Southeast Dorset
With its string of glittering bays and towering rock formations, the southeast of Dorset can claim the county's most beautiful shores. Also known as the 'Isle' of Purbeck (although it's a peninsula), it's also the start of the Jurassic Coast and the scenery and geology, especially around Lulworth Cove, make swimming irresistible and hiking memorable. The hinterland harbours the immense, fairy-tale ruins of Corfe Castle, while Wareham sheds light on the mysterious figure of Lawrence of Arabia.
JURASSIC COAST
The kind of massive, hands-on geology lesson you wish you had at school, the Jurassic Coast is England's first natural World Heritage Site, putting it on a par with the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon. This striking shoreline stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Swanage in Dorset, encompassing 185 million years of the earth's history in just 95 miles. It means you can walk, in just a few hours, many millions of years in geological time.
It began when layers of rocks formed, their varying compositions determined by different climates: desert-like conditions gave way to higher then lower sea levels. Massive earth movements then tilted all the rock layers, forcing most of the oldest formations to the west, and the youngest to the east. Next, erosion exposed the different strata.
The differences are very tangible. Devon's rusty-red Triassic rocks are 200–250 million years old. Lyme Regis' fossil-rich, dark-clay Jurassic cliffs are 190 million years old. Pockets of much younger, creamy-coloured Cretaceous rocks (a mere 140–65 million years old) pop up, notably around Lulworth Cove, where erosion has sculpted a stunning display of bays, stacks and rock arches.
The coast's website (www.jurassiccoast.com) is a great information source; also look out locally for the highly readable Official Guide to the Jurassic Coast (£4.95), or buy it at www.jurassiccoasttrust.org.
Wareham & Around
Pop 5492
Saxons established the sturdy settlement of Wareham beside the River Frome in the 10th century, and their legacy lingers in the remaining defensive walls and one of Dorset's last remaining Saxon churches. Wareham is also famous for its links to the enigmatic TE Lawrence, the British soldier immortalised in the 1962 David Lean epic Lawrence of Arabia.
1Sights
oClouds HillHOUSE
(NT; 
%01929-405616; www.nationaltrust.org.uk; near Bovington; adult/child £5.50/2.50; 
h11am-5pm Wed-Sun mid-Mar–Oct; 
p)
The tiny cottage that was home to TE Lawrence (1888–1935) provides a compelling insight into a complex man. The British soldier became legendary after working with Arab tribes against Turkish forces in WWI. Look out for Lawrence's evocative desert campaign photos, his French crusader castle sketches and the desk where he abridged Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The four idiosyncratic rooms include a surprisingly comfortable cork-lined bathroom, an aluminium foil–lined bunk room and a heavily beamed music room.
The house is much as Lawrence left it – he died at the age of 46 after a motorbike accident on a nearby road.
St Martin's on the WallsCHURCH
(North St, Wareham; h9am-5pm)
This 11th-century church features a 12th-century fresco on the northern wall, and a marble effigy of TE Lawrence. If it's locked during normal shop hours, get the key from Joy's Outfitters in North St.
Monkey WorldZOO
(%01929-462537; www.monkeyworld.co.uk; Longthorns; adult/child £12/8.50; h10am-5pm, to 6pm Jul & Aug; p)
An appealing sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees, orang-utans, gibbons, marmosets and some utterly adorable ring-tailed lemurs.
4Sleeping & Eating
Red LionINN
(%01929-550099; www.redlionwareham.co.uk; 1 North St, Wareham; d £90-115; p)
Gorgeous, elegant and full of fancy touches, the supremely stylish makeover of this old inn sees vast rooms sport brass bedsteads, sweet armchairs and wind-up alarm clocks. The menu (mains £6 to £16, kitchen open noon to 8pm) spans Dorset pâté to Sunday roast.
AngleburyINN
(%01929-408094; www.angleburyhouse.co.uk; 15 North St; s/d/f £50/75/95)
In an inn that's more than 450 years old you expect a bit of atmosphere, and that's just what you get. A creaking, twisting staircase leading to sedate, traditionally styled bedrooms, and dark wood and beams galore in the bar.
8Information
Purbeck Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%01929-552740; www.visitswanageandpurbeck.com; South St, Wareham; h9.30am-4pm Mon-Sat)
8Getting There & Away
Rail links include London Waterloo (£25, 2½ hours, half-hourly) and Weymouth (£10, 30 minutes, half-hourly).
Bus 40 runs hourly north to Poole (£4.90, 35 minutes) and south to Swanage (£4.90, 30 minutes) via Corfe Castle (£4, 15 minutes). Bus 104 goes to Lulworth (£4.90, 35 minutes, two daily, Monday to Saturday).
Corfe Castle
The massive, shattered ruins of Corfe Castle loom so dramatically from the landscape it's like blundering into a film set. The defensive fragments tower over an equally photogenic village, which bears the castle's name and makes for a romantic spot for a meal or an overnight stay.
1Sights
oCorfe CastleCASTLE
(NT;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01929-481294; www.nationaltrust.org.uk; The Square; adult/child £8/4; h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Mar)
The startling, fractured battlements of one of Dorset's most iconic landmarks were once home to Sir John Bankes, Charles I’s right-hand man. The Civil War saw the castle besieged by Cromwellian forces; in 1646 the plucky Lady Bankes directed a six-week defence and the castle fell only after being betrayed from within. The Roundheads then gunpowdered Corfe Castle apart; today turrets and soaring walls still sheer off at precarious angles, while the splayed-out gatehouse looks like it's just been blown up.
Swanage Steam RailwayHERITAGE RAILWAY
(%01929-425800; www.swanagerailway.co.uk; adult/child return £11.50/7; hdaily Apr-Oct, Sat & Sun Nov-Mar)
Vintage steam trains run (roughly hourly) between Swanage and Norden (25 minutes), stopping at Corfe Castle.
4Sleeping & Eating
AmmoniteB&B
(%01929-480188; www.ammonite-corfecastle.co.uk; 88 West St; s £55, d £65-75; p
W)
The pleasing bedrooms at this tranquil edge-of-village B&B feature pastels and pine, while the Aga-cooked breakfast includes local eggs, homemade jams and crusty bread from Corfe Castle's bakery.
OliversB&B
(%01929-477111; www.oliverscorfecastle.com; 5 West St; s £75-85, d £85-95)
Tucked away in the heart of the old village in a charismatic street, Olivers combines honey-coloured beams with 21st-century chic: brown leather armchairs, tree silhouette wallpaper and chunky wood furniture – stylish, restful, great-value rooms.
Castle InnPUB
(www.castleinncorfe.com; 63 East St; mains £10-17; hnoon-3pm & 6-9pm Mon-Sat, noon-9pm Sun; 
v)
The locals' choice. Prepare to dine beside flagstone floors and ancient beams festooned with fairy lights on tasty pub classics, plus some surprises: try the sea bass given a kick by smoked paprika, or the chickpea stew.
8Getting There & Away
Bus 40 shuttles hourly between Poole, Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage. The 15-minute trip to Wareham costs £4.
Lulworth Cove & Around
Pop 740
South of Corfe Castle the coast steals the show. For millions of years the elements have been creating an intricate shoreline of curved bays, caves, stacks and weirdly wonderful rock formations – most notably the massive natural arch at Durdle Door.
At charismatic Lulworth Cove, a pleasing jumble of thatched cottages and fishing gear leads down to a perfect crescent of white cliffs.
1Sights & Activities
oDurdle DoorLANDMARK
The poster-boy of Dorset's Jurassic Coast, this immense, sea-fringed, 150-million-year-old Portland stone arch was created by a combination of massive earth movements and erosion. Today it's framed by shimmering bays; bring a swimsuit and head down the hundreds of steps for an unforgettable dip.
You can park at the top of the cliffs, but it's best to hike the coast path from Lulworth Cove (1 mile), passing the delightfully named Lulworth Crumple, where layers of rock form dramatically zigzagging folds.
Lulworth CastleCASTLE
(EH; %01929-400352; www.lulworth.com; East Lulworth; adult/child £5/3; h10.30am-5pm Sun-Fri, to 4pm Nov-Mar)
A confection in creamy, dreamy white, this baronial pile looks more like a French chateau than a traditional English castle. Built in 1608 as a hunting lodge, it's survived extravagant owners, extensive remodelling and a disastrous fire in 1929. It has been extensively restored – check out the reconstructed kitchen and cellars, then climb the tower for sweeping coastal views. It costs £3 to park.
Lulworth Cove Heritage CentreINTERPRETATION CENTRE
(%01929-400587; www.lulworth.com; main car park, Lulworth Cove; h10am-5pm)
Excellent displays outline how geology and erosion have combined to shape the area's remarkable shoreline. Staff can advise about walks too.
oJurassic Coast ActivitiesKAYAKING
(%01305-835301; www.jurassiccoastactivities.co.uk; Lulworth Cove; per person £50; hup to 3 tours daily)
This unmissable, three-hour paddle offers jaw-dropping views of Dorset's heavily eroded coast. Starting at Lulworth Cove, you glide through Stair Hole's caves and stacks, across Man O'War Bay then under the stone arch at Durdle Door, stopping for swims and picnics along the way.
4Sleeping & Eating
Lulworth YHAHOSTEL
(%0845 371 9331; www.yha.org.uk; School Lane, West Lulworth; dm £18-23; p)
Hills stretch up behind and sheep bleat outside at this cosy, chalet-style, edge-of-village hostel.
Durdle Door Holiday ParkCAMPSITE
(%01929-400200; www.lulworth.com; sites £25-35; hMar-Oct; p)
Spacious site, just minutes from the creamy cliffs and 1.5 miles west of Lulworth Cove.
oLulworth CoveINN
(%01929-400333; www.lulworth-coveinn.co.uk; Main Rd, Lulworth Cove; d £110-120; pW)
Prepare for a vision of driftwood chic – whitewashed floorboards, aquamarine panels, painted wicker chairs and roll-topped baths. It's on the lane leading down to the cove, so add cracking sea views, a mini roof terrace and top-quality gastropub grub (mains £8 to £14, kitchen open noon to 9pm) and you have an irresistible inn.
Cove HouseB&B
(%01929-400137; www.covehouse.net; Main Rd, West Lulworth; s £80-95, d £80-100; p)
Fragrant, calm, pristine rooms set amid West Lulworth's soaring hills.
Cove FishSEAFOOD
(%01929-400807; Lulworth Cove; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun Easter-Oct, Sat & Sun Nov-Easter)
The seafood piled high in this shed by the path to the beach has been caught by ninth-generation fisherman Joe. Bag a fish kebab for the BBQ, or settle at the wobbly table and tuck into Lulworth Cove crab – a meal that’s travelled food yards not miles.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oCastlePUB
(www.thecastleinn-lulworthcove.co.uk; West Lulworth; hnoon-10pm; W)
A head-spinning array of 40-plus ciders make this thatched pub a magnet for fans of the golden elixir. From quaffable Bumble Berry (4%) to epic Old Rosie (7.3%), this 'permanent cider festival' thoughtfully offers sampler trays (three different thirds of a pint) to help you get through a few.
8Getting There & Away
Bus 104 links Lulworth with Wareham (£4.90, 35 minutes, two daily, Monday to Saturday).
Dorchester & Around
Pop 19,143
With Dorchester, you get two towns in one: a real-life, bustling county town and Thomas Hardy's fictional Casterbridge. The Victorian writer was born nearby and his literary locations can still be found among Dorchester’s white- and red-brick Georgian terraces. Here you can also visit Hardy's former homes and see his original manuscripts. Add cracking archaeological sites and attractive places to eat and sleep and you have an appealing base for a night or two.
1Sights
Thomas Hardy fans will want to hunt down the Mayor of Casterbridge locations hidden among modern Dorchester. They include Lucetta's House, a grand Georgian affair with ornate door posts in Trinity St, while in parallel South St, a red-brick, mid-18th-century building (now a bank) is named as the inspiration for the house of the mayor himself. The tourist office sells book location guides.
oDorset County MuseumMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-262735; www.dorsetcountymuseum.org; High West St; adult/child £6.35/3.60; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, to 4pm Nov-Mar)
The Thomas Hardy collection here is the world's largest, offering extraordinary insights into his creative process. Reading Hardy's cramped handwriting, you can see where he's crossed out one word and substituted another. There's also an atmospheric reconstruction of his study at Max Gate and a letter in which Siegfried Sassoon requests permission to dedicate his first book of poems to Hardy. In other collections, Jurassic Coast fossil exhibits feature a huge ichthyosaur and 6ft plesiosaur fore paddle.
Bronze and Iron Age finds from Maiden Castle include a treasure trove of coins and neck rings, while Roman artefacts include 70 gold coins, nail cleaners and (toe-curling) ear picks.
Max GateHISTORIC BUILDING
(NT;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-262538; www.nationaltrust.org.uk; Alington Ave; adult/child £5.50/2.50; h11am-5pm Wed-Sun mid-Mar–Oct; p)
Novelist Thomas Hardy was a trained architect and designed this attractive house, where he lived from 1885 until his death in 1928. Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure were both written here, and the house contains several pieces of original furniture. It's a mile east of Dorchester, on the A352.
Hardy's CottageHISTORIC BUILDING
(NT;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-262366; www.nationaltrust.org.uk; adult/child £5.50/2.50; h11am-5pm Wed-Sun mid-Mar–Oct; p)
This picturesque cob-and-thatch house is the birthplace of Thomas Hardy and features evocative, sparsely furnished rooms and a lush garden. It's in Higher Bockhampton, 3 miles northeast of Dorchester.
Roman Town HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.romantownhouse.co.uk; Northern Hay; h24hr)
F
The knee-high flint walls and beautifully preserved mosaics here powerfully conjure up the Roman occupation of Dorchester (then Durnovaria). Peek into the summer dining room to see the underfloor heating system (hypocaust), where charcoal-warmed air circulated around pillars to produce a toasty 18°C (64°F).
4Sleeping
oBeggars KnapBOUTIQUE B&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-268191; www.beggarsknap.co.uk; 2 Weymouth Ave; s £60-70, d £80-90, f £85-130; p)
Despite the name, this altogether fabulous, vaguely decadent guesthouse is far from impoverished. Opulent rooms drip with chandeliers and gold brocades; beds draped in fine cottons range from French sleigh to four-poster. You could pay much, much more and get something half as nice.
Yalbury CottageHOTEL
(%01305-262382; www.yalburycottage.com; Lower Bockhampton; s £85, d £120)
With its flower-framed patios and quaint village setting, serene Yalbury draws you deftly into rural Westcountry life. Fresh, simple cottage-style rooms overlook fields, the intimate restaurant is acclaimed (two/three courses cost £33/38, booking required) and the superb English tapas (£8, available noon to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday May to September) are packed with prime Dorset goodies.
WestwoodB&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-268018; www.westwoodhouse.co.uk; 29 High West St; s/d/f £75/95/130; W)
For a delightful dollop of 18th-century elegance, head to Westwood. Plush bedrooms are decked out in olive, dove grey or duck-egg blue; mini-armchairs and green-shaded reading lights are dotted around. Breakfast is a veritable feast.
5Eating
No 6FRENCH
(%01305-267679; www.no6-restaurant.co.uk; 6 North Sq; mains £17; hnoon-2pm & 6.30-9pm Tue-Fri, 6-10pm Sat)
The locally sourced produce appearing here is dished up with more than a soupçon of French finesse. Expect rich red wine–laced game crock, plump Lyme Bay king scallops and simply cooked but stunning fish. Canny foodies book Tuesday through to Thursday evenings, when a main and a pud is a mere £16.
TrinitySEAFOOD
(%01305-757428; www.trinitybistro.co.uk; Trinity St; mains from £9; h11.30am-3pm Tue-Sat, 6-9.30pm Thu-Sat)
Mouthwatering aromas waft around you, and the open-plan kitchen is only yards away. The chalked-up menu might include lemon-fragranced sea bass, Scillian mussel or clams – it's no frills but fun and the fish is super fresh.
SiennaMODERN BRITISH
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-250022; www.siennarestaurant.co.uk; 36 High West St; 2-course lunch/dinner £26/39; h12.30-2pm Wed-Sat, 7-9pm Tue-Sat)
At tiny, Michelin-starred Sienna innovation, exquisite presentation and seasonal produce cast a fine culinary spell. Look out for duck egg and asparagus, brill with caviar, and cheeseboards bearing the very best of the west. Reservations required.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-267992; www.visit-dorset.com; Antelope Walk; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar)
8Getting There & Around
Bicycle
Dorchester CyclesBICYCLE RENTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-268787; www.dorchestercycles.co.uk; 31 Great Western Rd; per day £12; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat)
Bus
ALondon (£20, four hours, one daily) National Express.
ALyme Regis (£4.50, 1¾ hours, hourly) Bus 31.
APoole (£4.30, 1¼ hours, one daily Tuesday and Friday) Bus 186.
ASherborne (£4.10, one hour, four to six daily Monday to Saturday) Bus 216; via Cerne Abbas.
AWeymouth (£3, 20 minutes, half-hourly) Bus 10.
Train
There are services, every two hours, from Dorchester West to Bath (£30, two hours) and Bristol (£20, 2½ hours).
Hourly trains from Dorchester South:
ABournemouth (£12, 45 minutes)
ALondon Waterloo (£25, 2¾ hours)
ASouthampton (£25, 1½ hours)
AWeymouth (£5, 10 minutes)
WORTH A TRIP
MAIDEN CASTLE
Occupying a massive slab of horizon on the southern fringes of Dorchester, Maiden Castle (EH;
GOOGLE MAP
; www.english-heritage.org.uk; hdawn-dusk; p) is the largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort in Britain. The huge, steep-sided chalk ramparts flow along a hill's contour lines and surround 48 hectares – the equivalent of 50 football pitches. The first hill fort was built on the site around 500 BC and in its heyday was densely populated with clusters of roundhouses and a network of roads. The Romans besieged and captured it in AD 43 – an ancient Briton skeleton with a Roman crossbow bolt in the spine was found at the site. Up close, the sheer scale of the ramparts is awe-inspiring and the winding complexity of the west entrance reveals just how hard it would be to storm. Finds from the site are displayed at Dorset County Museum. Maiden Castle is 1.5 miles southwest of Dorchester.
Cerne Abbas & the Cerne Giant
If you had to describe an archetypal sleepy Dorset village, you'd come up with something a lot like Cerne Abbas: houses run the gamut of English architectural styles, roses climb countless doorways and half-timbered houses frame a honey-coloured, 12th-century church. But this village also packs one heck of a surprise: the Cerne Giant, a vast chalk figure of a naked man.
1Sights
Cerne GiantLANDMARK
(h24hr; p)F
Rarely do you find such a nudge-nudge, wink-wink tourist attraction. Nude, full frontal and notoriously well endowed, this hill-side chalk figure is revealed in all his glory. And he's in a stage of excitement that wouldn't be allowed in most magazines. The giant is around 60m high and 51m wide and his age remains a mystery; some claim he's Roman but the first historical reference comes in 1694, when three shillings were set aside for his repair.
The Victorians found it all deeply embarrassing and allowed grass to grow over his most outstanding feature. Today the hill is grazed by sheep and cattle, though only the sheep are allowed to do their nibbling over the giant – the cows would do too much damage to his lines.
4Sleeping
AbbotsB&B
(%01300-341349; www.abbotsbedandbreakfast.co.uk; 7 Long St; s/d/f £60/85/130; W)
The top-floor rooms here are big on atmosphere and small on head space, with duck-or-regret-it lintels for those over 6ft. It's charming throughout though, with rooms decked out in light grey, lemon and blue. The cakes in the cafe (open 10am to 5pm) are real diet busters.
oNew InnINN
(%01300-341274; www.thenewinncerneabbas.co.uk; 14 Long St; d £95-140, ste £170; pW)
What do you get when a retired Michelin inspector runs a 16th-century English inn? Sleekly styled boltholes in outhouses, and luxurious main-building rooms rich in dark beams. The bar has the easy atmosphere of a country estate (think mounted antlers and honey-brown tartan) and rustles up prime gastropub (mains £9 to £18) delights from noon to 2pm and 7pm to 9pm.
8Getting There & Away
Dorchester is 8 miles south. Bus 216 (four to six daily Monday to Saturday) goes to Dorchester (£2.40, 30 minutes) and Sherborne (£2.80, 30 minutes).
Weymouth
Pop 65,000
An immense harbour ensured this strip of Dorset coast was the 2012 Olympic sailing venue – a state-of-the-art water-sports centre and a soaring viewing tower are among the legacies. Otherwise, the area's core character remains: fishing boats pack Weymouth's bustling harbour and candy-striped beach kiosks line its 3-mile beach.
Weymouth has been a popular seaside spot since King George III took an impromptu dip here in 1789. More than 225 years later, the town is still popular with holidaymakers, drawn by a curling, golden beach, a revitalised historic harbour and oodles of seaside kitsch.
1Sights & Activities
Weymouth BeachBEACH
The nostalgia-inducing offerings along Weymouth's fine sandy shore could see you marvelling at highly skilled sand sculptors, renting a deckchair or pedalo (per hour £7), watching Punch and Judy shows, and taking a donkey ride. Alternatively, go all Californian and join a volleyball game.
Nothe FortFORT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-766626; www.nothefort.org.uk; Barrack Rd; adult/child £7/1; h10.30am-5.30pm Apr-Oct)
Weymouth’s photogenic 19th-century defences are studded with cannons, searchlights and 12in coastal guns. Exhibits detail Dorset’s Roman invasion, a Victorian soldier's drill and Weymouth in WWII. Commanding an armoured car and clambering around the magazine prove popular with regiments of children.
Sea LifeAQUARIUM
(%0871 423 2110; www.sealifeweymouth.com; Lodmoor Country Park; admission £23; h10am-5pm; p)
Aquarium highlights include sharks, penguins and seahorses. Admission includes a trip up the 53m Sea Life Tower on Weymouth seafront, which rotates to reveal expansive views. Tickets are 25% cheaper on-line.
Coastline CruisesBOAT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305-785000; www.coastlinecruises.com; Brewers Quay; adult/child return £9/6; h2 boats daily Apr-Oct)
This wind-blown 40-minute jaunt crosses Portland Harbour's vast 2012 Olympic sailing waters, before dropping you off at Portland Castle. Boats leave from Weymouth Harbour.
WORTH A TRIP
ABBOTSBURY SWANNERY
Every May some 600 free-flying swans choose to nest at the Abbotsbury Swannery (%01305-871858; www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk; New Barn Rd, Abbotsbury; adult/child £11/8; h10am-5pm late-Mar–Oct), which shelters in the Fleet lagoon, protected by the ridge of Chesil Beach. The swannery was founded by local monks about 600 years ago, and feathers from the Abbotsbury swans are still used in the helmets of the Gentlemen at Arms (the Queen's official bodyguard). Wandering the network of trails that wind between the swans' nests is an awe-inspiring experience that is punctuated by occasional territorial displays (think snuffling, coughing and stand-up flapping), ensuring that even the liveliest children are stilled.
The swannery is at the picturesque village of Abbotsbury, 10 miles from Weymouth off the B3157.
4Sleeping
oB+BB&B
(%01305-761190; www.bb-weymouth.com; 68 The Esplanade; s £60-70, d £80-95; pW)
This hip hotel remains remarkable value with its sleek, minimalist rooms (some have sea views) and host of freebies; the mineral water, biscuits and espresso machine coffee are best enjoyed in the funky 1st floor lounge overlooking the bay. They'll loan you a bike as well.
RoundhouseB&B
(%01305-761010; www.roundhouse-hotel-weymouth.com; 1 The Esplanade; d £105-145; W)
Soak up Weymouth's seaside charms from your bedroom – almost all here have superb views of the beach out front and the harbour behind. Inside, vivid decor combines sky blue, purple and shocking pink, while fluffy cushions sit beside snazzy modern art.
Old Harbour ViewB&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01305- 774633; www.oldharbourviewweymouth.co.uk; 12 Trinity Rd; s/d £78/98; pW)
In this pristine Georgian terrace you get boating themes in the fresh, white bedrooms and boats right outside the front door. One room overlooks the busy quay, the other faces the back.
5Eating
MarlboroFISH & CHIPS
(www.marlbororestaurant.co.uk; 46 St Thomas St; mains £7.50; hnoon-9.45pm)
There's a sustainable slant to this traditional chippy, just metres from Weymouth's quay, with mackerel featuring among the long list of super-fresh fish. Take it away or get munching in the bay-windowed, licensed cafe (open till 8pm).
Dining RoomMODERN BRITISH
(%01305-783008; www.thediningroomweymouth.co.uk; 67 St Mary St; mains £11-24; hnoon-2pm daily, 7-9.30pm Mon-Sat)
Stand by to see fresh flavours transform local foods – the open-plan design means you watch the chefs beavering away. They might make you lime-cured, Weymouth-landed fish, or red wine–laced Westcountry chorizo – the chocolate cheesecake with Dorset wasabi is a feisty meal's end.
Dorset Burger CoBURGERS
(DBC; www.thedorsetburgercompany.co.uk; 97 St Mary St; £9; hnoon-3pm Wed-Sun, 6-9pm Wed-Sat)
Hand-patted, juicy, chargrilled burgers, made mostly from Dorset produce.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%01305-783225; www.visit-dorset.com; The Esplanade; h10am-6pm)
Inside the Weymouth Pavilion theatre.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
AAxminster (£6, 2¼ hours, hourly) Bus 31.
ADorchester (£3, 20 minutes, half-hourly) Bus 10.
AFortuneswell (£2.50, Isle of Portland; 30 minutes, four per hour) Bus 1.
AJurassic Coast Bus X53 (£7.20, four daily to hourly, no service winter Sundays) Travels from Weymouth to Wareham (50 minutes), Poole (1½ hours), Abbotsbury (35 minutes), Lyme Regis (1¾ hours) and Exeter (three hours).
ALondon (£17, 4¼ hours, one direct daily) National Express.
ALyme Regis (£6, two hours, hourly) Bus 31.
APortland Bill (£2.50, Isle of Portland; 45 minutes, from four daily May to September only) Bus 501.
Boat
Condor FerriesFERRY
(%0845 609 1024; www.condorferries.co.uk)
Sails to the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Prices range from around £50 return for a foot passenger, to £300 return for a car and two passengers.
Train
Hourly services:
ABournemouth (£15, one hour)
ADorchester South (£5, 10 minutes)
ALondon Waterloo (£30, three hours)
Services every two hours:
ABath (£17, two hours)
ABristol (£18, 2¾ hours)
WORTH A TRIP
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
Clustering just off the coast of France, the islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney overflow with exquisite coastlines, beautiful harbours, shaded lanes and old-world charm. The warm Gulf of St Malo ensures subtropical plants, superb local seafood and an incredible array of bird life.
The larger islands of Guernsey and Jersey are the main entry points, with a plethora of flights and ferries from both England and France. Air links between Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney are good, while fleets of ferries also connect them and the other islands. Accommodation and eating options abound; for details and transport information, see the islands' websites.
During WWII, the Channel Islands were the only British soil to be occupied by the Nazis, and poignant museums – some housed in old war tunnels and bunkers – provide an insight into the islanders' fortitude.
The islands are proudly independent, self-governing British Crown dependencies and sport a wealth of quirky anachronisms. English is the main language and although place names may look French, local pronunciation is very different. The islands print their own version of the British pound – it isn't legal tender on the mainland, but you can use British money on the islands. The Channel Islands aren't covered by NHS or EHIC cards, so make sure your travel insurance includes medical treatment. Tourist entry requirements are the same as for the UK.
Jersey
At 9 miles by 5 miles, Jersey (www.jersey.com) is the biggest of the Channel Islands. An offshore finance centre with a rugged north coast, key sights are the Durrell Wildlife Park (www.durrell.org) and the thought-provoking Jersey War Tunnels (www.jerseywartunnels.com), a former WWII underground military hospital.
Guernsey
The second-largest island, Guernsey (www.visitguernsey.com) features a captivating capital, St Peter Port and stunning sea cliffs and sandy bays. Victor Hugo's former home, Hauteville House (www.victorhugo.gg), and Castle Cornet (www.museums.gov.gg) are the big draws.
Alderney
Remote Alderney (www.visitalderney.com) is the third-largest island. Its village capital St Anne is picture-perfect; its wealth of bird and wildlife includes blonde hedgehogs and 7000 squawking seabirds.
Sark
On steep-sided, car-free Sark (www.sark.co.uk) transport is by bike, tractor or horse and cart – the island (measuring 3 miles by 1.5 miles) has a magical, castaway feel.
Herm
Tiny, traffic-free Herm (www.herm.com) is just 1.5 miles long and half a mile wide. Flower-strewn hills are framed by white sandy shores – Shell Beach is a superb spot for a swim.
Isle of Portland
The 'Isle' of Portland is really a hard, high comma of rock fused to the rest of Dorset by the ridge of Chesil Beach. Its strip of once-waste waterfront land now features a sailing centre, business units and neat new homes. But inland, on the 500ft central plateau, a quarrying past still holds sway, evidenced by huge craters and large slabs of limestone. Portland also offers jaw-dropping views down onto 18-mile Chesil Beach, which is backed by the Fleet, Britain's biggest tidal lagoon – a home to 600 nesting swans. Proud, and at times bleak and rough around the edges, Portland is decidedly different from the rest of Dorset, and is all the more compelling because of it. Its industrial heritage, water-sport facilities, rich bird life and starkly beautiful cliffs make it worth at least a day trip.
The key population clusters of Fortuneswell and Chiswell are towards the north of the isle; Portland Bill is 4 miles south at the tip.
1Sights
oTout QuarryOUTDOORS
(near Fortuneswell; h24hr; p)F
Portland's white limestone has been quarried for centuries, and has been used in some of the world's finest buildings, such as the British Museum and St Paul's Cathedral. Tout Quarry's disused workings now house 53 sculptures that have been carved into the rock in situ, resulting in a fascinating combination of the raw material, the detritus of the quarrying process and the beauty of chiselled works.
Labyrinthine paths snake through hacked-out gullies and around jumbled piles of rock, revealing the half-formed bears, bison and lizards that emerge out of stone cliffs. Highlights include Still Falling by Antony Gormley, Woman on Rock by Dhruva Mistry and the well-hidden Green Man. Tout Quarry is signed off the main road, just south of Fortuneswell.
Portland LighthouseLIGHTHOUSE
(%01255-245156; www.trinityhouse.co.uk; Portland Bill; adult/child £4/3; h11am-5pm Sun-Thu late-Apr–Aug; p)
For a real sense of Portland's remote nature, head to its southern tip, Portland Bill. Then climb the 41m-high, candy-striped lighthouse for breathtaking views of rugged cliffs and the Race, a surging vortex of conflicting tides.
Portland CastleCASTLE
(EH; %01305-820539; www.english-heritage.org.uk; Liberty Rd, Chiswell; adult/child £5/3; h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct)
A particularly fine product of Henry VIII's castle-building spree, with expansive views over Portland harbour.
WATER SPORTS – PORTLAND HARBOUR
At 890-hectare Portland Harbour, just south of Weymouth, you can glide in 2012 Olympic sailing waters. The Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (%01305-866000; www.wpnsa.org.uk; Portland Harbour) is home to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre (%0753 201 6281; www.andrewsimpsonsailing.org), which runs lessons (adult/child per two days £180/210) and hires lasers (two hours/day £32/75). Also on-site, OTC (%07817 717904; www.uk.otc-windsurf.com) does lessons in stand-up paddleboarding (SUP; one/two hours £25/40) and windsurfing (per two hours/one day/two days £45/90/165). It also rents out SUP boards (per hour £10) and windsurf boards and sails (per hour £15).
Local waters offer superb diving, with a huge variety of depths, seascapes and wrecks. Operators include Underwater Explorers (%01305-824555; www.underwaterexplorers.co.uk; Mereside, Portland) and Old Harbour Dive Centre (%01305-760888; www.oldharbourdivecentre.co.uk; 11 Nothe Pde, Weymouth). Lessons range from around £50 a day to £475 for a five-day PADI openwater dive course.
4Sleeping & Eating
Portland YHAHOSTEL
(%0845 371 9339; www.yha.org.uk; Castle Rd; dm/d £18/32)
Comfy, rambling Edwardian house with sea views from most dorms.
Queen Anne HouseB&B
(%01305-820028; www.queenannehouse.co.uk; 2 Fortuneswell; s £45-55, d £75-90; W)
It's impossible to know which room to pick: White, with skylight, beams and a hobbit-esque door; Lotus, with its grand furniture; ornate Oyster with its half tester bed, or the suite with French bath and mini-conservatory. It doesn't matter though – they're all great value and gorgeous.
oCrab House CafeSEAFOOD
(%01305-788867; www.crabhousecafe.co.uk; Portland Rd, Wyke Regis; mains £16-21; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-9pm Wed-Sat, noon-3.30pm Sun)
This is the place for fresh-as-it-gets seafood and beach-shack-chic. The funky cabin has views onto the cafe's own Fleet Lagoon oyster beds, while the waterside terrace is a prime place to sample clam and cockle spaghetti or cracked whole crab, best washed down with lip-smacking Somerset cider.
Cove HousePUB
(www.thecovehouseinn.co.uk; Chiswell Seafront; mains £10-18; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-9pm Mon-Fri, noon-9pm Sat & Sun)
Extraordinary Chesil Beach views, memorable sunsets and great grub (try the crunchy whitebait) in a history-rich fishermen's inn.
8Getting There & Away
Bus 1 runs from Weymouth to Fortuneswell (£2.50, 30 minutes, four per hour). Between May and September bus 501 goes from Weymouth to Portland Bill (£2.50, from four daily).
Coastline Cruises runs ferries to Portland Castle from Weymouth.
Chesil Beach
One of the most breathtaking beaches in Britain, Chesil is 18 miles long, 15m high and moving inland at the rate of 5m a century. This mind-boggling, 100-million-tonne pebble ridge is the baby of the Jurassic Coast. A mere 6000 years old, its stones range from pea-sized in the west to hand-sized in the east.
1Sights & Activities
Chesil Beach Visitors CentreINTERPRETATION CENTRE
(%01305-206191; www.chesilbeach.org; Ferrybridge; h10am-4pm)F
Just over the bridge to Portland, this centre is a great gateway to the beach. The pebble ridge is at its highest here – 15m compared to 7m at Abbotsbury. From the car park an energy-sapping hike up sliding pebbles leads to the constant surge and rattle of waves on stones and dazzling views of the sea, with the thin pebble line and the expanse of the Fleet Lagoon behind.
The centre details an ecosystem that includes ringed plover, redshank and oystercatchers, as well as drifts of thrift and sea campion. There's also the Taste cafe here, open 10am to 4pm.
Fleet ObserverBOATING
(%01305-759692; www.thefleetobserver.co.uk; adult/child £7/4; hdaily Easter-Sep)
Offers glass-bottom boat trips on the Fleet Lagoon.
Lyme Regis
Pop 3662
Fantastically fossiliferous Lyme Regis packs a heavyweight historical punch. Rock-hard relics of the past pop out repeatedly from the surrounding cliffs – exposed by the landslides of a retreating shoreline. Now a pivot point of the Unesco-listed Jurassic Coast, fossil fever is definitely in the air and everyone, from proper palaeontologists to those out for a bit of fun, can engage in a spot of coastal rummaging. Add sandy beaches and some delightful places to sleep and eat, and you have a charming base for explorations.
1Sights
Lyme Regis MuseumMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01297-443370; www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk; Bridge St; adult/child £10/5; h10am-5pm Easter-Oct, 11am-4pm Wed-Sun Nov-Easter)
In 1814 local teenager Mary Anning found the first full ichthyosaurus skeleton near Lyme Regis, propelling the town onto the world stage. An incredibly famous fossilist in her day, Miss Anning did much to pioneer the science of modern-day palaeontology. The museum, on the site of her former home, tells her story and exhibits spectacular fossils and other prehistoric finds.
DinosaurlandMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01297-443541; www.dinosaurland.co.uk; Coombe St; adult/child £5/4; h10am-5pm mid-Feb–Nov)
This joyful, mini, indoor Jurassic Park overflows with fossilised remains; look out for belemnites, plesiosaurus and an impressive locally found ichthyosaur. Lifelike dinosaur models will thrill youngsters – the rock-hard tyrannosaurus eggs and 73kg dinosaur dung will have them in raptures.
CobbLANDMARK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; h24hr)
First built in the 13th century, Lyme's iconic, curling sea defences have been strengthened and extended over the years, so don't present the elegant line they once did, but it's still hard to resist wandering their length to the tip.
Town MillHISTORIC BUILDING
(www.townmill.org.uk; Mill Lane; h11am-2pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct)F
An atmospheric, creaking, grinding, 14th-century working watermill. Cafes, art galleries, a cheese deli and microbrewery sit alongside.
FOSSIL HUNTING
Fossil fever is catching. Lyme Regis sits in one of the most unstable sections of Britain's coast, and regular landslips mean nuggets of prehistory keep tumbling from the cliffs.
Joining a guided walk aids explorations. Three miles east of Lyme, the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (%01297-560772; www.charmouth.org) runs one to seven trips a week (adult/child £7.50/3). Or, in Lyme itself, Lyme Regis Museum holds three to seven walks a week (adult/child £11/6); local expert Brandon Lennon (%07944 664 757; www.lymeregisfossilwalks.com; adult/child £8/6; hSat-Mon) also leads expeditions. All are popular; book early.
For the best chances of a find, visit within two hours of low water. If you do hunt by yourself, official advice is to check tide times and collect on a falling tide, observe warning signs, keep away from cliffs, only pick up from the beach and always leave some behind for others. Oh, and tell the experts if you find a stunner.
FORDE ABBEY
Forde AbbeyHISTORIC BUILDING
(%01460-220231; www.fordeabbey.co.uk; Chard; house adult/child £11/free, gardens £9/free; hhouse noon-4pm Tue-Fri & Sun Apr-Oct, gardens 10am-4.30pm)
This abbey was built in the 12th century as a Cistercian monastery, but has been a private home since 1649. The building boasts magnificent plasterwork ceilings and fine tapestries but it's the gardens that are the main attraction: 12 hectares of lawns, ponds, shrubberies and flower beds with hundreds of rare and beautiful species.
It's 10 miles north of Lyme Regis; public transport is a nonstarter.
4Sleeping
SanctuaryB&B
(%01297-445815; www.lyme-regis.demon.co.uk; 65 Broad St; s/d £45/56)
A B&B for bibliophiles: the charming, chintzy, volume-filled bedrooms here are part of a four-floor, 18-room bookshop. Ancient tomes that just beg to be perused are everywhere – they can delay you en route to (the excellent) breakfast, but handily there's a wonderfully relaxed vibe.
Coombe HouseB&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01297-443849; www.coombe-house.co.uk; 41 Coombe St; s £35, d £62-70, 5-person flat per week £370-650; p)
The airy, easygoing, stylish bedrooms in this fabulous-value guesthouse are full of bay windows, wicker and white wood. Breakfast is delivered to your room on a trolley, complete with homemade bread and a toaster – perfect for a lazy lie-in in Lyme.
oHix TownhouseBOUTIQUE B&B
(%01297-442499; www.hixtownhouse.co.uk; 1 Pound St; d £130-150, ste £165; W)
With its witty designer decor, luxury flourishes and in-town location, this 18th-century terrace is hard to resist. Each room echoes a leisure theme (think gardening, fishing etc); the pick is Sailing with its mock portholes, artfully arranged ropes, mini roof terrace and gorgeous sea views.
5Eating
oAlexandraCAFE
(%01297-442010; www.hotelalexandra.co.uk; Pound St; afternoon tea £6.50-28; h3-5.30pm; p)
It's like the setting for an Agatha Christie, minus the murder. Wicker chairs dot manicured lawns, a glittering Lyme Bay sweeps out behind. The perfect spot for a proper English afternoon tea, complete with scones, jam and dainty sandwiches. The hotel's best bedrooms (singles £90, doubles £177 to £235) boast bay windows and sea views; the back-facing ones are charming too.
Mill CafeBISTRO
(%01297-445757; www.townmillcafe.co.uk; The Town Mill, Mill La; lunch mains £8, 2-course dinner £20; h10am-4pm Thu-Sun, 7-9pm Fri & Sat)
The Italian home cooking here is so authentic it feels more like Lombardy than Lyme. Expect flavour-packed sweet pepper stews, Sicilian-style cod and irresistible home-baked bread, best devoured on the tucked-away terrace out back.
Harbour InnPUB
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.harbourinnlymeregis.co.uk; Marine Pde; mains £10-19; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-9pm)
A flower-framed, beach-side verandah, smart but snug interior and some of the best bistro-pub grub in town – the bouillabaisse is suitably intense.
oHix Oyster & Fish HouseSEAFOOD
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01297-446910; www.hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk; Cobb Rd; mains £14-25; h10am-10pm)
Expect sweeping views of the Cobb and dazzling food at this super-stylish, open-plan cabin. Local asparagus comes with cuttlefish ink dressing; succulent Portland Race sea bass comes with kelp broth. Perhaps start by slurping oysters: Brownsea Island or Portland molluscs come at £2.25 a pop.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01297-442138; www.visit-dorset.com; Church St; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, to 4pm Sun, to 3pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar)
8Getting There & Away
Bus 31 runs to Dorchester (1¾ hours) and Weymouth (two hours) hourly. Bus X53 goes west to Exeter (£7, six daily, 1¾ hours) and east to Weymouth (£7.20, hourly, 1¾ hours); it doesn't run on winter Sundays.
Sherborne
Pop 9495
Sherborne gleams with mellow, orangey-yellow stone – it's been used to build a cluster of 15th-century buildings and the impressive abbey church at their core. This serene town exudes wealth; the five local fee-paying schools include the famous Sherborne School, and its pupils are a frequent sight. Evidence of splashing the cash 16th- and 18th-century style lies on the edge of town with two castles: one a crumbling ruin, the other a marvellous manor house, complete with a Lancelot 'Capability' Brown lake.
1Sights
Sherborne AbbeyCHURCH
(%01935-812452; www.sherborneabbey.com; suggested donation £3.50; h8am-6pm)F
At the height of its influence, the magnificent Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin was the central cathedral of 26 succeeding Saxon bishops. Established early in the 8th century, it became a Benedictine abbey in 998 and functioned as a cathedral until 1075. The church has mesmerising fan vaulting that's the oldest in the country, a central tower supported by Saxon-Norman piers and an 1180 Norman porch.
The abbey's tombs include the elaborate marble effigy belonging to John Lord Digby, Earl of Bristol, and those of the elder brothers of Alfred the Great, Ethelred and Ethelbert.
Sherborne Old CastleCASTLE
(EH; %01935-812730; www.english-heritage.org.uk; adult/child £3.70/2.20; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct; p)
These days the epitome of a picturesque ruin, Sherborne's Old Castle was built by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, in 1120 – Elizabeth I gave it to her one-time favourite Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 16th century. It became a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War, but Cromwell reduced it to rubble after a 16-day siege in 1645, leaving just the fractured southwest gatehouse, great tower and north range.
Sherborne New CastleCASTLE
(%01935-812072; www.sherbornecastle.com; New Rd; house & gardens adult/child £11/free, gardens only £6/free; h11am-4.30pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun Apr-Oct; p)
Sir Walter Raleigh began building the impressive Sherborne New Castle in 1594, but only got as far as the central block before being imprisoned by James I. James promptly sold the castle to Sir John Digby who added the splendid wings you see today. In 1753 the grounds received a mega-makeover at the hands of landscape-gardener extraordinaire Capability Brown who added a massive lake and 12-hectare waterside gardens.
TTours
Walking ToursHERITAGE TOURS
(tours £5; h11am Fri Jul-Sep)
Ninety-minute trips exploring the photogenic old town, leaving from the tourist office.
4Sleeping
Cumberland HouseB&B
(%01935-817554; www.bandbdorset.co.uk; Green Hill; s £55-60, d £70-85; pW)
Artistry oozes from these history-rich rooms – bright scatter rugs sit on flagstone floors; lemon and oatmeal walls undulate between wonderfully wonky beams. Gourmet breakfasts include freshly squeezed orange juice; arrive around 4pm and expect an offer of tea, taken in the garden or beside the fire.
Stoneleigh BarnB&B
(%01935-389288; www.stoneleighbarn.co.uk; North Wootton; s/d £60/80; pW)
Outside, this glorious 18th-century barn delights the senses – it's smothered in bright, fragrant flowers. Inside, exposed trusses frame spacious rooms delicately decorated in lilac and turquoise. Stoneleigh is 3 miles southeast of Sherborne.
5Eating
GreenMODERN BRITISH
(%01935-813821; www.greenrestaurant.co.uk; 3 The Green; mains £13-25; hnoon-2.30pm & 6.30-9.30pm Tue-Sat)
In this affable, elegant eatery gently distressed furniture is more chic than shabby, while the food is pure Westcountry élan – local goodies might include a trio of Lyme Bay crab, sole escabeche or wild venison carpaccio. Or plump for the cracking-value menu du jour (three courses £20).
GeorgePUB
(www.thegeorgesherborne.co.uk; 4 Higher Cheap St; mains £7-10; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-9pm; W)
It's five centuries since Sherborne's oldest, cosiest inn pulled its first pint; today it signals its age with wooden settles polished smooth by countless behinds. The food is enduring pub grub fare: robust steaks, ham and eggs, homemade pud and both Sunday and Saturday roasts.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%01935-815341; www.visit-dorset.com; Digby Rd; h9.30am-4pm Mon-Sat, to 3pm Dec-Mar)
Stocks a self-guided walking tour leaflet (50p).
8Getting There & Away
Bus
ADorchester (£4.10, one hour, four to six daily Monday to Saturday) Bus 216; via Cerne Abbas (30 minutes).
AShaftesbury (£6, 30 minutes, daily) National Express.
AYeovil (£4.10, 15 minutes, every two hours Monday to Saturday) Bus 58.
Train
Hourly services to Exeter (£20, 1¼ hours), London Waterloo (£30, 2½ hours) and Salisbury (£13, 40 minutes).
Shaftesbury & Around
Pop 7707
Crowning a ridge of hogbacked hills and overlooking pastoral meadows, the agreeable market town of Shaftesbury circles around its medieval abbey ruins. A charismatic castle and a postcard-pretty, ancient street add to the town’s appeal.
1Sights
Shaftesbury AbbeyRUINS
(%01747-852910; www.shaftesburyabbey.org.uk; Park Walk; adult/child £3/free; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct)
These hilltop ruins mark the site of what was England's largest and richest nunnery. Founded in 888 by King Alfred the Great, Alfred's daughter, Aethelgifu, was its first abbess. St Edward is thought to have been buried here while King Knut died at the abbey in 1035. Most of the buildings were dismantled by Henry VIII, but you can wander its foundations and search out statuary and illuminated manuscripts in the museum.
Old Wardour CastleCASTLE
(EH; %01747-870487; www.english-heritage.org.uk; adult/child £4.20/2.50; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar; p)
Six-sided Old Wardour Castle was built around 1393 and suffered severe damage during the English Civil War, leaving these imposing remains. The views from the upper levels are fabulous while its grassy lawns make a fine spot for a picnic. It's open until 6pm in July and August and is 4 miles west of Shaftesbury.
Gold HillSTREET
This often-photographed, painfully steep, quaint cobbled slope, lined by chocolate-box cottages, starred in a famous TV advert for Hovis bread.
4Sleeping & Eating
Old ChapelB&B
(%01747-852404; www.theoldchapelbb.co.uk; 9 Breach Lane; s/d £60/90; pW)
Sleep spots don't come much more characterful than this: a converted Victorian chapel with slender, two-storey windows, light-filled atriums and massive support beams. Smoothly comfy bedrooms feature fresh flowers and cookie jars; from the guest lounge you can see all the way to Salisbury Plain.
UpdownCOTTAGE
(%07710-307202; www.updowncottage.co.uk; 12 Gold Hill; per week £700-1300; pW)
A supremely picturesque whitewashed, six-person cottage clinging to charming Gold Hill with snug, beam-lined rooms, open fires and a hillside garden.
Fleur de LysHOTEL
(%01747-853717; www.lafleurdelys.co.uk; Bleke St; s £95-110, d £130-170; p
iW)
A place to be pampered, whether in the deeply luxurious bedrooms or the acclaimed restaurant (open 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturday; two/three courses cost £27/34).
MitrePUB
(www.youngs.co.uk/pubs/mitre; 23 High St; mains £9; hnoon-3pm Mon-Fri, to 9pm Sat & Sun)
It's the decked terrace that'll draw you into this old inn – its cracking views out over Blackmore Vale make for a memorable spot to tuck into homemade pizzas, fish and chips and beefy burgers.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%01747-853514; www.shaftesburydorset.com; 8 Bell St; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat)
8Getting There & Away
Buses include:
ALondon Victoria (£22, four hours, one daily) National Express; goes via Heathrow.
ASalisbury (£4.20, 1¼ hours, five daily Monday to Saturday) Bus 29.
ASherborne (£6, 30 minutes, one daily) National Express.
