Sometimes we get so busy trying to get away from it all, that we never consider to venture off to what is near by as a refuge from all the woes adult life brings. Living in the UK, train journeys always seem so expensive when compared to enticing travel deals to neighbouring European destinations that are dangled in front of you like candy, by the likes of RyanAir. Hello Copenhagen! Or even Warsaw. These are just some of the destinations you can visit for about £10 one-way. Compare that to a one-way train ticket at £30 in the UK. Yeah, my guest would be that you would be going for the European destination but don't let these deals stop you from visiting amazing and scene destinations hidden in the realms of the English country side. One such destination is Dorset. Steeped in historical charm that will have you lost in day-dreams one minute and the next captivated by tales of how the coves, caves and sandy beaches provided opportunities for Hawkhursto gangs of the 18th century to smuggle goods ashore.
Dorset is also the first place in the UK recorded to have had the first raids by Vikings on the British Isles. The Romans also conquered Dorset's indigenous Celtic tribe. This is also the place where Saxons settled and divided Dorset into small counties in the 7th century. It appears the beauty of the land was a magnet, not surprising as the whole of Dorset county has now been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Three-quarters of its coastline is now part of the Jurassic Coast due to its geological and paleontological significance. With all that in mind why wouldn't you want to visit?
Our visit to Dorset was going to see us visit Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, which is right next to Old Man Of War and a few random places that are we knew in the area but didn't want to nail down to an itinerary, but rather just visit as time permitted on the route.
Exploring this part of England also needed be expensive, although that depends on your style of travel. On this occasion we kept costs down by camping at the YHA in Dorset. Although if you prefer a proper bed you can book in advance as they to fill up pretty quickly. The same for the bed and breakfasts in the area as there aren't that many. Right next to Old Man of War is a holiday camp as well which you can rent cabins or bring your own camper or RV. We drove from London to Dorset, which is about 2.5 hours. You can also rent a car from London(airport pick ups tend to be cheaper), which sometimes works out more cost effect than taking the train, as the car also gives you the freedom to explore surrounding areas with ease because bus services in rural countryside towns aren't usually frequent.
When you do visit Dorset be sure to include a rise at Old Man Of War. There is something about starting the day with seeing the darkness melt away and make way for a light to bring on hopes for new beginnings. Below are some of the pictures we took before being bathed in the glow of the sun as we waited for day to break.
Lovely pictures. I admit I also tend to go for the BANG FOR YOUR BUCK choices and for that reason there are a lot of relatively local (USA) locations I haven't visited.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to have a setting where the pictures on the page are smaller and one can click on them for a bigger version if one desires. As it stands the size of the pics overwhelm the page.
Cheers.