Living and working in the Capital we often like to take a few days leave either side of a weekend to travel to Dorset for a mini vacation to enjoy some of the beautiful coastal scenery this county has to offer.
Our usual route takes us from our home in Richmond to the beautiful coastal town of Lyme Regis on the Dorset/Devon Border in only three hours or so. Travelling across the county gives us the chance to tour back along the Jurassic coastline for some stunning scenery and great attractions.
Lyme Regis has a great beach, a historic harbour and some quaint shops, restaurants and cafes. We usually treat ourselves to fish and chips before heading off to our pitch for the night.
For our next destination we like to travel towards Weymouth with a pit-stop at West Bay or to grab some supplies at the market town of Bridport. If the sun is shining there is no better way to pass the time than to sit on the golden sand of Weymouth’s fabulous beach and have the occasional dip in the sea.
A campsite we have stayed on many occasions is East Fleet Farm Touring Park situated just outside of Weymouth. This site is positioned right next to the Fleet Lagoon has stunning scenery overlooking Chesil Beach and the Sea.
If you like seafood then the Crab House Café is an excellent restaurant overlooking the Portland coastline serving excellent seafood and wine.
Continuing on our tour we usually head towards Swanage or Corfe but always stop to take in the scenery at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove.
Steeple Leaze Farm is our usual stop off when we are in this area which has basic facilities but does allow campfires. Having a barbecue next to a campfire with a few beers is the perfect way to enjoy an evening.
Swanage is a quaint Victorian seaside town with good shops, cafes and restaurants. Nearby Corfe is a pretty village with some nice pubs and a usual stop off for a cake or cream tea. A visit to Corfe Castle is a great way to spend an afternoon.
We enjoyed our stay at Ulwell Cottage Caravan Park last year, which is just a short walk from the Swanage Steam Railway. The steam train takes you right into Swanage which is great if you want to leave your camper and have a drink or two
Next destination is to Sandbanks on the short ferry crossing. The beaches at Sandbanks are some of the best we have visited with golden sand and great 
facilities. We sometimes stop at Bournemouth or carry on to Christchurch for a walk along the river.
On our journey home we like to keep in the holiday mood and travel through the New Forest. A great place to park is at Hatchet Pond which is suitable for campervans and motorhomes. This is a great place to have a cuppa and stretch your legs or enjoy an ice cream in the summer months.
It is then just over an hours travel down the M3 back home.
We make this journey at least once a year and always find something different to do and new places to stay. Our next campervan adventure is Scotland in the summer but we hope to get back to Dorset in the autumn for another tour of this fantastic coastline.
Guest Blog written by John and Sheila Hardcastle with thanks from Buildacampervan.com
