Escape to Dorset, often referred to as Thomas Hardy country.

Dorset - Historic County - England

Key Towns - Abbotsbury Bridport Dorchester Gillingham Lyme Regis Poole Shaftesbury Sherborne Swanage Weymouth

Dorset - Historic County - England Dorset lies in the southwest of England just 3 hours from London and the South-East; Often referred to as Thomas Hardy country. A place of iron-age hill forts, burial mounds, Roman roads and settlements. Picturesque villages hidden away between folds in the hills, with ancient churches and many houses with thatched roofs. Dorset can be divided into three areas: the vales of the west and north-west; the chalk uplands of the centre; and the marshes of the east and south-east. The dramatic coastline of Dorset extends some 90 miles (140 kilometers) from Lyme Regis in the west to Christchurch in the east, made up of high chalk cliffs, gentle harbours, bays and lovely beaches. The Isle of White and Brownsea Island are both within easy reach. Holiday makers will find Golden Cap which, at 191 metres is the highest sea cliff on the south coast and has breathtaking panoramic views. The stunning coastline of the Jurassic Coast awarded World Heritage Site Status, stretches from East Devon to Dorset; An area famous for its fossils, with many opportunities for the visitor to do a spot of fossil hunting; The west end of the site close to the Exe estuary is the oldest. Glorious gently shelving beaches, picturesque harbour of Weymouth, and the rugged peninsula of Portland an 18 mile long shingle bank, linked to the mainland by Chesil Beach. Spectacular sights such as the fascinating geology of Lulworth Cove and the picturesque cliffs of Durdle Door and Portland Bill, a lighthouse world famous because of its magical and wild location. The hill-town of Shaftesbury, with Gold Hill made famous by the Hovis advert.
Selected Attractions in Dorset - See More
Jurassic Kayak ...	Splashdown	Blue Line Cruis...	Dorset Country ...
Dorset Holiday Suggestions & Ideas
Paddle Through Time Ever wondered what it would be like to see Dorset's beautiful Jurassic coastline from the water? The Jurassic Coast is considered to be the only place in the world displaying unbroken evidence of 185 million years of evolution. Jurassic Kayak Tours provide's a unique way to view these amazing fossil sites and landforms. Like the massive cliff at White Nothe, east of Ringstead, dominated by Cretaceous Chalk and sandstone with dinosaur footprints amongst the spectacular limestone coves and headlands of Purbeck and the Isle of Portland. Join them on one of their trips and experience a unique "paddle" through time. All under the supervision of experienced and qualified local kayaking instructors.		Cruise the Islands Take to the water with a boat trip around Poole Harbour. There are a number of islands to visit, the largest is Brownsea Island owned by the National Trust. Famous for being the birthplace of Scouting and Guiding; Green Island, a penal colony in Roman times; Furzey Island, site of the wellheads that access Britain's largest onshore oil reserves.
Walking Walking in Dorset Castleman Trailway Liberty Trail Heart of England Way	Locations Dorset AONB Brewers Quay Cerne Abbas Giant The Blue Pool And Tea House	Events Animal Windfest Beaminster Festival Bridport Food Festival Bridport Literary Festival	Snippets Bottlebush Down and the Ghostly Rider Did a cat eat Thomas Hardy's heart? Thomas Hardy a Dorset Man Gold Hill in Shaftesbury