You might think you know about Dorset. A pastoral landscape immortalised by Thomas Hardy, with gently rolling hills and charming towns and villages. And a UNESCO-listed coastline that is a magnet for fossil hunters. But scratch beneath the surface – as 111 Places in Dorset that You Shouldn’t Miss does – and you’ll find a county brimming with unexpected stories, eccentric characters, and hidden haunts that defy the picture-postcard view.
Contents
The Many Faces Of Dorset
The introduction to 111 Places in Dorset has a wonderfully evocative glimpse of a passer-by “ambling with two donkeys through a hazel wood”. This seems to sum up the popular image of Dorset, and indeed we meet “swanherds and bakers… cidermakers [and] flower farmers” within the pages of this book.
But at the same time readers encounter natural spaces, culinary delights, modern art and contemporary design. You learn about sites where history was made, from the earliest times to modern warfare. And there are all manner of curiosities to discover.
As the name suggests, the book includes 111 different locations within Dorset (the county’s two cities are excluded, as they are the subject of their own titles in the series – 111 Places in Poole and 111 Places in Bournemouth). There is a wide variety of sights, from well known landmarks like Gold Hill in Shaftesbury and the famous Cerne Giant to lesser known corners that even locals may not be familiar with.
Everything From Food To Rituals
Look out for a stone circle that functions as a solar calendar (spoiler: it’s nothing like Stonehenge, either in age or design); an ancient dewpond that features in colourful Midsummer rituals; a tiny town hall that also houses a museum devoted to the history of Corfe Castle; and a church that doubles up as a gallery and arts centre.
As a history lover I was pleased to see a mention of the Saxon walls of Wareham, and I was intrigued by tales of smugglers, deer poachers, and transported criminals. There are local heroes like Lawrence of Arabia and the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and of course the county has its fair share of legends…
Food features strongly here. We are introduced to a wine estate, a traditional Dorset bakery, England’s oldest family butcher (dating back to 1515), and a cider farm with a mathematical heritage. And there are restaurants and cafés, some of them in rather unusual settings.
Expect The Unexpected
Then there is the bizarre, the unexpected and the mysterious. Like the remote spot where ancient tracks converge and a pile of notebooks allows walkers to record their thoughts (a bit like the tradition of Dartmoor letterboxing). Or the massive stone block that might (or might not) have been transported to its present location by the Devil.
Questions are posed. What exactly is a potato cave, and where can you find one? And what should we make of a sign that points to a “Bypassed Chinese Takeaway”? It is all designed to spark your curiosity and to leave you longing to explore Dorset for yourself!
How To Use 111 Places In Dorset That You Shouldn’t Miss
You could use 111 Places in Dorset as a conventional guidebook. It is arranged alphabetically by the name of the nearest town or village, and each entry has a full description of the featured location and colour photograph. There are directions by car or public transport, useful information for visitors, and suggestions for nearby places to explore. A map at the end of the book shows the location of each sight.
But it’s also a book to dip into – for inspiration, for discovery, or simply for the pleasure of armchair exploration.
111 Places In Dorset That You Shouldn’t Miss, Jeni Bell and Karen Heaney, Emons Verlag, 2025, 9783740821463
