Dorset

Dorset, one of the maritime counties of Southern England, is a county of great contrast and beauty. Dorset's coastline stretches some 90 miles, from Christchurch Bay in the east to Lyme Regis in the west. The entire West Dorset coastline, from Studland to Exmouth in South Devon has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the "Jurassic Coastline" offers a 'walk through time' of 185 million years of the Earth's history. The towns of Bournemouth and Weymouth are the county's main seaside resorts. Bournemouth boasts seven miles of sandy beaches, has many restaurants and pubs and is home to the Bournemouth International Centre, one of England's leading concert venues.

Dorset does indeed have the 'best of both worlds', as behind the long stretch of coastline there is beautiful rolling countryside, a wealth of attractive, rural villages and a number of important, historic sites. North Dorset is dominated by the Blackmore Vale, made famous by the author Thomas Hardy. The land is mainly used for dairy farming, which has meant that the landscape has remained largely unchanged for centuries. The Saxon hilltop town of Shaftesbury has commanding views across the Vale.

The Cranborne Chase, situated in the east of the county and designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, provides great walks and spectacular views, reaching to Somerset's Mendips in the north and down to the Isle of Wight and Purbeck in the south.

Select a location: A Abbotsbury Ashmore B Badbury Rings Blandford Forum Bournemouth Bridport Brownsea Island (N.T.) C Cerne Abbas Christchurch Corfe Castle Cranborne D Dorchester G Gillingham Golden Cap Estate (N.T.) K Kimmeridge L Lulworth Cove Lyme Regis M Milton Abbas P Poole S Shaftesbury Sherborne Studland Sturminster Newton Swanage T Tolpuddle W Wareham Weymouth Wimborne Minster	Gold Hill, Shaftesbury
	Weymouth Marina
	Corfe Castle
	The Pond at Ashmore
	Win Green Hill, nr. Shaftesbury

2004 Hideaways
Reservations: 01747 828170 Fax: 01747 829090 Email: enq@hideaways.co.uk