Top 10 Things to Do When Visiting South East Dorset

Having lived in the area for eight years, here is a list, inthe edge of the New Forest, you stand a chance of
no particular order of the top ten things to do in Southseeing some of the famous New Forest ponies and
East Dorset as selected by my friends and family.many of the local pubs offer a return to the glamorous
1 Visiting Restaurantsage of smugglers and pirates. The most famous in the
This may be seen as a fairly generic thing to do whenarea, Sir Isaac Gulliver, even had a large respectable
visiting an area, but the Wimborne Minster must havehouse in the area, in Wimborne, which can still be
the most Italian restaurants per person then any townidentified by a Plaque on his house on West Borough.
outside of Italy. With four within 2 minutes walk ofMoors Valley is the ideal place for children, with special
each other when I first moved here, even more haveactivities going on throughout the year, cheap day
opened since. And for those of you visiting theparking, trains, cycle hire, high ropes and a walk on a
Bournemouth or Poole quays, a visit is not completesuspended platform through the trees and a trail with
without a meal at one of the waterside restaurants,around ten different play grounds on a walk through
with a beautiful sunset over the crystal clear waterstunning woodland scenery.
and being surrounded by old fishing boats, cruisers,6 Water Sports
luxury yachts and sun tanned locals. If the noise andNothing screams sea side like water sports and Poole
sheer press of people in a town centre is too muchHarbour is the perfect area. The second largest
for you, there are luxury hotels and restaurants litterednatural harbour in the world, dwarfed only by Sidney, is
throughout the wooded countryside, often linked withan average of only one metre deep, meaning if you
stately homes or castles. However, be prepared toshould fall in you can wade back to shore. With some
book as these establishments, which command someincredibly beautiful islands to be seen, numerous water
of the best chefs in the area can be full months insports are offered to enjoy it. You can try sailing
advance.canoeing, kayaking, learn the difference between them,
2 The Beachessailing, windsurfing and even surfing at the new artificial
One of the most obvious points, people travelsurf reef in Boscombe. If you are interested in
hundreds of miles to visit the coast. The favourite insomething a little more unorthodox, try a rib ride from
the area must be sand banks, the richest place in theLulworth Cove, travelling at incredible speeds, banking
area, with beach huts typically attracting prices of overover centimetres from the water, be prepared to get
1 million pounds and is known likely as the golden mile. Ifwet. Typical fare is also on offer, in the form of
you plan on visiting, you will be in an early start.pedalos, banana boat rides and ferries from
Prepare for the roads to be jammed with traffic and,Bournemouth or Poole quay
realistically, you need to leave at 6am just to get a7 Monkey World
space in the car parks and on the beach. This isFor those of you who are worried that this is just a
assuming you are looking for just a white sandyzoo with a different name and will contain monkeys in
beach. A popular attraction is the Jurassic coast, auncomfortable cages, be reassured that monkey
world heritage sight featuring some of the oldest coastworld is one of the most active groups for the
in the country. You will literally be tripping over fossilsprotection of endangered animals and the animals
as you enjoy the extraordinary views as you walk onaren't in tiny cages but open forested areas. Have
a thin path between towering glyphs and an incrediblelunch watching your children in one play area, with the
expanse of deepest-blue sea.monkeys in the next and marvel at the similarities. With
3 Badbury Ringsnew enclosures and animals on a regular basis and all
Not just an ancient Hill Fort, Badbury rings is a symbolmanner of conveniences and entertainment to keep
of the history of the area. From its commandingyounger children amused, with talks from experienced
position, you can see for miles, including Wimborne andstaff, where you can see monkeys inches from your
Kingston Lacy. A great place for flying kites, a walk, orface, monkey world is a must see for any visit to
a snow ball fight. During the last incredibly infrequentDorset.
snow flurry, the vicar of Wimborne Minster himself8 Bovington Tank Museum
was sledging in the snow. Badbury rings has been aWanted to see a tank battle with smoke and
place of historical importance for time immemorial,explosions, wanted to see what life was like inside a
cross roads, meeting place, market place and fort untiltank with interactive videos and an incredible collection
it found its current incarnation.of tanks, then the tank museum is a most interesting
4 Horse Ridingvisit. If you want to learn something of the
You haven't been horse riding until you've done itdevelopment of the machine from the first world to
across Studland's Heath. Accessed most easily by atoday, this is the place to go, but if you just want a day
chain ferry from Poole, it offers some of the mostout in the sun amongst the tank smoke, this is a novel
stunning and untouched areas in the country, within 5way to spend your time in Dorset and sure to give
minutes of a major town. With great swathes ownedhappy memories.
by the national trust, the area is almost devoid of signs9 Christ Church Dry Ski Slope
of human development, besides ancient pubs, thatSkiing may not be something you planned to do in
appear to be caught in a time warp since the age ofDorset, but with one of the few ski slopes in the
smugglers. Despite this, these are modern andcountry, this can be well worth a day out. You shouldn't
incredibly comfortable. If you are planning to travel toneed to prepare for particularly cold weather, as no
Studland, a popular activity is to watch the sun comesnow is actually involved, but protective clothing is a
up over Old Harry Rocks, name after a famousmust.
smuggler. If you are visiting during the summer or10 Fishing
winter equinox, walks are organised by the nationalWhat would a visit to a sea side country be without it?
trust and the view, when not obscured by clouds, isThere are plenty of opportunities on a multitude of
spectacular.local rivers off piers or specially provided ferries. It is
5 Moors Valley Country Parkoffered in the previously mentioned Moors Valley,
For those of you who enjoy the outdoor life,Christ Church if you want a break from skiing or
surrounded by nature and only the occasional passer,Weymouth if you make a trip to Monkey World.
then you must try cycling at Moors Valley. Not onlyCrabbing off Mudeford pier is also a popular
does the expansive nature park offer all types ofintroduction for children, with the bait and lines also
terrain, but offers access to the surrounding area. Onavailable on the pier and a high success rate.