Where is Dorset?
Dorset is located along the southern coast of England, just across the channel from France, and is neighboured by Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire.
Containing sections of the Cranborne Chase, Dorset is part of the UK's Jurassic Coast - a fossil-rich stretch of cliffs popular with palaeontologists and hobby collectors.
Dorset's largest town is Bournemouth, and the county sits about 2 and a half hours' drive from London.
Transport in Dorset
Dorset is bisected by four major A-roads: the A37, the A35, the A354, and the A31. These roads connect Dorset’s larger towns, Poole and Bournemouth, to the likes of Exeter, Yeovil, and Salisbury.
There are 23 active train stations across the county, the largest of which is in Bournemouth.
There's a direct service, operated by South Western Railway, that runs from Bournemouth to London Waterloo, which gets you into the capital in about 1hr 45m.
Shopping in Dorset
Dorset’s largest indoor shopping centre can be found in Poole. Poole’s Dolphin Shopping Centre houses over 90 different retailers, including the likes of Ernest Jones, Valentino, Wilko, and Warhammer.
Dorset is home to a number of open-air and indoor markets, the largest of which is the Dorchester Market. Showcasing the wares of over 200 different traders, at Dorchester Market you'll find everything from fresh produce to shoes and bags and flowers.
Things to do in Dorset
Dorset's most famous attraction is arguably its fossil walk at Lyme Regis. Dubbed the 'Ammonite Pavement', this area of coastline boasts a ledge teeming with fossilised ammonites.
Dorset is also home to the Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Wareham, the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery in Dorchester, and the stunning ruins of Corfe Castle, situated in the Purbeck Hills.
There are also RSPB reserves to be found across the wetlands of Arne, Lodmoor and Radipole Lake.
Popular places to live in Dorset
A largely rural coastal county, regardless of where in Dorset you choose to call home, the county’s pleasant surroundings allow for a picturesque home to be made in any of its many towns and villages.
Wimborne Minster
Located just north of Bournemouth and Poole, near Dorset’s county line, Wimborne Minster is well known for being home to the Holt Heath National Nature Reserve – an expansive nature reserve populated largely by rows upon rows of beautiful oak trees.
We have a number of properties in Wimborne Minster situated within 15 minutes of the popular nature reserve featuring a selection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes.
Explore our development in Wimborne Minster
Bridport
Perfect for those looking to live right by Dorset’s coastline, Bridport’s beach, at West Bay, is situated within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which has lent the town much of its popularity.
Beyond having a beautiful beach on its doorstep, the town’s hospital and its many supermarkets have helped set it apart as an attractive yet highly practical place to live in Dorset.
Lyme Regis
Situated along the Jurassic Coast, Lyme Regis is a coastal town just minutes away from the famous Ammonite Pavement.
With a monthly farmers market and several independent shops to support, Lyme Regis has a real communal feel to it.
Considering living in Dorset?
If you'd like to find out more about the new homes we have available in Dorset, book an appointment today.
