The Top 20 Attractions in West Dorset
There are plenty of places to see and visit in West Dorset. Whether you love hiking or cycling, West Dorset is a region where 20
hidden gems are waiting to be explored and visited. Check the top places to visit in the region and plan your next adventure today.
hidden gems are waiting to be explored and visited. Check the top places to visit in the region and plan your next adventure today.
Last updated: October 18, 2025
Golden Cap Summit
Highlight • Summit
Standing at 626 feet (191 m), Golden Cap is the highest point on the South Coast. From the cliff, you are afforded utterly breathtaking views over Lyme Bay to Dartmoor and ahead to the Isle of Portland.
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Pilsdon Pen Summit and Trig Point
Highlight • Natural Monument
Pilsdon Pen affords fine views over the rolling Dorset countryside. In clear conditions, you can see Golden Cap, Marshwood Vale, and the ocean to the south, Exmoor and the Quantocks …
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West Bay Harbour
Highlight • Settlement
Part of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, West Bay is a beautiful harbour settlement. Originally designed as a commercial harbour for nearly Bridport to export fishing nets, West Bay declined …
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West Bay Cliffs
Highlight • Natural Monument
The crumbling sandstone cliffs at West Bay reveal geology that is 175 million years old. These immense cliffs are awe-inspiring to gaze at from the beach and afford wonderful views when you climb to the top.
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Charmouth Beach
Highlight • Historical Site
Charmouth Beach is one of the best places in the UK to hunt for fossils. Thousands of Jurassic fossils have been deposited on the beach as a result of rapid erosion.
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Lyme Regis Seafront
Highlight • Viewpoint
Lyme Regis is an enchanting seaside town that features in the Domesday Book and is home to much history. Set against moody blue cliffs yielding fossilised evidence of life on …
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Hardy Monument
Highlight • Monument
This striking tower stands to the north of the Isle of Portland and offers fantastic 360 degree views of Dorset and the English Channel. Although the novelist Thomas Hardy lived …
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Chesil Beach & The Fleet
Highlight • Beach
Author John Fowles described Chesil Beach as “an elemental place, made of sea, shingle and sky”. Backed by The Fleet, the largest tidal lagoon in Britain, this natural pebble beach …
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St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury
Highlight • Religious Site
This tiny chapel occupies a magnificent location above the Dorset village of Abbotsbury. Thanks to its height, it has fantastic views across the sea and across to the Isle of …
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Doghouse Hill
Highlight (Segment) • Summit
Very nice hiking trail with a great view. It is believed that this area was already settled in the Mesolithic. However, 6,000 to 8,000 years ago, the residents of that …
Translated by Google •
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