June heralds the arrival of summer in Dorset with long days, sunny skies and warm temperatures, meaning there’s plenty of outdoor fun in store if you’re visiting Dorset this month.
Dine Al Fresco!
With the sun shining in all its glory, it’s the perfect time of year to dine al fresco! Here in Dorset you can sip your morning coffee and people watch at a trendy market town cafe, head out for a scrumptious Ploughman’s lunch overlooking the fields at a village pub garden and finish the day enjoying a glass of wine and fresh seafood at a beachside restaurant.
National Picnic Week takes place this June from 15th – 21st, so grab your blankets and baskets out of the cupboards and get out to the great outdoors for a good old fashioned picnic. If you’re looking for the best spot for a view, take a look at our local’s recommendations.
Go Glamping
Dorset boasts some of the best scenery in Britain and what better way to experience it than with a holiday in the great outdoors? The long, balmy evenings make glamping a fantastic option in the summer months and it offers the opportunity to get closer to nature without sacrificing any home comforts.
Glamping offers an undeniably unique aesthetic and there are plenty of stylish places to stay in Dorset from cosy shepherds huts to treehouses and bell tents, perfect for that Instagram reel.
Our friends over at Parkdean have come up with 5 top reasons why you should give glamping a go in Dorset this year!
Celebrate the Summer Solstice
For a unique experience, join the rangers at Arne Nature Reserve as they celebrate the summer solstice on 20 June. Starting at 4am (set your alarms!), you’ll walk through the farm fields and heathlands of Arne in the darkness of pre-dawn, meandering down to the Shipstal Shoreline ready to watch the sun rising over Poole harbour just before 5am. An experience not to be missed!
The Ashmore Filly Loo is an ancient and magical celebration marking the longest day and the filling of the village pond and is held on the Friday nearest June 21st. With a green-man, the Hambleden Hopstep Band, Morris Men and lots of dancing in the village street, it promises to be a day of merriment.
Or you could simply choose to pay homage to the sun by watching the sunrise or sunset at one of Dorset’s remarkable beauty spots. Check out the top spots in Dorset.
Folk Festivities
The Wessex Folk Festival is held on the first weekend in June each year against the picturesque backdrop of Weymouth Harbour. The weekend starts with ‘warm up’ sessions in the harbourside pubs on the Friday to set the festival atmosphere then the whole of Saturday and Sunday are filled with music and fun, with two stages hosting around thirty of the best folk music acts from the UK and abroad.
Head to Wimborne the following weekend for a two days of family friendly entertainment, activities and shows with live music across the town’s pubs and bars for the Wimborne Folk Festival.
Father’s Day
It’s time to say thank you to your Dad in June and there’s plenty of places in Dorset that would make for a special Father's Day outing.
Farmer Palmers Farm Park , Monkey World and Exbury Gardens are offering half price entry for Dads and adventurous Dads can enjoy a foraging or watersports adventure with Fore Adventure.
But if your old man just wants to relax with a beer and a Sunday Roast, we’ve got you covered there too with plenty of places to eat out!
Bridport Food and Beer Festival
A popular event in the Dorset calendar is the Bridport Food and Beer Festivals. The Food Festival fortnight kicks off on the 10 June and for two whole weeks, food and drink businesses in the town will be celebrating everything local and delicious with taste trails, food, drink, activities for the kids and more.
Then on Saturday 15 June, the food festival joins up with the Bridport Round Table Beer Festival at Asker Meadows to further celebrate the areas magnificent food and drink! There will be over 60 local food & drink producers, and food to go caterers offering a whole raft of delicious food and drink for you to try and buy.
Fossil Fun
Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, the biggest palaeontology event in the UK returns to Lyme Regis on the 8th & 9th June and invites fossil enthusiasts of all ages to its FREE expert talks, exhibitions & educational activities, guided walks, author talks & book signings, creative workshops, street performances and much, much more!
Go Wild
Camping is always great fun, but why not go a little bit wild this year!
Home of the BBC's Winterwatch and Springwatch 2024, the RSPB Arne Nature Reserve will hold Big Wild Sleep Outs this summer. The weekend of 21 to 23 June is for adults only, and the family camping weekend takes place in July. You’ll get to camp out under the stars in this vast nature reserve and get access to parts of Arne not normally open to the public.
You can also camp out on Brownsea Island (up until the end of September) with a minimum 2 night stay. Immerse yourself in nature and get to be one of the few people to stay overnight on the island once all the day visitors have left. You can bring your own tent or upgrade to a Bell Tent or Tree Tent, and you might be lucky enough to see a rare red squirrel during your visit!
Red squirrel on Brownsea Island © Paul Williams Photography
Book your June short break or holiday
Sometimes a day just isn't long enough, so why not stay a little longer and book overnight accommodation in one of Dorset's B&Bs, hotels, campsites, cottages or holiday parks.
