Wareham his market town, once a busy port with ships bound for France and beyond, has a pretty quayside as its Tfocal point. The great Saxon earth walls, a defence Axminster Bridport against the Vikings, still surround the town. See ith a bustling street market St Martin’s Church with medieval wall paintings and he famous carpets were first made here by every Wednesday and Saturday, an effigy of Lawrence of Arabia originally intended for Thomas Whitty in 1755. Then, each time a carpet a farmers’ market on the Westminster Abbey. was finished, the bells at the Minster were rung W T second Saturday of the month and Thursday is market day, plus there is a street market at in celebration. vintage market on the last Sunday until Abbotsbury the quay on Saturdays and a thriving farmers’ market on The Minster is at the heart of the town, and was once so the end of October, spending time in the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. prestigious that Saxon princes were buried here. Nearby this historic town is always worthwhile. his beautiful village is Axminster’s Heritage Centre & Museum in Thomas It also has an amazing selection of of thatched Whitty House, where you can find out more about the award-winning local food producers to cottages built from local town’s carpet industry. T tempt you, including England’s oldest golden stone, with welcoming tea Bovington Tank Museum family butcher, RJ Balson & Son. shops and galleries, is world famous for its ancient swannery. This is home to over 600 free-flying swans and iscover the history of the tank from its invention For centuries it was famous for rope and net Poole the only place in the world where you can walk among in 1915 through the 20th century and into the making - a hangman’s noose was known as the breeding, nesting and hatching birds. Dfuture, and how this important British invention has ander down the Lyme Regis a Bridport Dagger! - and the wealth this produced helped shape world history. You’ll see many of the most pedestrianised gave rise to some fine buildings in the town abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk/swannery important tanks in history, with a fascinating supporting High Street to the oved by fossil hunters, Jane Austen fans (it featured W and the broad high street. collection in a massive state-of-the-art Georgian Old Town and busy in Persuasion) and admirers of the book and film The Don’t miss out on Bridport’s fabulous Hat Festival multimedia exhibition. Quayside. You could watch the French Lieutenant’s Woman, this most charming of L on Saturday 4 September 2021 (to be And you can hear the stories coming and going of boats, seaside towns is an essential stop on the Jurassic Coast. confirmed) - it’s really quite a hoot, so do of those who fought in and spend time in Poole Museum Walk out on to the Cobb, as the French Lieutenant’s pop along. bridporthatfest.org against these vehicles; on the harbourside, or take Woman did, to admire the sweep of the bay with Abbotsbury from the Trenches to yourself on a self-guided walk tall cliffs disappearing into the distance, or discover the streets of Basra. of the Old Town by picking up a the town’s interesting independent shops, cafés leaflet for The Cockle Trail from sub tropical gardens Special events days are and restaurants up the steep streets and down the Poole Welcome Centre on Weymouth listed on the other side. the Quayside. narrow alleyways. t’s a short walk to these wonderful gardens, a delight for tankmuseum.org Lyme Regis used to be on a railway branch line, and the senses. They date from 1765 and have an intoxicating ttractive Georgian seafront houses look over a fabulous sweep of sandy Portland you could walk out to admire Cannington Viaduct, Imix of formal and informal plantings, famous camellia which used to carry the line high over a valley on the way. groves and magnolias. With a charming Victorian Garden, Abeach, complete with donkey rides woodland walks and walled gardens, it’s a pleasant place and Punch and Judy shows. There’s a CASTLE to spend time in. pretty harbourside to watch the comings and goings of boats of all sizes from xplore one of Henry VIII’s finest coastal forts, Monkey World Enjoy scrumptious food in the Colonial Restaurant, and luxury yachts to fishing trawlers, and overlooking Portland Harbour and built in the GOlden Cap check out the gift shop. There are t’s heartwarming to know that Monkey World assists even cross harbour rowing ferries. Behind Eearly 1540s to protect against French and stunning views of the Dorset Spanish invasion. governments around the world to stop the smuggling his towering cliff, owned by the National all this is a busy town centre, making Jurassic Coast from the Weymouth a great seaside destination. Iof primates from the wild. And here these Trust, is the highest point along the viewpoint at the top of It’s owned by English Heritage and admission includes adorable refugees of this illegal trade, as Tsouth coast and well worth the climb to the Magnolia Walk. From sand sculptures to magical underwater a free audio tour telling the castle’s history and the well as those that have suffered abuse or the top if you have the energy. On a clear day important part it played in both World Wars. neglect, are rehabilitated into natural living abbotsbury-tourism. world of dazzling sea creatures, Weymouth has the views in all directions are spectacular. attractions to delight everyone, come rain or shine. Enjoy stunning sea views from the gun platforms and, if groups. With talks and displays, too, you’ll West Bay co.uk/gardens Get off the bus at Chideock and find the you’re peckish, the Captain’s Tearoom serves locally made discover so much more about our near marked footpath to follow, but it’s best to his lovely spot has towering red cliffs, cakes, sandwiches and snacks. relatives. take a map to make sure you don’t get lost. a broad beach of shingle and sand backed by www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/portland-castle monkeyworld.org Allow a good 3 to 4 hours. Told cottages, characterful kiosks and an early nationaltrust.org.uk/golden-cap 19th-century customs house. Brownsea Island West Bay’s more recent claim to fame Lulworth Cove is, of course, being the location for ISLE OF Portland ver the years Brownsea Island has been a many scenes in the TV drama coastguard station, country estate, daffodil farm, Dorchester any famous buildings in London, like St Paul’s Broadchurch. You could enjoy & Durdle Door even a decoy to protect Poole in the Second World Cathedral, owe their gleaming white surfaces to O a Broadchurch-themed guided ander down the long War! Baden-Powell’s Scouting movement began with Portland stone, mined here since Roman times. his geological marvel, a walk or check out boat trips High Street and along M an experimental camp here in 1907. perfect horseshoe-shaped from here. As the open-top bus zig-zags up the side of the hill, Wpedestrianised Cornhill bay created by the sea, But now you’ll find it a peaceful wildlife haven, with to get a flavour of Dorset’s busy you’re rewarded with stupendous views, especially T is on a stunning part of the superb woodland walks and spectacular views across looking back over Weymouth and westwards along ST CATHERINE’S CHAPEL county town. Jurassic Coast. And half a to Studland and the Purbeck Hills. And it’s one of the the entire length of Chesil Beach to Golden Cap and The award-winning Dinosaur mile west is famous Durdle few places you’ll see the native red squirrel. Take the igh above the village on a lonely hill Lyme Regis in the far distance. stands St Catherine’s Chapel, built by Museum is all about having Door, where you can watch boat ride from Poole Harbour. and listen to the sea water the monks of the nearby Abbotsbury a roaring good time, being nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea H crashing through Abbey in the 14th century. It has ‘wishing holes’ devoted solely to dinosaurs. where local women used to pray to St Catherine It has skeletons, fossils, life-size a natural cliff arch. Burton to help find them a husband! reconstructions and a few scaly Swim in the cove, take a boat surprises! Portland Bill trip, or just enjoy the stunning If you haven’t the energy or time to climb up to Bradstock Pop along to the Teddy Bear scenery. The Heritage Centre he distinctive red and white tower first shone its the chapel, glance when you pass the viewpoint on tells the story of Lulworth from 50 Abbotsbury Hill to enjoy breathtaking views over the House to see over 100 years famous four flashes of light every 20 seconds on 11 et off at the Hive Beach stop to get to the popular million years ago to the present day. chapel and back along Chesil Beach towards of teddies, from some of the January 1906, guiding passing vessels through the shingle beach surrounded by spectacular sandstone T earliest right through to today’s Portland Bill. hazardous waters around Portland Bill. Gcliffs. Their geology makes them TV favourites. appear to glow bright gold in the sunlight. You can climb the lighthouse In the Tutankhamun Exhibition and see for miles along Pop into the Hive Beach Café for the sights, sounds and smell the beautiful Jurassic delicious coffee, tea and cake, of Tutankhamun’s ancient Coastline and out to the or a tasty lunch.