A DORCHESTER campsite has been named as one of the country's 'literary hotspots', according to new research.

Outdoor accommodation booking platform Pitchup has listed the top sites in the UK to soak up some 'literary culture' to coincide with World Book Day on Thursday, March 2.

Thorncombe Farm, a campsite in Higher Bockhampton near Dorchester, is amongst the company's eight top picks. 

It has been chosen due to its close proximity to the former home of famous Dorset author Thomas Hardy.

"What better way to re-read Tess and the D'urbervilles than in a Bell Tent at Thorncombe Farm," Pitchup said.

"True Thomas Hardy fans will know that Dorchester was where the famous author lived and was the inspiration for the town of Casterbridge, a fictional town set in Hardy’s Wessex novels."

Dan Yates, managing director at Pitchup, said: "Outdoor holidays are inherently nostalgic, cooking on a campfire overlooking the British countryside makes you feel like you have stepped back in time.

"This feeling, coupled with the slower pace of life, makes it the perfect way to reconnect with the classics you may have read over the years - exploring the landscapes the authors were inspired by and visiting the places mentioned on their pages.”