Holidays in Dorset

Holidays in Dorset can be spent along the southern beaches of England, sailing in the English Channel. The county is noted for its water-sports; Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour have been credited as being some of the best waters in Northern Europe for sailing. The Jurassic Cliffs provide a beautiful background for sailing and other water activities. Dorset County’s climate is pleasant, with warm summers and mild winters. Average temperatures are higher than Devon and Cornwall, but Dorset doesn’t suffer from the same high Atlantic winds and storms. Annual rainfall is around 741 mm along the coast while the higher elevations receive around 1,100 mm. Except in the high altitudes, it hardly ever snows, and the area receives much more sunshine than the rest of the United Kingdom.

Because Dorset is more rural and doesn’t have large population centers, tourism is not as strong as neighboring, generating only around £659 million, little more than half of Devon’s tourist income. Still, holidays in Dorset don’t lack for tourist attractions. These include the Abbotsbury Swannery where for half the year visitors can associate with more than 600 free-flying swans, Forde Abbey which is an 850-year-old home surrounded by 30 acres of gardens, and Portland Castle and Sherboune Castle, both over four centuries old. Other attractions include Weymouth Sea Life Park, Athelhampton House & Gardens, and Dorset County Museum.

Dorset suffers from some transportation disadvantages in that it is one of the only non-metropolitan counties in England not to have a single motorway. There is only one airport, the Bournemouth International Airport, but there are two passenger seaports at Poole and Weymouth. Despite this, Dorset encourages bus service throughout the county, and two rail lines run to London. Furthermore, Dorset also runs a bus line west to Exeter in neighboring Devon County, encouraging day trips from tourists.

Because of Dorset’s rural nature, visitors on holiday from the cities may find the lack of urban distractions relaxing. The county town, Dorchester, has a population of just over 16,000 residents. Despite this, some areas have increased in affluence, such as Bournemouth. Part of this can be attributed to the popularity of sailing and yachting in the area, bringing in a more affluent class of residents, and part of it can be attributed to the rise in popularity of seaside resorts. Land considered worthless for farming has been developed into holiday cottages and shopping.

Dorset’s rural nature also contributes to its popularity with writers, poets, and film crews. Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow was filmed in part here, as was the Oscar Wilde bio-pic Wilde and Gulliver’s Travels starring Ted Danson. Writers and poets have spent time here, including native Thomas Hardy, science-fiction author Douglas Adams, James Bond creator Ian Fleming, and Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde during his summers in Bournemouth.

So if you are looking for a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of urban life, you can take go on holiday in Dorset. You’ll be able to relax and unwind on the beaches, take walks through the countryside, or visit plenty of interesting and historic locations without all the stress of the city.