Attractions and Places To See in East Dorset - Top 20

Wimborne Minster and Chained Library

Highlight • Religious Site

This church has all manner of interesting features and is well worth visiting. For a start the King of Wessex is buried here; he ruled from 865 to 871, which gives you an idea of the age of this fine church. There's also a rare exampled of a chained library within the church's walls, a store of books on chains to prevent theft.

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Moors Valley Forest Trails

Highlight • MTB Park

Great loop through the forest all well maintained with some rocks and duckboards. Good for CX practice or a fun ride with the kids. Go to the reception/cafe from the car park and head off to the right past the cycle hire shop, then follow the through the forest arrows. There are maps and Bike hire available from the shop. Also the play area, trail walks and cafe can keep all the family entertained.

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Badbury Rings Iron Age hillfort

Highlight • Viewpoint

Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort and Scheduled Monument in east Dorset, England. In the Roman era a temple was located immediately west of the fort, and there was a Romano-British town known as Vindocladia ( Known today as Shapwick ) a short distance to the south-west.
It sits over 300 feet above sea level, and there are two main phases of construction; the first covered 18 acres and was defended by multiple ditches, while the second was more than twice the size, covering 41 acres and defended by a single ditch and rampart. These ramparts make for great walking, but imagine the terror of trying to scale one whilst under attack from the occupants. Once you'd scaled one, there were more waiting for you. No wonder it was the last fort to be sacked by the Romans. Wonder just how many soldiers died trying to take it.
Until 1983 Badbury Rings was privately owned as part of the Kingston Lacy estate, and the owners discouraged investigation of the site.[2] The site now belongs to the National Trust.[2] A survey of the hillfort by the RCHME was begun in 1993. The summit area was cleared of undergrowth by the National Trust in 1997 and the conifer plantation was thinned out. A survey in 1998, which recorded 28 potential hut sites within the ramparts, although some depressions are probably caused by uprooted trees. The first excavations, led by Martin Papworth, took place in 2004, when three evaluation trenches were dug. Almost all of the pottery found was dated to the Late Iron Age. The current evidence does not suggest that the hillfort was a principal settlement in the Early Iron Age. It seems likely that the hillfort became depopulated towards the end of the Late Iron Age, perhaps as the Vindocladia settlement near Shapwick developed.

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White Mill Bridge

Highlight • Historical Site

Nice views from White Mill Bridge over the River Stour.
The bridge is a grade 1 listed 14th century stone bridge.
The National Trust managed White Bridge Mill is close by. A 18th century corn mill which still houses the old wooden machinery. You can visit the mill from 12:00 - 16:00 on weekends.

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Bokerley Dyke

Highlight • Trail

3.5 mile long (prehistoric) boundary ditch

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Canford Suspension Bridge

Highlight • Viewpoint

Well over a hundred years old, this narrow suspension bridge lies just outside the grounds of Canford School and crosses the Stour. Only wide enough for one person at a time, the bridge sways a little as you cross and its midpoint is ideal for admiring the river. Here, you'll see duckweed, grasses and trees, leaning over the surface.

2013 saw six months of renovation work during which the bridge was closed. The renovations helped secure the bridge and repair corrosion, restoring it considerably to its prior beauty.

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Ashley Heath Halt (Castleman Trailway)

Highlight • Historical Site

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Horton Tower

Highlight • Viewpoint

The pathway leading to Batchelor's lane from the Tower is easy to cycle past. Heading South East from the Tower (downhill), as soon as you see a hedge in the left-hand field, you'll notice the path entrance directly opposite on your right.

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Wimborne Minster

Highlight • Religious Site

Wimborne Minster is an atmospheric market town with a 1300 year old church of cathedral-like proportions. the stained glass windows, the organ with trumpets above and the astronomical clock alone are worth a visit.

Translated by Google •

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