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Itinerary
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Day 1 Lyme Regis: Travel to starting point (Lyme
Regis). Explore town and medieval stone (Cobb) harbour.
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Day 2 Lyme Regis: Walk through famous
Under-cliff (nature reserve on coast west of town) or explore
coastal cliffs for fossils and walk to Seaton, maybe return to Lyme
by taxi (10 miles 6 hours).
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Day 3 Bridport: “Roller-coaster” footpath
along coast over Golden Cap hill (highest sea cliff in the south of
England) to West Bay (11 miles 6 hours).
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Day 4 Abbotsbury: Coastal path via Saxon Hill
Fort with magnificent views of Chesil Bank (longest shingle beach in
Europe) to Abbotsbury with its medieval tithe barn and swannery.
(9 miles 4 hours).
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Day 5 Dorchester: Inland via Dorset Ridgeway
path to Maiden Castle, a massive ancient earthwork fortress sacked
by the Romans in the 1st C A.D. and Dorchester (11 miles 5 hours).
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Day 6 Dorchester: Optional walk from Dorchester
to the famous village of Milton Abbas (12 miles, 6 hours) with its
two long curved rows of thatched cottages facing each other across
the village green. On the way you walk past the isolated cottage at
Higher Bockhampton where Thomas Hardy was born (limited public
opening) and the village of Puddletown (the setting of Weatherbury
in’ Far from the Madding Crowd'). Bus or taxi from Puddletown (6
miles, 3 hours from Dorchester) or Milton Abbas back to Dorchester;
fares not included in tour price but we provide bus timetables and a
local taxi number. If the weather is unfavourable there is plenty to
do and see in Dorchester itself, with Roman remains and a good local
museum.
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Day 7: While your baggage goes direct from
Dorchester to Lulworth Cove, you return by train (hourly service,
journey time 10 minutes) to the coast at the lively resort of
Weymouth and then follow the Dorset Coast Path eastwards along the
brilliant white chalk cliffs from Weymouth to Lulworth Cove. On the
way you pass the natural arches of Bats Head and Durdle Door and the
long abandoned medieval village of Ringstead.
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Day 8: End of tour. When/if you can tear
yourself away from the scenic wonders of Lulworth Cove and Stair
Hole you will need to order a taxi from Lulworth Cove to Wool train
station for your journey back to London. There is also a bus service
from Lulworth Cove to Wool, Wareham and Swanage.
Accommodation
The
villages of Hardy’s Dorset have been accommodating visitors for
many centuries. We spend the first 2 nights in Lyme Regis
where Jane Austen would still feel at home. Our accommodation is a
former coaching inn, it has modern comforts, but still maintains its
superb 17th Century character. Our second stop is at a regency style
country house hotel about 300 metres from the picturesque harbour
and beach of West Bay. The rooms are spacious and have
ensuite facilities. At the beautiful old monastic village of Abbotsbury
we stay in a friendly and intimate hotel with the high standards
of service and facilities you would expect from a Premier Inn.
Centrally located in the historic county town of Dorchester,
we spend 2 nights in an attractive Georgian property built in 1815
by Lord Ilchester for his coachman, it has now been converted to a
hotel. Our last night is spent at a comfortable family run hotel
overlooking Lulworth Cove. All rooms are tastefully decorated
and are ensuite. This hotel also boasts an outdoor swimming pool.
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