There’s much more to Dorset than its many famous landmarks. The Jurassic Coast offers some truly remarkable hidden gems, just waiting for groups
For softly undulating hills, homely countryside and dramatic coastlines, there are few counties in the UK to rival Dorset.
The tranquil gateway to the south west has much to offer groups. Its famous ancient coastline gives us some of the best-known and most-photographed beaches in the world, while there are plenty of high-quality and fascinating attractions on offer – with plenty of hidden gems to keep returning groups happy. We explored on a Steve Reed familiarisation visit, held in partnership with Daish’s Holidays.
Our accommodation was in Weymouth, at the wonderful Georgian Hotel Prince Regent on the seafront – fantastically located, as all Daish’s hotels are. Daish’s also provided a comfortable state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz coach for the fam, and an effortlessly chatty driver.
Around Poole
After a day to explore Weymouth and settle into the hotel, our first stop was Poole, which offers arguably one of the best shopping experiences in Dorset.
As well as its high street, Poole Quay presents a beautiful row of independent shops and pubs, its still-bustling port offering an elegant throwback to the olden days. The wonderful Poole Museum is well worth a look: with free entry, it’s a lovely small museum on several floors giving a complete overview of Poole life through the centuries, especially its maritime history.
Sadly Poole Pottery is closing down, but Titan Leathercraft, close to the museum, offers an excellent alternative. It’s a leathercrafting studio and shop, where groups can watch leather-carving demonstrations and see and buy the beautiful products that Titan makes – all by hand. In the shop is a public viewing area, and group packages are also available for leathercrafting courses and hands-on experiences. With a café that currently has 46 covers, soon to be expanded to 96, Titan is an up-and-coming attraction that promises to be great for groups in the future.
A couple of doors down is Poole’s Quayside Emporium, which houses over 60 traders on two floors. It’s a lovely place to find unusual gifts, and has a good café including outdoor seating.
Harbour cruise
And, if your group is having a cruise around Poole’s vast natural harbour, it’s a great place to wait for the boat. We were treated to a two-hour cruise with City Cruises Poole, and it really is the best way to explore the lovely Dorset coastline.
On fine days, the cruise goes all the way to Swanage, taking in prosperous Sandbanks – “Britain’s Palm Beach”; lovely Brownsea Island; the Bournemouth coast; the Isle of Purbeck; and Old Harry, the rocks supposedly named after Poole’s infamous pirate Harry Paye. You can even see the Isle of Wight in the distance.
The boat has ample room inside and out on the open deck for groups, a well-stocked bar, and the crew look after you beautifully. We were served luscious fish and chips onboard, supplied by a very good local chippy. Cream teas and picnics can also be provided, and the prices are very good.
Trips can be combined with rides on the Swanage Railway, or sightseeing buses to Bournemouth. Contact Carol Scott for details at carols@citycruises.com.
Athelhampton House
Our next port of call was Athelhampton House and Gardens, still lived in by the family that owns it. It is simply wonderful – a 15th-century manor house, with traditional Elizabethan-style gardens laid out in ‘rooms’. Look out for all the pyramid-shaped trees, which the present owner takes pride in trimming himself. You can start your visit with a garden tour, led by a passionate and knowledgeable guide, before entering the house, where groups are free to explore.
The Cooke family moved in in the 1950s, bringing a passion for all things Tudor. They have contributed to the house with their own impressive collection of Tudor and ecclesiastical furnishings, and the effect is both very ‘authentically’ Tudor and homely, particularly the Great Hall.
A highlight is the attic rooms, once the servants’ quarters, which now house a gallery dedicated to the art of Marevna, a 20th-century Cubist painter who trained at Moscow Art School, moved to Paris, and ended up living at Athelhampton with her daughter and frequent model Marika, after Marika’s marriage to then Athelhampton owner Rodney Phillips. The paintings combine Cubism with Pointillism, and they’re well worth seeing.
Kimmeridge Bay
Durdle Door can be a little difficult for groups to access. For a beach that’s almost as picturesque, and certainly quieter, you can try Kimmeridge Bay. You need a permit from Dorset County Council and a skilled driver to access it by coach, but it’s well worth the journey. The beach is a short steep walk down from the car park, and you can clearly see the strata make-up of the sediment cliffs. The clifftop is crowned by the fascinating folly Clavell Tower, and you can literally pick up fossils off the sand.
That’s what Steve Etches has been doing for all of his life. He’s a Kimmeridge man, whose huge and scientifically important collection of fossils were all found on Kimmeridge beach. The Etches Collection is housed in a new £5m building in the village, and even with its large gallery, it can show only 10% of the collection at one time.
One might expect a collection of small shells and ammonites, but you actually find an impressive array of dinosaurs, fish and reptiles, some of them very large indeed and quite complete. As luck would have it, Steve Etches himself was there the day we were, and he gave us a little talk about this fascinating place. You can book a tour with Steve for £75. The usual group rate is £6pp for groups of 10+, and coaches can park in the small car park at the back.
Tank Museum
Our next port of call was Bovington Tank Museum, an excellent attraction with a huge array of mighty tanks on display, and a good dose of social history to explore. You can go round free-flow, but it’s worth booking one of the guides – they’re entertaining and they really bring it to life, especially for groups who may not be all that into tanks.
The highlights are Little Willie, the first tank ever built; the mighty Tiger tank, built by the Germans; and a modern Challenger 2. You can learn about the history of this great British invention, from its origins in the first world war to armoured vehicles’ role in modern warfare; see what’s inside a tank, and what each member of its crew does; and have a ride on a tracked vehicle in the museum’s grounds.
The Tank Museum was recently involved in the making of 2014 movie Fury, starring Brad Pitt, and there’s an excellent exhibition around its involvement.
Group rates are £12pp, with tours available for £5pp extra.
Swanage Railway
Our final destination was Swanage, the eternal seaside town, where the must-do attraction is taking a steam train ride on the Swanage Railway. Groups can take an hour-round trip to Norden, which goes past the stunning Corfe Castle; there are generous discounts for groups of 15+, and the group can sit together in reserved seating, while the driver gets a free seat and tea/coffee.
Alternatively, the railway can take you one way and the coach can pick up the group at the other end. The village of Corfe Castle includes the stunning National Trust castle as well as a model village, while Norden has a mining museum.
Dining trains, special visits and group packages are all available.
