South Coast Connections

The Jurassic Coast is England's first and only Natural World Heritage Site. Covering 95 miles of coastline from East Devon and across Dorset, displaying 185 million years of the Earth's history, World Heritage status was achieved because the Jurassic Coast provides a unique insight into Earth Sciences: it shows a geological ‘walk through time’ spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. World Heritage Sites are places of ‘outstanding universal value’ selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 

 

Our ancient military & naval history is of interest to many as we played a very important role during the Great Wars, and our waters are a Naval History Museum in their own right, with many divers investigating anything from the wrecks of ancient pirate ships and torpedoed submarines, to helping to conserve the the diverse local sealife, including fragile seahorses and starfish.

 

All real pirates speak with a Westcountry burr, and a tour around the magnificent Fleet Lagoon is a must for anybody who has read the classic novel Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner, which is a high-adventure tale featuring smuggling, treasure and deportation to Australia! It's not just for kids, it is one of the very best classics, and whilst it may be fiction, the exciting and moving stories told have surely played out on the coast many times over the centuries. The tiny original church is still there, tucked away behind a row of red brick cottages whilst the later Gothic-style church is the main lane. Both are often open, but visiting the peaceful little church amongst the pine trees is a must. The Hulk-like Mohun Arms still 'welcome' visitors onto the Moonfleet Estate where the winding lane leads to gorgeous campsites and lastly to Moonfleet Manor, which is now a much-coveted luxury hotel.

 

Visiting the mysterious Moonfleet area is perfect addition for anyone intending to climb up to St Catherine's Chapel for magnificent views of the Fleet, or for anyone visiting the magical thatched-cottage village of Abbotsbury and its sub-tropical Gardens and Swannery, or perhaps for guests staying at one of Dorset's newest and hippest hotels: The Seaside Boarding House, which lies on the shore of Chesil Beach at Burton Bradstock. Also sample the scrumptious fresh seafood food served at the Hive Beach Cafe, which is also in Burton Bradstock, right on the beach!

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The lake, waterfall, walled gardens, tearooms and vineyard at Littlebredy are lesser-known but absolutely magical and well-worth a visit. Plus you can also book cooking lessons in a top chef's own home, stay in a converted stables B&B, buy new and old furniture, get your upholstery fixed and also buy some trees from Belmont Topiary in nearby Long Bredy - not bad for a sleepy village with a population of just 85!

 

The tidal movements around Chesil Beach are very strong (as can be witnessed if you watch the currents called 'The Race' off Portland Bill, even on a calm day!), terrific storms battered the Dorset coast in early 2014, and lives are still unfortunately lost to this day off Chesil Beach, so we recommend that you use the more sheltered beaches with lifeguards on duty which can be found right along the coast. There's one lifeguarded beach in Lyme Regis, one in West Bay, two in Weymouth and sixteen in Poole & Bournemouth.

 

Nature's wild tempests all make up for some of the best sailing waters in the world, Portland Harbour (which is sheltered by the convict-built 'Breakwater' wall) and Weymouth & Portland famously hosted the sailing events during the London 2012 Olympics, which was very exciting, especially as most of GB Sailing team live in the area. And of course, Nick Dempsey, Stuart Bithell, Luke Patience, Iain Percy, Andrew Simpson, Saskia Clark and Hannah Mills all won Silver medals and Sir Ben Ainslie CBE became the most successful sailor in Olympic history by winning his fourth Gold medal!

 

You and your family could learn how to sail too using the same world-class facilities as the all the 2012 Olympians at the National Sailing Academy, starting from just £5 per session via the ‘Rod Shipley Sail for a Fiver’ scheme, and you can also learn how to windsurf or to kitesurf as the sheltered conditions and shallow water within Portland Harbour are just perfect for beginners and  professional sportsmen and women alike!

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Within the Academy is the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre, which was founded by Sir Ben Ainslie CBE, Iain Percy CBE and Andrew's wife Leah in memory of Gold medal-winning British Olympic sailor Andrew 'Bart' Simpson, with the simple objective of inspiring the next generation by using sailing to transform the lives of young people, both in the UK and around the globe. It operates on a not-for-profit basis via the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, offering sailing opportunities to those aged 5-24 years, including to young people who might otherwise not participate in sailing, because of financial, physical or social barriers. 

 

Bart's Bash is a new annual sailing event which became the world's largest race in September 2014, setting a new Guinness World Record, in its very first year and over 18,000 people used 3,600 boats to race at 768 sailing clubs across 62 countries dotted all around the world! The main aim of the event is to increase participation in sailing and the money that is fundraised is used to allow charities and not-for-profit sailing initiatives and organisations across the world to apply for a grant of up to £10,000, so if you keep meaning to get out on the water, this a the perfect opportunity, just get in touch with the Bart's Bash team and ask to please be matched with a boat during one of the races.

 

Also at the National Sailing Academy: Inspired by the 2012 Paralympic Games, Chesil Sailability provides accessible sailing opportunities for Physical, Intellectual, Hearing and Visual impairments from its base at WPNSA and through the integration and support of local sailing clubs and the wider local sailing community. “Whatever your disability, mild or profound whether you know how to sail not, you will end up smiling”.

 

To see why Enid Blyton raved about Dorset, you have to explore and expert adventure sports instructors are at hand to give schools, groups, active families and kids aged 7-17 years a real adventure at the PGL Adventure Centre in Osmington, with activities such as abseiling, climbing, mountain hiking, archery, zipwire and sailing.

 

Or there's lots of other water or land-based activities and adventure sports to experience around Dorset, from rock climbing, geocaching, foraging for wild food, or Zorbing, to more traditional activities, such as visiting museums & art galleries, birdwatching at our many nature reserves, hiking, fishing & crabbing or even learning traditional countryside skills such as dry-stone walling or thatching!

 

And if it happens that you are looking to buy a yacht, we have many world-renowned boat builders all and Master Craftsmen working all along the coast, building anything from traditional wooden Portland Lerrets to Princess or Sunseeker superyacht, their craft passes through the ages, providing many valuable skilled jobs for local men and women in the area, and it's quite a sight to see huge hulls being assembled and transported around the boat yards!

 

Of course, if you buy a biggie, THE place to live, or at least be, is Sandbanks in Poole, home to the rich and famous, a walk around the area and the Chines is a must - it rivals Juan-les Pins but that's the thing with Dorset, you have to see it to believe it, the air is good, the food is good, the atmosphere is increasingly continental, with outside seating in many cafes and restaurants, as well as in many beautiful pub gardens overlooking the sea or our breathtaking inland landscapes, such as Gold Hill or the ruins of Corfe Castle. 

 

In contrast to the high-rollers, watch the Ropemakers of Bridport ply their essential trade in the fab 1951 short film 'Come with me to Bridport', which was recently released by the British Film Institute, alongside lots of other fabulous vintage footage of Dorset and the UK, why not have a go at searching for yourself? 

 

The National Cycle Network Route 2 runs through Dorset and you can purchase the Dorset Downs Cycle Map, which shows the National Cycle Network and local routes in the South West, including Wells, Warminster, Weymouth, Bournemouth and Poole. This pocket-sized colour map shows clearly mapped on-road and traffic-free paths, easy to read contours, and detailed inset maps for the major towns and cities as well as recommended linking routes connecting the NCN with quiet roads. free interactive online maps can also be found at the end of this article.

 

Please use our very own Great Places Map to dicover all of our beautiful seaside towns and the rural hamlets and special gems not usually covered by most of the Jurassic Coast guides, plus our fab map also features Dorset's most popular family attractions, such as the Sealife Centre, Monkey World, Swanage Railway and Abbotsbury Gardens,  Dorset's beaches, nature reserves and much more.

 

National Express, South West Trains and thetrainline.com all offer cheap train and coach journeys to Dorset, especially if you book well in advance - Weymouth to Bristol takes just 2 hours and Bournemouth to London also takes just 2 hours.

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There's lots of public transport links to get around Dorset and you can also explore by boat of course or hop on one of Swanage Railway's traditional steam engine trains. The Jurassic Coaster and Purbeck Breezer bus routes hug the coast and there are lots of public transport links to get around Dorset.

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In fact, riding the double-deckers is a beloved activity that many older people take advantage of, as they can hop on and off for free with their national bus pass, but people of any age pack a picnic, find a seat on the top deck and then go on to ride the entire magnificent route from Lyme Regis to Poole on the X53!

 

You can stop off at places such as Weymouth, Abbotsbury and West Bay - a car journey just does not do the winding coast roads justice as you do not have the height advantage of riding on a double-decker bus, and of course, the driver has to concentrate on the road and not the spectacular view... The coastal bus services are ideal for walkers who want to walk along the Jurassic Coast and the South West Coast Path in sections: there's 630 miles of superb coastline to explore and you can go swimming, rock pooling, fishing, foraging and camping to your heart's content, or join one of the many groups who offer exciting activites and adventure sports sessions.

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The heritage, wildlife, geology and scenery along the coast are truly inspirational and every day spent here brings amazing new experiences, but do always bear in mind that Dorset's cliffs have suffered many landslides in recent years so keep away from the foot of cliffs and from cliff edges at all times, and do regularly check for any FOOTPATH ROUTE CHANGES, plus check out their interactive map, where you can also easily select between easy, moderate and challenging walks. 

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There's seven free Apple and Android Land Bone and Stone soundscape apps available to download - with its thousands of prehistoric monuments, the South Dorset Ridgeway is cited as one of Europe’s finest ancient ceremonial landscapes. The landscape is full of stories and sounds. These apps help you discover them as you wander 'Far from the Madding Crowd'.

 

We have only just scratched the surface of what Dorset has to offer so far, as away from the coast, there's many more delightful historic towns and places to visit. In fact, there's been lots of films set in Dorset over the years inlcuding Summmer 2017's bckbuster 'Dunkirk', as most of the county is unspoilt, being either a Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Jurassic Coast is Englands one-and-only UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site!

 

Dorchester, Dorset's county town, has recently had a major revamp with lots of restaurants and a new cinema being built into the old Eldrige Pope brewery, so it's a perfect destination even on soggy days and it's just opposite where Dorset's largest market is held every Wednesday. This area is real Hardy country which draws in lots of visitors who come to visit Thomas Hardy's Birthplace at Max Gate but further north you'll find yet more famous places and landmarks, such as The Cerne Abbas Giant, which is an ancient chalk fertility symbol and onto beautiful Sherborne, a hilltop village with a famous steep hill lined with gorgeous thatch cottages, which featured in the Hovis advert for many years! And then there's Blandford with its brewery and charming riverside and Wimborne, which is the place to go for a true Dorset friendly & mellow vibe, with its yearly folk festival, farmers' markets, food festivals, and not forgetting the beautiful Kingston Lacy Estate nearby.

 

We also are extremely fortunate to have absolutely Top-Notch Fresh Local Food and produce from both land and sea (an awful lot of which is organic), which can be found at food fairs, farm shops, farmers' markets and also in our many bakeries, delicatessens and restaurants.

 

Great entertainment, activities & modern facilities are widely available for everyone, both young and old to enjoy and we also have a roaring night-life, with many popular pubs, bars and nightclubs remaining open WELL into the night. There's also lots of quaint, unusual or downright bonkers community festivals and events taking place year-round that you will not get bored, as we simply just won't let you! So whether you choose to attend the Dorset Knob Festival or Weymouth's huge famous New Year's Eve fancy-dress celebrations (which is always a top 3 UK NYE destination) you will be most warly welcomed.

 

There's so much to see and do, so please go ahead and explore our Great Places Map, it's packed with photos and information, far more than we can cover here, plus check out SCC's Dorset Diary and our fab new Dorset Digest Blog for recent articles, news and reviews about our beautiful county, its friendly people and its fine food. Also check out:

Visit Dorset brochures & guides (in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian & Spanish)

Dorset cycling routes and maps

Dorset walking routes, trails & free guided walks 

South Dorset Ridgeway soundscape app

Dorset horseriding trails​

South West Coast Path National Trail

 

The South West Coast Path National Trail is rated as one of the top walks be found anywhere in the world by 

Lonely Planet and it was also voted as Britain’s best walking route by the readers of Walk Magazine. 

 

Weymouth was voted the second Best Beach in Britain in Trip Advisor's 2015 & 2016 Travellers' Choice Awards 

and it was also voted as the 8th Best Beach in Europe 2015, as chosen by millions of world travellers!

 

Blissful days spent watching the sunrise and the sunset from a lovely restaurant, cafe or beach, exploring the countryside and being able to relax OR have fun pretty much 24/7 just as YOU wish, is just what visiting delightful Dorsetshire is all about!