• Know Before You Go - Covid-19 information
    • We're Good To Go Dorset
      • Accommodation
      • Days Out
    • Know before you go town centres
    • Repect, Protect and Enjoy Dorset
  • Things To Do
    • Shopping
      • Home Delivery and Online Shopping
      • Keep It Local
      • Markets
      • Antiques & Vintage
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Clothing & Accessories
      • Food & Drink
      • Shopping Areas & Retail Parks
    • Dorset Beaches
      • Beach Safety
      • Dog Friendly
      • The Jurassic Coast
      • Fossil Hunting
    • Active and Outdoor
      • Walking
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Watersports
      • Adventure
      • Leisure Centres
      • Golf
      • Group Friendly
    • Families & Children
    • Heritage & Culture
      • Castles & Forts
      • Ancient Sites
      • Museums & Galleries
      • National Trust
      • Landmarks
      • Stately Homes
      • Arts & Crafts
    • Animals & Farm Parks
    • Gardens & Parks
    • Tours & Boat Trips
      • Boat Tours
      • Guided Tours
      • Day Trips
      • Educational Visits
    • Food & Drink Experiences
    • Entertainment & Arts
      • Cinemas
      • Theatres
      • Nightlife
      • Performing Arts
    • Nature and Wildlife
      • Bird Watching
      • Nature Reserves and Country Parks
      • Dorsets Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • Accommodation
    • Hotels
    • Bed & Breakfast
    • Self Catering
    • Self Catering Agencies
    • Dorset Holiday Cottages
    • Caravan & Holiday Parks
    • Campsites
    • Glamping
    • Pubs & Inns
    • Farm Stays
    • Eco Friendly
    • Group Friendly
    • Pet Friendly
    • Accessible
    • Gradings & Awards
  • Shopping
  • Food & Drink
    • Takeaways
    • Restaurants
    • Pubs & Bars
    • Cafes & Coffee Shops
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Farmers' Markets
    • Local Produce
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Food Events
    • Food & Drink Experiences
  • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Special Offers
    • Visit Dorset Blog
    • Top 10 Ideas
      • Top 10 Free Days Out
      • Top 10 Days Out With Kids
      • Top 10 Dorset Views
      • Top 10 Dorset Walks
      • Top 10 Rainy Day Ideas
      • Top 10 Sunny Day Ideas
    • Dog Friendly
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Dog Friendly Attractions
      • Dog Friendly Eating Out
      • Dog Friendly Beaches
      • Walking in Dorset
    • Eco-friendly
      • Eco Friendly Accommodation
      • Car Free Breaks
      • Top 10 car free days out
      • Travelling around Dorset
      • Charging your electric car
      • Local produce
      • Shop local
    • Short Break Ideas
      • Winter Breaks in Dorset
      • Spring Breaks in Dorset
      • Foodie Dorset
      • Romantic Dorset
      • Car Free Dorset
      • Health and Wellbeing Breaks
      • Luxury Dorset
      • Walking Breaks
    • Film & TV
      • Ammonite
      • Broadchurch
      • Dunkirk
      • Far From The Madding Crowd
      • On Chesil Beach
    • History & Heritage
      • Museums
      • Literary Dorset
      • Ancient Sites
      • Jurassic Coast
      • Fossil Hunting
    • Dorset Weddings
      • Places To Propose
      • Wedding Venues
      • Wedding Services
      • Honeymoons
      • Stag and Hen
  • Explore
    • Respect, Protect, Enjoy
    • Jurassic Coast
      • Fossil Hunting
    • Areas To Visit
      • Beaminster
      • Blandford Forum
      • Bournemouth
      • Bridport & West Bay
      • Christchurch
      • Dorchester
      • Lyme Regis
      • Poole
      • Portland
      • Purbeck
      • Shaftesbury & Gillingham
      • Sherborne
      • Sturminster Newton
      • Swanage
      • Wareham
      • Weymouth
      • Wimborne Minster
    • Villages
      • Abbotsbury
      • Cerne Abbas
      • Charmouth
      • Corfe Castle
      • Cranborne
      • East & West Lulworth
      • Milton Abbas
    • Coast and Beaches
      • Be CoastWise
      • Dorset Beaches
      • Jurassic Coast
      • Dog Friendly Beaches
      • Harbours
    • Countryside
    • Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
  • What's On
    • Virtual events
    • Food & Drink Events
    • Art Events
    • Music Events
    • Festivals
    • Sporting Events
    • Nature Events
    • Submit Event
  • Visitor Information
    • Maps
    • Brochures & Guides
      • Accessible Guides
    • Tourist Information Centres
      • Tourist Information Points
    • Travel Information
      • Getting Here
      • Getting Around
      • Parking
    • Group Travel
      • Group Friendly Accommodation
      • Group Friendly Days Out
      • Group Friendly Eating Out
      • Educational Visits
      • Stag and Hen Parties
    • Litter Free Dorset
    • Accessibility
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Submit Event

Covid-19 information 

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation in Dorset

  • Things To Do

    Things To Do in Dorset

  • Food & Drink

    Places To Eat & Drink in Dorset

  • Explore

    Explore & Discover Dorset

Site Search Icon Site Search Icon

Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

To build your own Itinerary, click Add to Excursion to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

List All My Saved Itineraries

  • Change Language
  • Holidays and Tourist information - Official Tourism Board - Visit Dorset.
  • Print Logo
  1. Colmers Hill near Bridport
    Colmers Hill near Bridport
  2. Dorset's beautiful and majestic Jurassic Coast at West Bay
    Dorset's beautiful and majestic Jurassic Coast at West Bay
  3. Explore stunning countryside around Beaminster © Paul Smith
    Explore stunning countryside around Beaminster © Paul Smith

You are here: Explore > Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Dorset's Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty

  • Accommodation

  • Things To Do

  • What's On

  • Food & Drink

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Check In:
Add room / Unit

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Dates

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Search Accommodation

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Check In:
Add room / Unit

Search Things to Do

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Search What's On

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Dates

Search Food & Drink

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Whether you are going for a walk, having a meal out or simply travelling through the county, the landscape in Dorset provides an OUTSTANDING backdrop!

The variety of picturesque landscapes and great views you will see around every corner are just some of the reasons that over half of the county has been designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

But the landscape in Dorset is so much more than a fantastic view - it’s a living, breathing landscape and it probably won’t surprise you that the wildlife and history, as well as the people who live and work here, make it a very special place.

Nationally important protected landscapes

The Dorset AONB and Cranborne Chase AONB are part of a family of nationally important protected landscapes (AONBs and National Parks) in the UK. The Dorset AONB is the 5th largest AONB, stretching from Lyme Regis to Poole Harbour and inland covering much of West Dorset and meeting the Cranborne Chase AONB at Blandford. 

The part of Dorset within the Cranborne Chase AONB incorporates parts of North Dorset, including Fontmell Magna and Iwerne Minster, while Sixpenny Handley, Cranborne and Knowlton sit on the eastern edge of East Dorset.    

The 'Wildlife Capital' of the UK

With well over 80% of the UK's bird, butterfly and mammal species living here, it’s no wonder that the Dorset AONB is often considered the wildlife capital of the UK. And don’t forget that all 6 of the native British reptile species live here too! The Wild Purbeck project is just one of the ways which has helped conserve this local wildlife for all to enjoy – you’ll see some very healthy heathland to explore in the Wareham and Swanage area. 

Cranborne Chase AONB’s involvement in the Farmland Bird Project in Dorset helped to boost numbers of declining species, such as the corn bunting, grey partridge, lapwing, tree sparrow, turtle dove and yellow wagtail.

Great wildlife needs great landscapes

To understand the sheer variety of Dorset’s wildlife, you just have to look out of the window as you travel around! It’s the varied landscape that supports such amazing wildlife – one minute you can be in windswept chalk downland, the next in the heathlands of Purbeck or the enigmatic clay vales of West Dorset. Take a look at the 40 ideas of places you can go to experience all these wonderful landscapes and great views. 

Cranborne Chase, too, boasts a variety of spectacular features, from rolling chalk grassland and ancient woodlands to chalk escarpments, downland hillsides and chalk river valleys. It is such landscapes that are home to the otter, brown hare, goshawk |(one of Britain’s most spectacular birds of prey), and in the summer, a proliferation of butterflies, including the stunning silver-washed fritillary.

And Cranborne Chase also has wonderful dark night skies – so free from light pollution that wildlife thrives beneath them. In recognition of this, the AONB has been designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve. 

History brought to life

The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site offers you the chance to walk through time – 185 million years of geological time no less. But as you walk along the coast and witness the changes in rocks as you go, glance inland and see how these rocks shape the character of the landscape there.

You can get a more intimate insight into life gone by in the South Dorset Ridgeway - an ancient ceremonial landscape between Dorchester and Weymouth. Experts say this ridge of land is as important as Stonehenge and Avebury for the sheer scale of the barrows, henges, hillforts and stone circles. With over 1000 ancient sites, the South Dorset Ridgeway project has helped preserve and celebrate this enigmatic landscape and can help you get a better insight into the area.

Ancient peoples first began to manage the land within the Cranborne Chase AONB 8,000 years ago and they settled and began farming during the Bronze and Iron ages. Knowlton Church perfectly symbolises this early history and the transition from pagan to Christian worship. The forests were royal hunting areas even before the Normans invaded in 1066. Today, Cranborne Chase AONB’s Dorset segment still boasts in excess of 2,000 hectares of ancient woodland, areas renowned in literature and legend for the spiritual and the spooky. Thomas Hardy puts its oppressive and primeval elements to powerful use in the seduction scene in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, while tales of headless horsemen and ghostly spectres abound.

Early English kings are associated with the Cranborne Chase AONB, including King Alfred the Great and King John, who is known to have hunted across the area. Architects and garden designers who made their mark include Sir John Vanbrugh, Charles Bridgeman and Gertrude Jekyll. Others were inspired to pick up a conductor’s baton (Sir John Eliot Gardiner) or a pen - William Barnes wrote numerous poems in a Dorset dialect.

Inspiring landscapes

The Dorset AONB has an outstanding legacy of artist’s work inspired by the landscape. Thomas Hardy and William Barnes are well known for their literary works that capture the essence of the Dorset countryside so carefully.

But Dorset has also attracted many artists, musicians and craftspeople, whose valuable work sheds light on our past – including Paul Nash, Constable, and even Gustav Holst. Numerous arts groups have also been the recipients of grants from the Cranborne Chase AONB, including Steps in Time, a group which recreates the folk dances of yesteryear, such as those immortalised by Thomas Hardy himself.

Healthy landscapes

Evidence shows that having access to the natural environment can increase your health and wellbeing – even if you are simply sitting and admiring the view.

The Dorset AONB project team are keen to ensure that opportunities to benefit from the landscape are open to all. The easy access trails at Black Down and their work with people with dementia and their carers are things they are very proud of.

Tasty landscapes

The tastes of Dorset are as varied and characterful as the landscape itself. The Dorset Food and Drink initiative is just one example of how we can support local producers to make a living in Dorset – benefitting the landscape and the local economy at the same time. A great way to enjoy the landscape and just some of its great tastes whilst cycling is to try the Dorset Pedal.

Loading..Loading..

Follow Visit Dorset

  • Facebook

    Thumbnail for Facebook

  • Twitter

    Thumbnail for Twitter

  • Youtube

    Thumbnail for Youtube

  • Instagram

    Thumbnail for Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter

thank you

Download our Guide

thank you

Know Before You Go - Covid-19 information
  • We're Good To Go Dorset,
  • Know before you go town centres,
  • Repect, Protect and Enjoy Dorset,
Things To Do
  • Family Friendly,
  • Dog Friendly,
  • The Jurassic Coast,
  • Fossil Hunting,
  • Shopping,
  • Active and Outdoor ,
  • Families & Children,
  • Heritage & Culture,
  • Animals & Farm Parks,
  • Gardens & Parks,
  • Tours & Boat Trips,
  • Food & Drink Experiences,
  • Entertainment & Arts,
  • Nature and Wildlife,
Accommodation
  • Hotels,
  • Bed & Breakfast,
  • Self Catering,
  • Self Catering Agencies,
  • Dorset Holiday Cottages,
  • Caravan & Holiday Parks,
  • Campsites,
  • Glamping,
  • Pubs & Inns,
  • Farm Stays,
  • Eco Friendly,
  • Group Friendly,
  • Pet Friendly,
  • Accessible,
  • Gradings & Awards,
Shopping Food & Drink
  • Restaurants,
  • Pubs & Bars,
  • Cafes & Coffee Shops,
  • Afternoon Tea,
  • Farmers' Markets,
  • Local Produce,
  • Celebrity Chefs,
  • Food Events,
  • Food & Drink Experiences,
Ideas & Inspiration
  • Special Offers,
  • Visit Dorset Blog,
  • Top 10 Ideas,
  • Dog Friendly,
  • Eco-friendly,
  • Short Break Ideas,
  • Film & TV,
  • History & Heritage,
  • Dorset Weddings,
  • Dorset Videos,
Explore
  • Jurassic Coast,
  • Areas To Visit,
  • Villages,
  • Coast and Beaches,
  • Countryside,
  • Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB),
What's On
  • Festivals,
  • Food & Drink Events,
  • Art Events,
  • Music Events,
  • Nature Events,
  • Sporting Events,
  • Submit Event,
Visitor Information
  • Maps,
  • Brochures & Guides,
  • Tourist Information Centres,
  • Travel Information,
  • Group Travel,
  • Litter Free Dorset,
  • Accessibility,
  • Social Media,
  • Contact Us,
Home
Industry
  • About Us,
  • Our Work,
  • Working With Us,
  • Media Room,
  • Business Resources,
  • Research,
  • News,
  • Print Page
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Statement
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright 2021 Visit Dorset. All Rights Reserved.

Made By Simpleview Logo

Ratings & Reviews

Powered By

tripadvisor

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog

Special Offers

Sign up to our E-newsletter

Order or Download a Brochure

Visit Dorset Blog