The Coastline

The Dorset coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known locally as the Jurassic Coast due to the rock formations dating back to this period of pre-history. It stretches just shy of 100 miles into East Devon along the English Channel and provides dramatic vistas of white chalk cliffs as well as the darker red stone it is more famous for. The area is popular with UK holiday makers and there are several points of interest along the way such as Old Harry Rocks in Studland and Durdle Door , which I will cover just below. You can’t really go wrong no matter which point along it you visit. If you’re willing to put the miles in it is do-able in a day from the capital.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door

Perhaps among the most famous points on the coastline are Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door . The cove is located just beyond the village of East Lulworth and is a large sheltered inlet from the channel that makes for a perfect swimming and watersports area. It is also simply an area of outstanding natural beauty and is serviced by several pubs and a large car park run by the National Trust. Durdle Door is around 2 miles further along the coast from Lulworth Cove and can be walked from Lulworth in around 45 minutes or so. If you fancy the walk then there is a separate car park, but be prepared to pay extortionate parking rates twice! Durdle Door is the name given to a stone archway that has formed in the sea from a promontory rock stack. On either side are beaches that sweep on for miles against white chalk cliffs. The views from above are worth going for on their own. In the summer and school holidays this spot gets very busy with tourists often on day trips from London and surrounding major cities. If you are planning a visit during the peak season (late July to early September) then be prepared for crowds.

Studland and the Isle of Purbeck

Undoubtedly my favourite part of Dorset. Studland is a headland that sits just across from Bournemouth separated by Poole Harbour and its inlet to the channel. It is accessible via the chain ferry from Sandbanks, which saves a 25 mile drive around Poole Harbour and costs around £6.25 per journey. Studland is beautiful, consisting mostly of rolling country hills, spectacular coastline and quintessential quiet country villages. The village of Corfe is a must, especially in the evening for drinks and views of the castle and nearby steam railway. If you’re looking for somewhere for drinks I’d recommend the Bankes Arms pub near Old Harry Rocks — the food is great and it has a selection of local Purbeck ales brewed on site. There are plenty of beaches to explore here as well, including the beautiful Shell Bay that looks onto Sandbanks and Knoll Beach.

Quiet English Villages

Dorset is littered with small sleepy quintessential English country villages that offer picturesque glimpses into a slower rural way of life. In particular I would recommend Corfe, Shaftesbury , West Lulworth and Kimmeridge. Each of them are small and I wouldn’t recommend spending large amounts of time there, but they are more than suitable to while away an hour or two wandering through. Kimmeridge is a great spot as it has a beach and bay similar to Lulworth. It makes another great spot to get in the water due to it being very shallow and sheltered. The Dorset Wildlife Trust has also set up a snorkel trail that you can follow from the beach, which we thoroughly enjoyed. After a tour in the water there is a plethora of great pubs that you can dip into to refresh yourself. I’d recommend the Castle Inn at West Lulworth as a personal favourite.

Sandbanks

If you don’t want to cross Poole Harbour into Studland then Sandbanks is a good place to spend the day. Sandbanks is an enormous blue flag sand beach that sits on the channel side of a tiny spit of land that wraps around Poole Harbour. It is serviced by several large car parks and plenty of facilities like toilets and restaurants to make it more than suitable to spend the day with family.

Where to Stay

As an outdoor paradise Dorset has no shortage of suitable beds for the night. As a massive fan of camping this is the mode I would recommend — the scenery is stunning and to spend as much time as possible out in it is something I revel in.

Burnbake Campsite

I have stayed here several times now as it is located in the heart of Purbeck within easy reach of all the above mentioned places. It is a large, very well run and established campsite that can accept campers and vehicles of most shapes and sizes. It offers extensive facilities and also limited catering with pizza and drinks vans regularly in attendance. It feels very tucked away from the world and would be the perfect place for kids and families to pitch up and run free for the week. Because it is so popular it does get busy during the summer and school holidays, so booking in advance during these periods is almost mandatory to avoid disappointment.