Dorset is one of England’s finest counties for van travel – combining the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, the chalk downlands of the interior, the heathland landscapes made famous by Thomas Hardy and a string of distinctive market towns and coastal villages that each have genuine character. It is a county that rewards time spent exploring it slowly rather than rushing between landmarks.
The Jurassic Coast runs the length of Dorset’s shoreline – from the distinctive chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks near Studland Bay in the east to Lyme Regis on the Devon border in the west. The Chesil Beach barrier beach, the sea arch at Durdle Door, the fossil-rich cliffs near Charmouth and the dramatic scenery around Portland Bill make this one of the most varied and interesting coastlines in England.
Inland Dorset is less visited but equally rewarding. The market towns of Dorchester, Shaftesbury, Blandford Forum and Sherborne each have their own appeal. The chalk downlands around Maiden Castle – one of England’s finest Iron Age hillforts – and the Cranborne Chase AONB offer excellent walking country and van-friendly rural roads.
The Dorset posts on this site cover specific stops and experiences from real van trips – practical first-hand information about what makes each location worth visiting and how to get the most out of van travel in this exceptional county.
I’d heard Halletts Camping at Portland Bill mentioned a few times by fellow travellers, mostly for the views and how close it is to the lighthouse, so I was keen to see whether it really was as simple and scenic as people said. This isn’t a polished campsite with neat pitches and long lists of … Read more