Gathursty Goes Mad in Dorset

[Gathursty]

Hi,

Just looking for tips for my Summer outing to Dorset. So far I've put together a list of places I'd like to see but is there anything I'm missing or have overlooked?

Also, is anything I've put down not worth visiting?

My list so far is:

Newcourt/Cranbrook (Devon) stations (need to keep my reputation)
Cheddar Gorge
Wookey Hole
Worthy Farm (as close as I can legally get to it without Mr Eavis pointing his pitchfork)
Cerne Abbas Giant
Maiden Castle + Dorchester
Lulworth Cove + Durdle Door
Weymouth + Portland
Chesil Beach
West Bay
Yeovil
Glastonbury Tor

**Stop off at Ricoh Arena and Bermuda Park on way up or down to check on building progress.

 

[Kite159]

You might want to wait until Cranbrook (Devon) is actually open

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The Tank Museum at Bovington (near to Wool Station) is very good.

The Swanage Railway runs some services from Wareham now, but most of them go from Norden, so you have to get a bus from Wareham to get there. Whilst on the railway, visit Corfe Castle; it's got it's own station!

If you're going to Yeovil, visit the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.

 

[47832]

The Swanage Railway runs some services from Wareham now, but most of them go from Norden, so you have to get a bus from Wareham to get there. Whilst on the railway, visit Corfe Castle; it's got it's own station!
.

Services from Swanage to Wareham don't start until next year.

Depending when you are in Dorset we have the Bournemouth Air Festival from 20th August until 23rd August. Located on Bournemouth Beach.

As mentioned before the Tank Museum is very good.

There is not really that much to do in Portland so would give that one a miss.

If you don't mind travelling into Hampshire to Brockenhurst the New Forest is lovely.

There are plenty of beautiful places to visit in Dorset, far to many to mention here. If you would like more advice please do not hesitate to PM me.

 

[NottsPhil]

These are based on my visits to the area, which have mostly centred on Bournemouth.

The Swanage Railway is a good little operation (perhaps not so little, really, quite intensive!). Corfe Castle is the name of the village as well as the castle!

If you like bus trips, there's a couple to recommend.
There used to be an open top from Weymouth to Portland, which is quite scenic as it zig zags up and offers great views of Chesil Beach. There's not much to do when you get there, but a nice ride all the same.
Linking with the Swanage Railway, the No. 50 runs from Bournemouth via the Sandbanks Ferry and Studland, and again is mostly open top (although a fair few closed toppers tend to creep in from my experience). However, it gets very busy in high summer, so pick it up at the station in Bournemouth rather than the town centre, and it can also be pretty unreliable, especially given its reliance on the ferry. You could do a circuit, bus to Swanage, steam railway to Corfe and pick up another bus on to Wareham (think its the 40).
There's also open top buses in the New Forest, with three circular routes. There's some nice bits along the coast near Lymington and the route across the top of the forest from Fordingbridge is really nice.

How about a trip to the Isle of Wight? Lymington isn't too far away, and there's plenty to do around Yarmouth/Alum Bay/Needles, or you could bus across the island and play with the tube trains or the steam railway.

 

[ianhr]

Near the Tank Museum at Bovington is T.E.Lawrence's house at Cloud's Hill which is interesting.
There is also the Purbeck Clay industry mine museum at Norden (next to the Swanage Railway) along with some narrow gauge.
If you enjoy a walk then there is some splendid coast scenery remote from roads: Old Harry Rocks, Ballard Down, Durlston, Dancing Ledge, Kimmeridge and especially the section of Coast Path through the Lulworth Ranges near Worbarrow Bay which is open most weekends.