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You are here: Explore > Towns & cities > Dorchester
To the west of Bournemouth and Poole is Dorchester, the charming county town of Dorset. It has much to offer for a day trip including a large range of restaurants, cafes, bars and bistros, museums, attractions, glorious gardens, river walks and a Roman town house. Literary references abound to world-famous author and poet Thomas Hardy, whose ‘Casterbridge’ was in fact, Dorchester.
Wander around the historical streets and you'll find a wide range of shops, both chains and independents. From the pedestrianised high street, it’s a short walk to Brewery Square, a recent conversion of the old brewery into a cosmopolitan hub of restaurants, bars and shops, with a cinema and light-up fountain that’s popular with children.
Dorchester offers a fascinating selection of museums. The Dorset County Museum offers an informative and intriguing insight into the history of the region.
Don’t miss the enchanting Teddy Bear Museum, the Tutankhamun Exhibition , the Dinosaur Museum and the Terracotta Warriors museum too.
Visit the new immersive Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum in High West Street. Walk in the footsteps of people whose lives were forever changed in the historic court at Dorchester's Shire Hall.
If you're looking for a museum that really brings history to life, a few miles out of Dorchester the Tank Museum’s live action displays and interactive exhibitions will thrill both young and old.
Just outside Dorchester visit Hardy’s Cottage in Higher Bockhampton, the evocative place of Hardy’s birth.
For fresh country air and beautiful walks, head to Kingston Maurward College, with beautiful lakeside walks, an animal park and adventure centre. The stunning 15th century manor, Athelhampton House is another excellent day out in the countryside surrounding Dorchester. There are some lovely walking routes around the town too, taking in the river, gardens, nature-spotting and the mysterious earthwork of Maumbury Rings, a monument that has been an important part of the area for nearly five thousand years.
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