Where to Stay in Dorset
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Dorset Escape
Information about Dorset
Dorset is a county of exceptional natural beauty and deep historical resonance, a place where an extraordinary coastline, rolling chalk downland, ancient hillforts and some of the most perfectly preserved rural landscapes in England combine to create one of the most rewarding destinations in the country.
The Jurassic Coast is Dorset’s defining glory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching along the county’s entire shoreline in a single continuous sequence of cliffs, beaches and rock formations. From the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks in the east to the famous Chesil Beach in the west, this is a coastline of endlessly changing character and drama. Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Chapman’s Pool are among the most visited and most beautiful of the many spectacular features along its length, while the broad sweep of Studland Bay offers some of the finest and least spoilt sandy beaches in southern England.
Inland, Dorset is a county of rolling chalk downland, ancient hillforts and deeply rural villages of thatch and stone that feel little changed over centuries. Maiden Castle, one of the largest and most impressive Iron Age hillforts in Europe, rises above the county town of Dorchester, a town with strong Roman connections and an enduring association with the novelist Thomas Hardy, whose fictional Wessex was drawn directly from the landscape of his native county.
Sherborne, with its magnificent abbey and castle, is one of the most attractive towns in the south west. Shaftesbury, perched dramatically on its hilltop above the famous Gold Hill, Wareham, Blandford Forum and Beaminster each have their own distinct character and history, while Swanage on the Isle of Purbeck is one of the most appealing traditional seaside towns on the south coast.
Whether you are looking for a coastal walk along the Jurassic Coast, a thatched cottage in a Hardy country village, a stay in historic Sherborne or a family beach holiday at Studland, Dorset is a county of timeless beauty that never disappoints.
More Where to Stay in South West England
If you are looking for more Where to Stay in South West England , there is something for everyone across the region. Please click on one of the counties below:
