THE west of our county has its own unique charm - here's a little bit about the the world of outstanding natural beauty that is west Dorset.
Rolling hillsides, dramatic cliffs, sweeping coastlines, sleepy villages, bustling towns and quiet countryside can be found right on the doorstep.
West Dorset is an explorer's paradise. For there is sun, sea, adventure and you'll find beautiful old churches, small stores and country post offices selling fine local produce, craft workshops, pubs with good food to savour, ponies to ride, activity holidays, lazy days and 25 miles of paths to ramble along the magnificent world heritage coastline.
The region is almost entirely designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
It has inspired poets, authors, film directors and TV personalities from Henry Fielding and John Fowles to Nick Berry and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
And then there is the giant headland Golden Cap, a sight to behold and the remarkable Chesil Beach has been the site of many a shipwreck.
The west Dorset coast is world famous for its rocks and fossils dating back to the Jurassic period 190 million years ago, so much so that the stretch between West Bay and Lyme Regis has been dubbed the Jurassic Coast and fossil-hunters flock to the area. It now has World Heritage Site status.
Regular guided fossil-hunting walks are run from the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
The towns of Bridport, Lyme Regis, Beaminster and Sherborne each have their own varied attractions.
Bridport and its neighbouring resort West Bay are vibrant and colourful towns with a fascinating history.
The market town's past is dominated by the rope-making industry and the present by two television series, River Cottage and Harbour Lights, both filmed in the area.
History, farming and commerce have created an intriguing criss-cross of roads and paths around Bridport and West Bay.
Bridport stands where the rivers Brit and Asker meet, near the westerly end of the great shingle curve of Chesil Bank. Its origins date back at least to Athelstan's time in the 10th century, and merit mention in the Domesday records of 1086. The town's name possibly derives from a market (port) on the Brit - a market was held here regularly more than 1,000 years ago.
Bridport still has two market days each week and a farmers' market on the second Saturday of every month.
Bridport has many long, narrow rope walks, left over from the rope-making and net-working industry.
The town is dominated by its Georgian town hall, built in 1786, and the mediaeval Chantry House also attracts much interest.
The refurbished Bridport Museum in South Street tells the fascinating story of Bridport from its Saxon beginnings to the present day and reveals the part the town played in the US space industry.
Bridport is also a brewing town. Palmers thatched brewery is one of the few traditional breweries left in Britain.
A mile south of Bridport is the busy harbour village of West Bay, with characteristic kiosks, fishing boats, pubs and restaurants. You may be able to fish from the pier. Alternatively, take a mackerel boat round the bay or seek deeper waters.
Together Bridport and West Bay make an ideal centre for strollers, hikers, shoppers, swimmers, fishermen and all who come to enjoy the varied and beautiful coastline. The views across Lyme Bay from the coastal path are inspiring.
Also in the immediate area are Mapperton House, Mangerton Mill and Redlands Yard, a creative retail centre in Broadwindsor.
Lyme Regis is a fascinating and quirky seaside town, hemmed in by hills, with a narrow tangle of streets and shops tumbling down to the harbour with its famous Cobb, a curving stone wall made famous by Meryl Streep in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman.
The novel, written by late author John Fowles, who lived in the town for many years, was filmed on location in Lyme.
Lyme was once an important port with ships carrying cargoes as far as the West Indies, but the trade declined in the late 1600s when larger ships couldn't get into the small harbour. A dramatic moment in Lyme's history occurred in 1685 when the Duke of Monmouth landed at the Cobb and declared himself king at the site of the Pilot Boat Inn during his ill-fated attempt to remove James II from the throne. Twelve Lyme men were hanged in the aftermath.
Today's Lyme grew with the new passion for sea bathing once its port declined and it became a fashionable resort visited by the likes of Jane Austen, James Whistler, Lord Tennyson and Henry Fielding.
Lyme has retained its character as a sleepy, unspoilt resort, surrounded by the dramatic Jurassic Coast and the natural beauty of an area, criss-crossed as it is by good rambling paths and home to many kinds of flora and fauna.
Golden Cap, east of the town is the highest point on the south coast at 626 feet. The National Trust's 2,000-acre coastal estate stretches to the Devon border.
READ MORE: An amazing Dorset coastline
Fossil-hunting is a popular activity, although the cliffs are unstable and landslips often send huge swathes of land crashing on to the beach.
The nearby village of Charmouth is world famous for its rocks and fossils and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, right on the seafront, has regular displays and runs guided walks throughout the summer.
BEAMINSTER, an attractive small country town, standing at the head of the historic Vale of the River Brit, is off the beaten track and benefits from that.
The whole of the historic town centre is a conservation area, featuring more than 200 listed buildings, including an attractive market cross in the town centre square.
Nearby Mapperton House has spectacular formal valley gardens surrounded by a wooded landscape with magnificent views. The gardens are open daily, the beautiful manor house by appointment only.
READ MORE: Exploring coastline between Lulworth and Bowleaze
Beaminster Museum features the town and its people from mediaeval to modern times, including neighbouring villages, agriculture and archaeology.
Beaminster also has links with the French brandy industry. Thomas Hine was born in the town in 1775 before moving across the channel at the age of 17 to find fortune.
Views of the town are excellent from the surrounding hills and there are excellent walks along Dorset's 'hidden valley' which hides rare flowers, badger setts and old water mills.
Surely one of England's most attractive towns, Sherborne's name is derived from the Saxon words 'scir' and 'burna' - the place of the clear brook or stream - a name as delightful as the location in which it sits so prettily.
Mellow-stoned Sherborne is famous for many things - its ancient school, wonderful medieval buildings, a fine abbey which was once the cathedral and had St Aldhelm as its first bishop, the 15th century St John Almshouse and two castles.
Sherborne Abbey is at the very heart of the town and is one of the most important architectural monuments in the country, most notably for its delicate 15th century fan vaulted roof on the nave and choir, and excellent stained glass windows.
READ MORE: Exploring Dorset coastline: All about Chesil beach
The Old Castle was built in the 12th century, given to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1579 by Queen Elizabeth I and blown up in 1645 by Cromwell's men. The four-storey Norman gatehouse and other parts remain and are now open to the public.
Sir Walter Raleigh built himself a second castle, the New Castle, in 1594. And it has has been owned by the Digby family since 1617 and enlarged, with landscaping by Capability Brown. The castle contains a fine collection of porcelain, pictures and furniture. Opening days and times vary.
Sherborne is a thriving cultural centre and a springboard for discovering the delights of the Dorset countryside. Here you will find hand-crafted goods, antiques, fine art and elegant fashions among the beautiful and ancient buildings. The town is also famous for its public school, Sherborne School, which is housed in old abbey buildings.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here