A post-lockdown escape to Dorset

After what felt like the longest time with nowhere to go, things finally started to open back up in April, including holiday cottages. Desperate to go anywhere other than our flat (and use all that annual leave), we booked a trip to Dorset. It had been on our list since 2020, when we planned a trip to the Jurassic Coast for Easter. Of course, the Easter trip was cancelled due to lockdown 1.0 so we then tried to tack it onto our summer holiday last year, but our Airbnb host cancelled on us - third time lucky!

Visiting Durdle Door was the initial draw to Dorset, but there was so much more to see and do. We chose to stay inland so we could get a nicer cottage, and we were really happy with this choice. We ended up with more rainy days than sunshine, so having a nice, cosy space to relax was ideal. Little Combe is a cute little cottage on a farm near Alton Pancras. The cottage is one of three, but it was super quiet and surrounded by idyllic countryside. It also had the added bonus of a hot tub, which we made daily use of.

On the way to Dorset, we stopped in Shaftesbury to see the legendary Gold Hill and take a few photos. We arrived in the late afternoon, so we missed most of the things to see in the area but it was nice to stop by even if it was just for the view.

We spent the first day relaxing and went out for a walk on a nearby trail. The cottage was well located for walking trails, although it did take us a few goes to find the trail. I managed to find a big patch of bluebells on this walk so I was happy that I hadn’t missed bluebell season. We were also a short drive from Cerne Abbas so on our second day, we went out for a Sunday lunch at the Royal Oak, a historic old pub in the centre of the town. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the best experience (confused orders, told our order was no longer available after it was placed etc.), but this may have been an exception. The town itself is nice to visit and aside from the famous Cerne Giant on the hillside, it also has an old abbey that you can wander around.

It poured with rain on Sunday and Monday, but by Monday afternoon we decided to take a chance and head out to the Abbotsbury Swannery. If you’re wondering, no, we didn’t manage to escape the rain but it was so worth it - I’ve never seen so many tame, beautiful swans in one place. The swans aren’t zoo animals - they’re wild swans, which voluntarily choose to nest at the Abbotsbury Swannery. We were there at just the right time to see baby swans as well, which made the visit even more special.

Our next location was a bit further afield to Lyme Regis, on the far western side of Dorset. I had heard good things about this seaside town - a friend even described it as ‘a better version of Brighton’ - so I decided it had to go on the must-visit list. Once again, we were met by some rather wild, rainy weather, but we were lucky that most of the rain came while we were indoors for lunch. The cutest part of the town is by The Town Mill, which has been converted into small artisan shops, cafes and a brewery. Asher’s absolute favourite spot though was the simplest of pleasures - down on the long stretch of rocky beach, searching for fossils and smashing the brittle rocks. We quickly discovered that a lot of people come prepared with chisels and picks to extract the fossils. I’d also recommend wearing a pair of rain boots, unless you’re lucky with the weather. We had a delicious seafood lunch at Oyster and Fish House, which also has a beautiful view over the sea. Just make sure you book ahead if you want to visit this spot - we booked the day prior, but had to opt for a late lunch despite it being a week day during the school term.

The sun finally came out on Wednesday afternoon, in time for our visit to the Isle of Portland. In the morning, we stopped at St Catherine’s Chapel to walk up the hill and take in the view, before driving on to Billy Winter’s for lunch with one of Asher’s colleagues. This restaurant sits on the long sandbar between Weymouth and the Isle of Portland, and is a good place to stop for a seaside lunch. We then went on to the island and drove straight to Portland Bill for the start of a loop walk. I was surprised by how sparse the island is - I’m so used to the English countryside being covered in lush greenery and trees, so it felt quite odd to see such an open expanse with so few trees - in a way, it reminded me of Australia. The one thing that didn’t remind me of home though was the strange collection of beach holiday huts on the cliffs!

We waited patiently for the weather to improve before visiting Durdle Door and it paid off in a big way. Not only did we get a rain-free day, but it was one of the clearest days of the year with the type of bright sunshine you rarely see in the UK. We opted for the Durdle Door and White Noathe loop walk up the chalk cliffs and then back through the fields to Lulworth Cove and it was quite frankly stunning. The climb up the cliffs was steep, but the view was exceptional and each climb felt so rewarding. The loop back is incredibly easy in comparison. Lulworth Cove has plenty of great food options and a lovely pebble beach to sit and watch the day go by. We did this walk on a Thursday and it was still quite busy, so I’d highly recommend choosing a week day, and not during school holidays if you can help it.

On our final day, we headed to Corfe Castle to visit the old ruins. I’m always fascinated by history and while this castle no longer stands, it’s fascinating to read about how people lived at the time - I don’t think many people have enjoyed living through a pandemic, but it sounds like a rosey existence in comparison to living off rotting meat and getting around in filthy clothes, like the Normans did.