5 days ago
Ditch Cornwall for my perfect seaside county this summer – we have better beaches, bays and incredible seaside campsites
I'VE lived in Dorset all my life, and these are the hidden gems that a lot of tourists don't know about.
Dorset's most famous spots, like Durdle Door and the beaches at Bournemouth and Sandbanks, can get very busy during the summer months.
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But there are plenty of spots where you can escape the crowds - and even places where you can have a beach all to yourself.
I'm a local expert from the blog Dorset Travel Guide, and this is my pick of the top hidden gems in the county.
Kimmeridge Bay
Durdle Door gets all the glory (and all the crowds), but there are plenty of other impressive spots on Dorset's Jurassic Coast.
Kimmeridge Bay has all the best bits from fossils, to rock pools, clifftop coastal walks, and sheltered water for a wild swim.
There's even a waterfall right on the beach, though it's usually only a trickle in summer.
Tyneham
Tyneham is Dorset's "lost village", abandoned during WWII when the MOD took over the area for training.
They still own the land, so the ruined village is only open on select weekends and public holidays - always check the firing times first.
It's free to visit (except a suggested £4 donation for the car park), and both the church and schoolhouse have been restored to give a glimpse of what life in rural 1940s England was like.
There's also a lovely (and mostly flat) 1-mile walk down to one of my favourite secret beaches, Worbarrow Bay.
The Dorset Hamlet of Seatown is Overlooked by Brits
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Studland Bay Beaches & Nature Reserve
Sandbanks is one of Dorset's most popular beaches, but just a short hop across Poole Harbour, you can enjoy the same pristine white sands without the crowds.
Take the car ferry from Sandbanks to Studland for miles of soft sandy beaches and grassy dunes.
Behind the bay is a lowland heath Nature Reserve, managed by the National Trust and home to another of my favourite hidden gems: the mysterious Agglestone Rock (said to have been thrown there by the devil).
Swanage Railway
Board a vintage steam train at Norden Station for a short-but-sweet ride through the Purbeck hills to reach the seaside at Swanage.
The restored branch line runs right past the hilltop ruins of Corfe Castle - you can even break your journey here to explore the castle and village.
My top tip is to pay extra for the 'Devon Belle' Pullman observation car, which has huge wraparound windows for the best views.
Charmouth Beach
Dorset's Jurassic Coast is famous for fossils, and my favourite place to go looking for them is West Beach in Charmouth.
I always spot a few when I visit, mostly ammonites. Plus, the lovely shingle beaches at Charmouth are usually much less busy than at more popular Lyme Regis down the road.
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Sculpture by the Lakes
Wander through 26 acres of peaceful countryside in search of unique contemporary sculptures.
This is the perfect tranquil escape as visitor numbers are limited to maintain the peace and quiet, and no under-14s are allowed.
Parkdean's Warmwell Holiday Park is just down the road, surrounded by woodlands and a great place to enjoy the serenity of Dorset's countryside.
Abbotsbury Swannery
Tucked away on the Fleet Lagoon near Weymouth, Abbotsbury Swannery is a small nature reserve home to a huge colony of over 600 mute swans.
The absolute best time to visit is in May and June, when the nests are filled with newly hatched baby cygnet - if you're lucky, you might even see one hatching.
It's just down the road from the family-friendly West Fleet Holiday Farm campsite, which has hard-to-beat views of the Fleet Lagoon.
Kingston Maurwood Animal Park & Gardens
This historic country manor near Dorchester is now a college, but it's also one of Dorset's best free days out.
There are 35 acres of formal gardens to explore, and a small (but excellent) animal park where you can get up close with goats, donkeys, rabbits, pigs, and more.
It's completely free to enter, and there are also indoor and outdoor play areas.
Don't miss the brilliant onsite farm shop, which is packed with local produce, crafts, and gifts.
Dorchester makes a great base for exploring the area on a budget: there's a Premier Inn right next to the train station, and prices are usually much lower than seaside spots like Weymouth.
Winspit Quarry & Dancing Ledge
Winspit is a defunct quarry above a rocky cove on a particularly rugged stretch of coastline.
The chalk cliffs are littered with building remains and echoing caves (which some visitors explore - at their own risk).
Park at Worth Matravers car park and walk down to the coast.
I love combining Winspit with a walk east along the cliffs to Dancing Ledge, a man-made tidal swimming pool blasted into the cliffs by quarrymen.
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Church Ope Cove & Pirate Graveyard
Wild and rocky Church Ope Cove on the Isle of Portland is one of Dorset's best secret beaches.
There's a tiny, free carpark in Wakeham, opposite Pennsylvania Castle.
From there, it's a tricky climb down to the beach via a steep cliffside staircase.
On your way down, explore the ruins of St Andrews Church and the so-called Pirates' Graveyard: look out for skull-and-crossbones on some of the graves.
There aren't really any pirates buried here, but according to local legend, the church and cove were once used by smugglers.
Cerne Abbas Giant
It's hard to hold back a smirk when you see the Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge chalk figure of a nude man wielding a club and standing proudly to attention on the hillside.
You can walk right past him on Giant Hill, but the best views are from a layby on Acreman Street.
Blue Pool Nature Reserve & Tearooms
A magically colour-changing lake hidden in a Dorset woodland?
It's not a children's story: the Blue Pool is a flooded former quarry where the clay in the water makes the colour look different depending on the light.
Sometimes it's unnaturally blue, sometimes very green or turquoise.
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West Bay
West Bay is one of my favourite days out in Dorset: towering golden cliffs, a fantastic shingle beach that's rarely (if ever) crowded, and a lively working harbour.
Fans of ITV's Broadchurch may recognise the iconic cliffs, this tiny fishing village was the show's main filming location.
Nearby Freshwater Bay Holiday Park is a great base for exploring West Dorset - and has its own private beach.
They also allow day visitors outside of school holidays: I love taking my nieces and nephews to use the indoor pool and bowling alley.
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Brownsea Island
Hop on a ferry from Poole Quay to reach Brownsea Island, a National Trust nature reserve and one of the only places in the UK where you can still see red squirrels.
You can walk around the whole island in a matter of hours, so it's ideal for a day trip to get away from it all.
If you feel like being extra adventurous, you can kayak or paddleboard to the island.
Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve
Tout Quarry feels like it should be much better-known than it is, but I've often had the place completely to myself!
It's an abandoned quarry that was turned into a sculpture park, where you can wander amongst the rocks and wildflowers in search of stone sculptures - including a piece by Anthony Gormley.
Summer is my favourite time to visit, when the wildflowers and butterflies are out in full force.
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Dorset Adventure Park
I love a good challenge, and the Dorset Adventure Park is perfect for thrill seekers.
You can get wet and wild on the inflatable, floating obstacle course in the water park, or get dirty on the 2km Mud Trail assault course.
I recommend bringing something to sit on for the car ride home!
