Dorset Map and Guide
This Dorset map and guide shows many of the attractions, beaches, villages and historical places of interest in Dorset. Situated on the south coast of England, Dorset is surrounded by, and within easy traveling distance of Wiltshire, Hampshire and Devon.
Our Dorset Map & Guide shows hundreds of 360° panoramas from Dorset linked to a Google map. You will find pictures of Dorset beaches, ancient churches, museums and historic sites, pictures from Dorset towns, villages and seaside resorts and much of the Jurassic Coast.
Dorset Seaside Towns and Beaches
The county capital is Dorchester, but Dorset is better known for the seaside resort towns and beaches, with Bournemouth, Swanage, Weymouth and Lyme Regis being among the more popular. Many people also flock to Christchurch and Poole, famous for Poole Harbour with its marinas and water activities, Bronwsea Island and home to the RNLI.
Dorset has many of the best beaches in the UK and much of the coastline has been declared part of a World Heritage Site. Visitors are spoilt for choice for long, sandy beaches, with Boscombe beach, Bournemouth beach, Sandbanks and Shell Bay being among the most popular. Further west are sandy beaches at Swanage and Weymouth.
Dorset and the Jurassic Coast
The Dorset coastline is often referred to as the Jurassic Coast and many villages promote themselves as 'Gateways to the Jurassic Coast'. Formed in the Jurassic Period some 185 million years ago, the rocks along the coast are famous for fossils with rich beds of different fossils in places like Lyme Regis and Kimmeridge Bay.
The Jurassic Coast also yields world famous stunning coastal formations, many of which feature in geography textbooks. Among these are Hengistbury Head, Old Harry Rocks, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door to name a few. A coastal path runs the whole length of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. This 95 mile trail starts at near the Sandbanks Ferry at the entrance to Poole Harbour and continues west to Exmouth in Devon.
Dorset Inland and the New Forest
Away from the coast, much of Dorset is made of rolling hills, providing excellent walking and outdoor pursuits. Some of the rivers offer excellent fishing and angling. Aside from Dorchester, the county capital, other notable towns in rural Dorset include Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne. Spend your time visiting the coffee shops, museums, ancient churches and other attractions. The history of these towns dates back thousands of years and there are several ancient churches and abbeys.
Dorset also contains several notable Iron and Bronze Age features like Badbury Rings and the Cerne Abbas Giant next to Cerne Abbas. Visitors can also explore numerous country homes and estates run by English Heritage and the National Trust. Away from the towns may come to visit the New Forest, once a royal hunting ground, and now preserved for our enjoyment.
