Charmouth
Heritage Coast Centre. The picturesque
sea side village of Charmouth is located on the
World Heritage Site Jurassic Coast. The Lower
Jurassic clays in this part of Dorset are full
of fossils that are washed out of the cliffs and
left in the gravel and sand to be found by those
who look carefully enough…
The Centre has a Jurassic Theatre, where for a
small charge (adults £1, children 50p) you can
watch a short film on 'Finding fossils at
Charmouth' or 'Black Ven; life on the edge'.
Throughout the year we run guided fossil hunting
expeditions, rockpooling walks, plus countryside
and marine discovery activities along the local
coastline.
Lyme
Regis. The seafront and harbour known as
"The Cobb" is a jewel in a many
faceted crown. The Cobb is internationally
known as the place where Louisa Musgrove fell
from steps, known locally as "Granny's
Teeth" in the Jane Austen novel
"Persuasion". The Cobb also
became visually famous when the late John Fowles
novel "The French Lieutenants Woman"
was made into a very successful film of the same
name.
Forde
Abbey is a treasure in an area already
known for its outstanding beauty. More than 900
years of history and romance are encapsulated in
this elegant former Cistercian monastery and its
30 acres of exquisite award winning gardens.
.
Montacute
House.
A glittering Elizabethan house, adorned with
elegant chimneys, carved parapets and other
Renaissance features, including contemporary
plasterwork, chimney pieces and heraldic glass.
The magnificent state rooms, including a long
gallery which is the largest of its type in
England, are full of fine 17th and 18th century
furniture and Elizabethan and Jacobean portraits
from the National Portrait Gallery. There are
also good quality textiles, including an
exhibition of 17th century samplers. The formal
garden includes mixed borders and old roses and
is surrounded by a landscape park. Montacute
featured in the award winning film Sense and
Sensibility.
Note: Some rooms in the house do not have
electric light, so visitors wishing to make a
close study of tapestries, textiles or paintings
should avoid visiting on dull days.
Weymouth
Sea Life Park A unique mix of
indoor and outdoor attractions set in seven
acres makes a great family day out whatever the
weather. The park offers a day of fun and
amazement bringing you face to face with
penguins, seals, sharks, otters and so much
more. New Turtle Sanctuary.
Mapperton
Gardens. A romantic valley garden deep
into a lost Dorset combe among tumbling hills
and unspoilt countryside. The gardens descend
from the great lawn, through the formal
topiary down to the valley garden. The manor
house with its church, stable block, coach
house, dovecote and courtyard is essentially a
part of its countryside, a glorious harmony of
golden sandstone. Pevsner's Dorset guide
reckons "there can hardly be a more
enchanting manorial group than Mapperton."
The house, Elizabethan in origin, enlarged in
the late 1670s, is a marvellous example of a
West Country manor that fits in with its
surroundings and almost grows with them. Now
the home of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich,
Mapperton continues to be a
family
house and harks back to the restoration of
Charles II when the first Earl of Sandwich
brought
the King back from Holland.
.
Athelhampton
House One of the finest 15th
Century Houses in England. This Dorset
attraction has an abundance of history both
architectural and cultural.
Thomas Hardy's father, a builder, was involved
in restoration works to the Great Hall and West
Wing roofs in the 19th Century. It was during
these times that Thomas Hardy himself first
visited Athelhampton.
Canontiegn
Falls Found
in Teign Valley, Dartmoor, Canonteign Falls is
home to England's highest waterfall. As
well as stunning waterfalls and scenery, this
attraction boasts a wetland nature reserve,
children's play area, fern centre, lakeside cafe
and more!
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