Anything unmissable in Dorset?

L

lamna

Well-Known Member
This summer I'll be going to Dorset, more specifically Durdle Door and I'm wondering if there is anything nearby that's unmissable.

Living Coasts and Paignton Zoo both look good, but I think they are right on the edge of what's practical.

I'm also looking at land based whale watching, apparently Durlston Head and Portland Bill are good places.
 
Without a shadow of a doubt, I recommend you visit here:

The RSPB: Arne

It's about 14 miles from Durdle Door, and among other highlights has the full set of UK reptiles and amphibians, the highest density in the UK of Nightjar and large numbers of species such as Dartford Warbler, Spoonbill, Little Egret, Hen and Marsh Harrier and Avocet.

Although the car park closes at dusk, the reserve itself is accessible 24/7 so if you were able to find somewhere to park up elsewhere and didn't mind walking to the reserve an evening walk would give you a *lot* of nice wildlife sightings.

If you were able to get to the reserve by 10am on a Wednesday I strongly recommend you participate in one of these weekly guided tours:

The RSPB: Events: Discover Arne

Weather permitting, these tours include access to areas of the reserve usually closed to the public which have high concentrations of smooth snake and slow-worm; when the weather has been clement enough to allow these taxa to bask under the corrugated iron placed for this purpose, the RSPB tour guides will lift the sheeting in the hope of allowing those on the tour to see these species.
 
lamna said:
Living Coasts and Paignton Zoo both look good, but I think they are right on the edge of what's practical.
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It depends what you consider practical, but Paignton is definitely not too long by car. I've been there from Bournemouth (considerably further than you would be going), which only took 2 hours.
 
Anything unmissable....?

No zoos in Dorset except Monkeyworld, well worth a visit, but don't let them hear you calling them a zoo! Abbotsbury Swannery and Subtropical Gardens are both interesting, one is the only managed colony of a Mute Swans in the world, and the other has Kookaburras and Ornamental Pheasants in an exotic garden setting.
Axe Valley and Paignton of course are in a Devon, but none the worse for that.
 
There is also the Oceanarium at Bournemouth and the Sea Life Centre at Weymouth ( visited a while back but was then a more varied collection than some of the other Sea Lifes ) .
 
Waddi said:
You can get a ferry to Jersey from Weymouth.
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Condor ferries to the Channel Islands have again (it will be the 2nd time) moved(or they will have by then) to Poole. Relocation has been due to ongoing problems with the dock at Weymouth, who have now lost the Ferry permanently. Significant economic loss to the town probably.
 
.....Dorset?

That still makes Jersey easy access from the county, Durrell is amazing.
 
Pertinax said:
Condor ferries to the Channel Islands have again (it will be the 2nd time) moved(or they will have by then) to Poole. Relocation has been due to ongoing problems with the dock at Weymouth, who have now lost the Ferry permanently. Significant economic loss to the town probably.
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I stand corrected, thank you.
 
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