But the Jurassic coast, with its amazing fossil finds, is not the only rich, historical pride of this lovely place. The county is littered with stone circles, earth barrows and ancient hillforts (Maiden Castle near Dorchester is the finest and largest Iron Age hillfort in Europe). There is an excavated Roman house at Dorchester and the remains of a Saxon abbey at Shaftesbury, founded by one the most famous kings of all, Alfred the Great. And then there is the famous naked Giant, the huge, ancient figure hewn into the chalk hill of Cerne Abbas, looming over the village, wielding his club.
Along the coast there are the lovely resorts of Bournemouth and Poole and the beautiful, Victorian Swanage, all with their award-winning beaches as well as the picturesque harbours of Lyme Regis and Weymouth, where small fishing boats bob on the waters once prowled by pirates and smugglers.
A journey inland through the winding country lanes reveals much more than the numerous pretty chocolate-box villages. There are carnivals, village fairs and maypole dancing and traditional thatched pubs and tearooms offer locally brewed ales and homemade fare. There is also the historic market town of Sherborne boasting a stunning Gothic abbey, a medieval high street, antique shops and two castles, one of which was the home of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Dorset is also the home of one of the greatest writers of all time - Thomas Hardy. In fact, Dorset is 'Wessex', the county where Hardy based the majority of his books. His birthplace at Higher Bockhampton and his final home at Max Gate, now both owned by the National Trust, can still be visited today. Dorset was also the home of the enigmatic T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. His house at Cloud's Hill (also owned by the National Trust) is situated just north of Bovington and he is buried in the churchyard at Moreton.
Dorset amazes and delights at any time of the year. There is something for everyone in this rich and varied county: numerous boat rides, the steam railway at Swanage, tank rides at the Tank Museum at Bovington, long distance walks, cycleways, horseriding, llama-trekking, windsurfing, rock-climbing, fishing and a choice of 45 golf courses.
Abbotsbury Alderholt Almer Arne Ashmore Askerswell Batcombe Beaminster Bere Regis Bincombe Bishops Caundle Blandford Forum Bloxworth Boscombe Bourton Bovington Camp Bradford Abbas Bradpole Bridport Broadmayne Broadstone Broadwey Broadwindsor Buckhorn Weston Buckland Newton Burstock Burton Burton Bradstock Canford Magna Castletown Cerne Abbas Chalbury Chaldon Herring Charlton Marshall Charminster Chelborough Cheselbourne Chesil Chetnole Chettle Chickerell Child Okeford Christchurch Compton Compton Abbas Compton Abbas (1) Corfe Castle Corfe Mullen Corscombe Cranborne Daggons Dewlish Dorchester Durweston East Lulworth East Orchard East Parley East Stoke East Stour Easton Edmondsham Evershot Farnham Fern Down Fontmell Magna Fortuneswell Frampton Frome Saint Quinton Frome Vauchurch Gillingham Godmanstone Grimstone Gussage Saint Michael Halstock Hammoon Hampreston Hamworthy Handley Haselbury Bryan Haydon Hilton Hinton Holdenhurst Holwell Hooke Horton Hurn Iford Iwerne Courtney Iwerne Minster Kimmeridge Kingston Langton Matravers Leigh Lillington Little Bredy Loders Long Bredy Long Burton Long Crichel Longham Lulworth Camp Lydlinch Lyme Regis Lytchett Matravers Maiden Newton Manston Mappowder Marnhull Marshwood Melbury Abbas Melbury Bubb Melcombe Regis Milborne Saint Andrew Milton Abbas Milton on Stour Morden Morecombelake Moreton Mosterton Motcombe Nether Cerne Netherbury Over Compton Owermoigne Parkstone Pentridge Piddlehinton Piddletrenthide Pilsdon Pimperne Pointington Poole Portesham Powerstock Poxwell Preston Puddletown Puncknowle Radipole Rampisham Saint Ives Saint Leonards Shaftesbury Shapwick Sherborne Shillingstone Silton Spetisbury Stalbridge Stoborough Stoke Abbott Stour Provost Stourpaine Stourton Caundle Stratton Sturminster Marshall Sturminster Newton Swanage Swyre Tarrant Gunville Tarrant Hinton Tarrant Keynston Tarrant Monkton Tarrant Rushton Thorncombe Three Legged Cross Todber Tollard Royal Toller Porcorum Tolpuddle Trent Turners Puddle Ulwell Upton Upwey Verwood Wareham West Bay West Chaldon West Orchard West Parley Weston Whitchurch Canonicorum Whitcombe Whitechurch Wimborne Minster Wimborne Saint Giles Winfrith Newburgh Winterborne Abbas Winterborne Kingston Winterborne Monkton Winterborne Steepleton Winterborne Stickland Winton Witchampton Woodsford Wool Woolland Wootton Fitzpaine Wootton Glanville Worth Matravers Wyke Regis Yetminster
