Dorset & Jurassic Coast

The Dorset coast holds the distinction of being England's only natural World Heritage Site, and the reason is written in its cliffs. The Jurassic Coast stretches 95 miles from Orcombe Point in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage, exposing 185 million years of geological history in a continuous sequence of rock formations. For motorhome travellers, this is a destination that combines world-class geology with some of the finest beaches in England, charming market towns, and a gentle, rolling countryside that Thomas Hardy immortalised in his novels. The drive from our Pontefract depot takes around five hours via the M1 and M40, bringing you to a landscape that feels utterly different from Yorkshire.

The route south follows the M1 to the M25, then the M3 or A34 through Hampshire to Dorset. Alternatively, the M1 to the M40 and then south through Oxfordshire offers a slightly more scenic approach. Either way, by the time you reach the rolling chalk downland of Dorset, the landscape has softened into gentle curves and deep green valleys that are quintessentially southern English.

Lulworth Cove is perhaps the single most famous feature of the Jurassic Coast. This almost-circular bay, formed by the sea breaching the hard Portland limestone to erode the softer clays behind, is a textbook example of coastal geology and stunningly beautiful in its own right. Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch just along the coast path from Lulworth, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Britain. The walk between the two, along the South West Coast Path, takes about thirty minutes and is an essential Dorset experience.

Charmouth and Lyme Regis, at the western end of the Dorset coast, are the best places in Britain for fossil hunting. The cliffs here are constantly eroding, revealing ammonites, belemnites, and occasionally more significant finds — ichthyosaur skeletons and other marine reptiles have been found here since Mary Anning's pioneering discoveries in the early nineteenth century. The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre organises guided fossil walks, and the Lyme Regis Museum tells the story of Anning's remarkable life. Lyme Regis itself, with its harbour, The Cobb sea wall, and pastel-coloured Georgian townhouses, is one of the most characterful small towns on the English coast.

Swanage, at the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast, sits on a fine sandy bay overlooked by chalk downs. The Swanage Railway, a preserved steam line, runs inland to Corfe Castle — one of the most dramatic castle ruins in England. The castle, perched on a natural hilltop in a gap in the Purbeck Hills, was partially demolished during the English Civil War, leaving a hauntingly beautiful ruin that dominates the surrounding village. The walk along the Purbeck ridge from Corfe to the coast at Kimmeridge Bay is outstanding.

Weymouth, the largest resort on the Dorset coast, has a Georgian esplanade, a wide sandy beach, and a lively harbour lined with restaurants and pubs. The town served as the sailing venue for the 2012 Olympics, and the marina area has been refreshed as a result. Portland, connected to Weymouth by the Chesil Beach causeway, is a windswept limestone island with a working quarry, a lighthouse, and the remarkable Portland Bill — a headland offering views of the treacherous Portland Race tidal currents.

Chesil Beach itself is one of the most remarkable natural features in Britain. This eighteen-mile bank of pebbles, stretching from Portland to West Bay, encloses the Fleet Lagoon — a shallow, brackish waterway that supports an important colony of mute swans and other wildlife. The pebbles are naturally graded from fist-sized at Portland to pea-sized at West Bay, and the whole structure is a geographical phenomenon that has fascinated scientists for centuries.

Inland Dorset is equally rewarding for motorhome travellers. Dorchester, Thomas Hardy's Casterbridge, is a handsome county town with a Roman amphitheatre, an excellent museum, and Hardy's Cottage at nearby Higher Bockhampton. Sherborne, with its abbey and two castles, has a golden-stone elegance. Shaftesbury's Gold Hill — the cobbled street made famous by the Hovis television advertisement — offers views across the Blackmore Vale that perfectly encapsulate the English countryside at its most idyllic.

For motorhome campsites, Dorset has excellent options. Durdle Door Holiday Park sits on the cliffs above the famous arch with pitches overlooking the sea. Freshwater Beach Holiday Park at Burton Bradstock is a family-friendly site near the western end of Chesil Beach. Sea Barn Farm near Weymouth offers a quieter option with views of the Fleet Lagoon. All provide motorhome facilities including hook-ups and waste disposal.

Dorset's food culture centres on fresh seafood, Dorset Blue Vinny cheese, and the excellent local ales from Palmers Brewery in Bridport and Hall and Woodhouse in Blandford Forum. The farmers' markets in Bridport and Dorchester are among the best in the south of England, and the fish restaurants along the coast — from the Hive Beach Cafe at Burton Bradstock to the Shell Bay Seafood Restaurant on the Studland peninsula — make the most of the daily catch.