newton
Manston
Mappowder
Marnhull
Marshwood
Melbury Abbas
Melbury Bubb
Melcombe Regis
Milborne Saint Andrew
Milton Abbas
Milton on Stour
Morden
Morecombelake
Moreton
Mosterton
Motcombe
Nether Cerne
Netherbury
Over Compton
Owermoigne
Parkstone
Pentridge
Piddlehinton
Piddletrenthide
Pilsdon
Pimperne
Pointington
Poole
Portesham
Powerstock
Poxwell
Preston
Puddletown
Puncknowle
Radipole
Rampisham
Saint Ives
Saint Leonards
Shaftesbury
Shapwick
Sherborne
Shillingstone
Silton
Spetisbury
Stalbridge
Stoborough
Stoke Abbott
Stour Provost
Stourpaine
Stourton Caundle
Stratton
Sturminster Marshall
Sturminster Newton
Swanage
Swyre
Tarrant Gunville
Tarrant Hinton
Tarrant Keynston
Tarrant Monkton
Tarrant Rushton
Thorncombe
Three Legged Cross
Todber
Tollard Royal
Toller Porcorum
Tolpuddle
Trent
Turners Puddle
Ulwell
Upton
Upwey
Verwood
Wareham
West Bay
West Chaldon
West Orchard
West Parley
Weston
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Whitcombe
Whitechurch
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Saint Giles
Winfrith Newburgh
Winterborne Abbas
Winterborne Kingston
Winterborne Monkton
Winterborne Steepleton
Winterborne Stickland
Winton
Witchampton
Woodsford
Wool
Woolland
Wootton Fitzpaine
Wootton Glanville
Worth Matravers
Wyke Regis
Yetminster
