Dorset hidden gems?

[SockYarn]

We've booked a house in Lyme Regis for next year in the hopes things will be more "normal" by then. Never been to Dorset before although we know the southampton area quite well, and have been further south west into Cornwall too.

Any hidden gems? We will be travelling with three teenage children. Looking for beaches, nice country pubs, nice little villages with tea shops and craft shops, and for the kids something maybe like Go Ape, or surfing. Yes I can google but personal recommendations are better!

Seaton Electric Tramway - assuming it is open.

West bay where broadchurch was filmed is lovely for a mooch, king Edward's fish and chip shop in Weymouth

Oooh yes i'd forgotten that Broadchurch was filmed round there, the scenery was lovely.

Kimmeridge is a nice day trip, the etches collection museum has fossils and you can sometimes book guided walks to learn about the jurassic coast, over the road is clavels restaurant which is dog friendly and it is a short walk to the cliffs and coast where you can find your own fossils, take a walk along the coastal path or visit the visitor centre

Also along that coast is dancing ledge, in usual times you can book coasteering sessions with land and wave or on Groupon, along that way is Lytchett Matravers and a pub called the Square and compass which is a pasty and pint of local cider type of place with live entertainment at weekends. Obviously all these things may be covid cancelled so check before you go!

I will try to think of some other places too for you...

If you're a foodie type of family I recommend the hive beach cafe for seafood which is near Abbotsbury. Order crab for the teenagers to really test their mettle!

Town Mill Bakery on Coombe Street for breakfast.

Baboo ice cream is worth the queue.

Teenagers will love Herbies on the sea front.

Cerne Abbas, Badbury Rings, Blandford military museum, Blandford Fashion Museum, Blandford Town Museum. Hambledon Hill.

Not in Dorset, but there's Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, which is about 12 miles from Blandford.

It's Hardy Country and you'll lose count of thatched cottages, and the village names are really cute.

Maiden Castle and the Hardy Monument (as in Kiss me Hardy, not Stan's mate or even the poet)

@MikeUniformMike my DGPs lived in Shaftesbury.

I remember laughing as a child when the 'Northern' Hovis advert was on!