Follow our 7 day car-free Dorset itinerary and find out why you should use Dorchester as the base for your next Dorset holiday.
There’s no need to drive to get away for a picturesque and memorable holiday in Dorset. Follow our seven-day car-free guide for the ultimate week in Dorset using vibrant and historic Dorchester as your base.
Why stay in Dorchester? Its central, its beautiful, its historic, it has gorgeous hotels, restaurants and bars, and great shopping. It is also well connected. It has direct train links with Bristol and London and bus links to the best spots in Dorset.
Car-free holidays are increasingly popular among travellers seeking to reduce their environmental impact and enjoy a more relaxed pace. Dorset is a brilliant place to visit if you are travelling car-free and we have come up with a varied itinerary that you will be sure to enjoy.
Day 1 – Arrival & Explore Dorchester
Morning: Catch the direct train from London, Bristol, Bath or Southampton and arrive in the centre of Dorchester mid-morning for a relaxed coffee in one of Dorchester many wonderful cafés.
After coffee stretch your legs and familiarise yourself with the historic Roman centre of Dorchester with a town walk. Don’t’ miss the Roman town house, it is free to visit and it is one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England, and Maumbury Rings, an impressive Roman Amphitheatre that is also free to visit!
Afternoon: After lunch soak up the history further with a trip of one of Dorchester’s six museums!
Check in time: There are lots of brilliant accommodation options to suit any budget in Dorchester. Whether you want a tried and tested Premier Inn or Sleeping Bear Hotel, or a bit more luxury at a boutique hotel such at The King’s Arms or The Duchess of Cornwall Inn. Dorchester has you covered.
Evening: Dinner at one of the many pubs and restaurants in town then check out range of events run by Dorchester Arts at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange.
Day 2 – Jurassic Coast: Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door
No trip to Dorset is complete without exploring the Jurassic Coast. It is England's first and only natural World Heritage Site. The most iconic places to visit on the Jurassic Coast are Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Both of these unique and beautiful coastal sites are within walking distance of each other and can be accessed by bus from Dorchester via the X54 or Jurassic Breezer bus (plan your journey here).
Once you have arrived be sure to enjoy the views, soak up the fresh sea air, swim in the cove, look for fossils, enjoy a coastal walk or, if you are feeling more adventurous, book in advance to do some coasteering or kayaking!
Evening: You can easily spend the whole day exploring the Lulworth area. Once you are back in Dorchester in the evening though, why not sit down relax and watch a film in one of Dorchester’s two cinemas or try out the escape room in vibrant Brewery Square. There are a great number of eateries and bars in Brewery Square and the fountains and lighting in the square create a wonderful evening vibe.
Day 3 – Athelhampton House
Morning: Another day, another adventure! Today we are taking the CR9 bus from Dorchester which drops you right outside Athelhampton House and Gardens. Athelhampton is a request stop with 3 buses in each direction on a weekday. Visit this exquisite example of Tudor architecture, with over 20 rooms open to explore, with fine furnishings and antiques. You can explore the 12 acres of award-winning gardens that surround the manor, find out why Thomas Hardy loved Athelhampton, and learn about the ghostly goings on.
Afternoon and evening: Once back in Dorchester then walk or take the town bus up to Poundbury. Poundbury is a unique urban extension to Dorchester, designed according to principles of architecture and urban planning as advocated by King Charles III in his book ‘A Vision of Britain’. Stroll around the streets and admire the architecture. Look out for Royal connections in the street names and statues to prominent Royals. Enjoy perusing the array of independent shops, cafés, garden centre and art galleries. Dine in one of the many restaurants and pubs.
Day 4 – Portland Adventure
Morning: Let’s get back to the coast and take the bus to Portland via Weymouth (number 10 then the number 1). Hope off at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy stop and there are a range of great activities to enjoy in this area.
If you are organised and have booked in advance, then try your hand at sailing or Windsurfing in the waters used for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing and Windsurfing events!
You can also book in advance to enjoy a sauna swim experience if that tickles your fancy.
Don’t worry if you haven’t booked ahead though. There are still lots of great things to do. You can swim at Portland Castle beach and Portland marina, walk along the causeway and visit Chesil Beach and the Wild Chesil Centre.
If you have packed your hiking boots and OS map then you can even do a walking loop of the whole Isle of Portland (13 miles) following the South West Coast Path and visit the Portland Bill Lighthouse!
Late afternoon and evening: Once you have explored Portland then you can get the number 1 bus back to Weymouth seafront and treat yourself to a traditional ice cream, followed by a stroll around the beautiful fishing harbour and some fish and chips for dinner.
There are some lively cocktail bars with DJs in Weymouth so stay into the evening and get the last bus or train back if you fancy a bit of a dance and drink!
Day 5 – Hardy Country
Morning: Today’s itinerary is inspired by the internationally famous novelist and poet Thomas Hardy. Thomas Hardy lived in and was inspired by Dorset, particularly the town of Dorchester and the surrounding villages.
The beautiful chocolate box cottage that Thomas Hardy was born in and the house that Thomas Hardy designed, built and lived in until he died are both owned by the National Trust and you can visit them between March and September each year. Tickets should be booked in advance via the National Trust website.
Hardy’s Cottage in Lower Bockhampton is a lovely walk from the centre of Dorchester across fields, beside the river and through the village of Stinsford (where Thomas Hardy’s heart is buried in the church graveyard). From the cottage you can then walk directly to Hardy’s House Max Gate and then back into town again.
If visiting between September and March then the walk out to Hardy’s cottage is still very much worth doing. It is a gorgeous walk out and you can enjoy the exterior of the cottage, Hardy’s Birthplace Visitors Centre and Thorncombe Woods out of season.
Evening: Time to cosy up by the fire in a pub and enjoy a pint of local ale, glass of wine from one of the local vineyards. Lots of the pubs in Dorchester have live music events, sometimes even folk music nights like the ones that Thomas Hardy would have participated in with his violin.
Day 6 – Abbotsbury
Morning: Today we are heading west and hopping on the double decker X53 bus to Abbotsbury. We recommend sitting on the top deck to enjoy some stunning views of the Jurassic Coast on the way!
Once you arrive in Abbotsbury you will be transported back in time by the idyllic streets lined with cottages. From the centre you can walk to visit the Subtropical Gardens or St Catherine’s Chapel depending on which one is of most interest to you.
Afternoon: As we come towards the end of this action packed week you are probably starting to feel a bit tired so why not treat yourself to a thermal spa experience at Monart Spa in Poundbury.
Evening: After the spa experience we imagine that you will be feeling pretty sleepy so stroll over the road to Duchess of Cornwall Inn for an evening meal before the best nights sleep of your life!
Day 7 – Meet the Giant then journey home
It’s the last day so let’s do something memorable and meet a giant! The Cerne Giant is an ancient naked figure carved into hillside just outside of the picturesque village of Cerne Abbas. It is Britain’s largest chalk hill figure (180ft tall) and perhaps the best known. You can get to and from Cerne Abbas on the CR5 bus. Once here you can walk around the hillside, but the actual figure is cordoned off to protect it. There is a great viewing area where you can take a photo of you and the giant and the village itself is well worth a look round.
We hope you have enjoyed exploring Dorset car-free using Dorchester as your base. For more information about what to do and where to stay in Dorchester visit www.discoverdorchester.co.uk
