What's on inDorset

Editor's picks
  • Smirnoff Big Night Out: Joel Corry UK Tour

    Smirnoff Big Night Out: Joel Corry UK Tour

    Bournemouth

    Smirnoff Big Night Out presents Joel CorryJoel Corry is the name on everyone's lips this summer, whether it's his chart smash 'Sorry' featuring Hayl…more

  • Coastal Comedy Colossal show with Lost Voice Guy

    Coastal Comedy Colossal show with Lost Voice Guy

    Poole

    Headlining this show is Lee Ridley AKA Lost Voice Guy who may not be able to talk but he definitely has something to say and his comedy will leave you…more

  • The Coastal Comedy Show with Tom Lucy!

    The Coastal Comedy Show with Tom Lucy!

    Poole

    Tom Lucy has established himself as one of the most exciting new comedians around. Starting at just 16 Tom quickly rose through the comedy club circu…more

  • Flower Show & Plant Fair

    Flower Show & Plant Fair

    Wimborne

    The flower show and plant fair are run by the Dorset local group of the Alpine Garden Society showcasing the plant-growing talents of its members, who…more

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Long known as Thomas Hardy country Dorset has everything from literary trails to Iron Age settlements, old-fashioned seaside resorts to beautiful Jurassic Coastline. Featuring a number of Blue Flag white sand beaches and ease of access from London, Dorset is popular in the UK for quick weekend trips to the sea.

But it is not just a county built around its coastline. Inland it also offers some quintessentially English landscapes, crossed by the chalk ranges of the South Dorset and North Dorset downs, agriculturally fertile valleys in Frome, Stour and the Vale of Blackmore and the famous marble quarries of Purbeck and Portland.

Inhabited since at least 8000BC Dorsets high chalk hills have offered defensive settlements for thousands of years and there are Neolithic and Bronze Age Settlements at almost every turn.

In addition there are numerous Iron Age Hill Forts, with Maiden Castle being the most famous and well worth a visit (it is the largest of its kind in Europe.) The elegant and charming town of Dorchester is built on endless Roman remains and artefacts and there are some excellent sites and museums there. Also worth seeing are the ruins of Corfe Castle and historic sites at Athelhampton and Cranborne Manor and Gardens, as well as Sherbourne Castle, home of Sir Walter Raleigh.

For those looking for something a bit more relaxing, Bournemouth has been dealing in laid back for over two hundred years now. The writer Augustus Granville included Bournemouth in his Book of Spas in 1841 and ever since tourists have been flocking there for the medicinal air, beautiful beaches, stunning gardens and temperate climate. Now a curious combination of art deco calm, bohemian cafes and numerous old peoples homes, it is certainly laid back!

For something less sedate, most people head out along the 95 miles of spectacular, untouched coastline, known as the Jurassic Coast for its incomparable selection of Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous fossils and now the UKs only natural UNESCO World Heritage site. For this coastline alone, Dorset is a must-see county.

Days Out & Attractions

Attractions in Dorset

Fun days out in Dorset

Enjoy a fun filled and fantastic day out for all the family at a range of attractions in Dorset, including theme parks, castles, zoos, museums and historic houses.

Zoos & Safari Parks in Dorset

Zoos & Safari Parks

Get close-up and personal with a wild animal at a zoo or safari park in Dorset.

Theme Parks in Dorset

Theme Parks

Thrills and spills on rides and rollercoasters at a theme park in Dorset.

Museums in Dorset

Museums

Love British history?Come and take a stroll through the ages at a local museum.

Art galleries in Dorset

Art Galleries

From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, enjoy art at its very best.

Experiences

Experiences

Want to try your hand at something completely different? Try an experience...

Updated: 19/03/2024 03:42:45

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