Discover Dorset

F YOU’RE after clear air, sweeping cliff walks, breathtaking views and cute little towns brimming with places to eat and shops to explore, Dorset is for you!

Make sure you visit Dorset’s spectacular Jurassic Coast - a stunning stretch of 200 million-yearold shoreline where dinosaurs once walked. Much of the charming countryside Dorset has to offer has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and you can wander ancient green lanes and numerous way-marked trails that criss-cross lush meadows and take in the stunning vistas. Dorset’s coast offers something for everyone… beautiful, long, sandy beaches offer the ideal playground to build sandcastles and walk in the waves. Beautiful beaches, stunning countryside, rolling hills, history and heritage... and Dorset probably has some of the best food and drink that you’ve ever tasted! Jurassic Coast

Millions of years ago this area was a swampy tropical sea, home to wonderful sea creatures like Ammonites and fearsome marine reptiles such as Pliosaurs. Along the coast you’ll find lots of ways to find out more about Dorset’s pre-historic past. The South West Coast Path follows the entire length of the Jurassic Coast and carries on around the coastline through Devon and Cornwall to Minehead in Somerset. Fossil hunters big and small will have

Fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast

great fun looking for their own piece of history on the beaches at Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Fossils of Ammonites and Belemnites are often found at the shoreline and are easy to find once you know what you’re looking for! See the fossils in their collection or take part in a guided fossil walk at

Charmouth Heritage Centre.

For families, the Dinosaur Museum in Dorchester will excite any young dinosaur fan with life-sized replicas and lots of interactive fun. Explore inland at Dorset’s newest dinosaur attraction - The World of Dinosaur Roar at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park. Perfect for pre-schoolers, you’ll now find dinosaur characters alongside their Woodland Walk. or

Fabulous beaches

Dorset is the place to come for award winning beaches. The county boasts 25 Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches. Lyme Regis lies on the Dorset and Devon border and continues to be enjoyed by all ages. Home to glorious golden sand, stunning scenery and safe bathing waters protected by the famous Cobb, Lyme Regis makes for a wonderful day at the seaside. Soft golden sands and safe bathing waters make Weymouth a fabulous family holiday destination. With a number of beaches to choose from, you can enjoy a stroll along the promenade, donkey rides on the beach or watch a Punch and Judy show. Swanage beach with its large stretches of golden sand and sheltered bay is known for its clear water and family-friendly designated swimming areas. This traditional seaside resort has been enjoyed by families since Victorian times and features a beautifully restored pier and promenade. In the east of the county, the famous sandy beaches of Poole and Bournemouth are nestled beneath a magnificent cliff line. From the headland, you can hop on a foot passenger ferry across Christchurch Harbour to Mudeford and Highcliffe beaches or travel on one of the land trains or boat trips and enjoy the views. Picturesque Dorset villages

One of the most popular villages in Dorset is Abbotsbury, a picture postcard village set in the Dorset countryside. Whilst here, visit the famous Swannery, or climb to St Catherine’s Chapel for tremendous views along Chesil Beach and the Jurassic Coast. Milton Abbas is also well worth a visit, with its uniformed line of thatched white cottages. Visit in July for the 18th Century Street Fair and be whisked back in time. Each Dorset village has its own character, history, individual charm and tale to tell. Visit Cerne Abbas and see the famous club wielding chalk giant, imagine historic battles as you stand in Corfe Castle with its romantic castle ruins, stand under the Martyrs Tree at Tolpuddle, birthplace of the Trade Union and hear the whispers in the walls at Tyneham – Dorset’s ghost village. Make a wish at the Upwey Wishing Well, hunt for fossils at Charmouth, visit Thomas Hardy’s Cottage in the forest at Higher Bockhampton or ascend to Ashmore, the highest village in Dorset. For more details, visit: www.visit-dorset.com/explore

St Catherine’s Chapel, Abbotsford

The Cobb, Lyme Regis