Things can become a little strange in Dorset, but eccentricity generally results in a memorable, pleasurable experience. The county offers a diverse combination that is unattainable elsewhere because of its range of history, landscapes, and even wildlife. You have a wide range of options when seeking bizarre and fascinating experiences. I have listed 10 Unusual things to do in Dorset, such as riding a steam train, touring a “ghost village,” and going on a hill hike on a giant willy.
Explore a Ghost Village at Tyneham
Tyneham village was taken seized by the military just before Christmas in 1943 to be used for training during WWII. Because the people were never permitted to return, the community was eventually abandoned. The majority of the houses are ruins that can be easily explored. Others, such as the modest schoolhouse, have been rebuilt to depict what country life was like before WWII.
The site, which is close to Lulworth, is now open to the public and offers an intriguing glimpse into the past. Even though many buildings suffered considerable damage from military exercises and bombardment, the church and schoolhouse remain intact and have been preserved as museums.
Top Tips When Visiting Tyneham Village
- There is no café or shop, nor is drinking water available, so bring snacks and bottled water when you go.
- There are Picnic Tables however, there is no litter bins so bring your own rubbish bags.
- Mobile reception is POOR!
- You can take as many photos as you want however, the use of metal detectors is not permitted.
- Tyneham Village is open most weekends, to check their calendar for full visiting schedule.
Sleep in Clavell Tower
If you are looking for unusual things to do in Dorset then spend a night in a very unusual way. This four-story circular tower stands high on a rock overlooking one of the most beautiful bays on the Dorset coast. Each room is on a different floor, the bedroom, on the first floor, has a door onto a balcony that encircles the whole building. Its location has captivated many writers, including Hardy and PD James since it was built in 1830.
Clavell Tower is an exceptional place to stay because of its position. From your cosy eyrie high on the cliff in Kimmeridge Bay, you can see the changing light, weather, and water. Many people who have walked along the South West Coastal Path have seen the tower.
They will be holding free public open days at this property on 9 – 10 September 2023. Find out more and book your free ticket on their website.
Walk With The Swans at Abbotsbury Swannery
Abbotsbury Swannery is the only spot in the world where you may walk through the heart of a Mute Swan colony. A visit to this lovely location is regarded as one of the top things to do in Dorset. The Abbotsbury Swannery is open everyday from 10:00 am to 5:00pm with last entry at 4:00pm.
It is located near the village of Abbotsbury in Dorset, England, 14 kilometers (9 miles) west of Weymouth, on a 1-hectare (2-acre) property around the Fleet Lagoon, which is protected from the weather of Lyme Bay by Chesil Beach. The colony has roughly 600 swans, with approximately 150 pairs.
Tips on visiting Abbotsbury Swannery
- The Cafe Shops only accepts contactless payments, if you pay by cash do not expect a change.
- Get 25% discount if you booked Abbotsbury Swannery & Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens at the same time.
- Dogs are not allowed, sorry.
- The bus X53 Weymouth runs through Abbotsbury.
- No Public toilet in the Swannery, toilet facilities are at the main entrance and the coffee shop.
Join The Gold Hill Cheese Race 2023
Another unusual things to do in Dorset is to join the 2023 Gold Hill Cheese Race. You can join the race alone or with a team of 4.
The Gold Hill Cheese Run pays homage to a millennium of cheese making in the Blackmore Vale, with “slightly insane” athletes sprinting with 35cm (14′′) diameter locally-made cheeses.
Races are available in several categories, including men’s, women’s, children’s age groups, relay teams, and veterans. It is not every day that you compete by sprinting up a hill carrying a brick of cheese. The event is part of the Shaftesbury food and drink festival, so it is a great way to celebrate local food with plenty to do, such as live cooking demos from renowned chefs.
Find the Weeping Nun at Knowlton Church
Knowlton Church is one of the most atmospheric locations in Dorset, as well as one of the most haunted. Within the picturesque surroundings, there is a gloomy aura where some of the spirits who have passed over the last 4000 years are said to linger. Some of the most typical ones include a cloaked figure, a nun weeping, and a ghost horse and rider.
Hike The Trail on the Cerne Giant’s Willy
The Cerne Giant is an old naked figure carved into the chalk hillside above Cerne Abbas in Dorset. Britain’s largest chalk hill figure, the Cerne Giant, is 180 feet tall and is arguably the most well-known.
The Giant is best viewed from the Giant’s View parking lot or when ascending the short path to the giant’s feet. The Giant might appear completely white or hardly visible depending on the angle and lighting.
A rectangular earthwork enclosure called the Trendle, which is located above the giant, is thought to have existed during the Iron Age. Local Morris dancers continue to use it as a location for their May Day celebrations today. The numerous endangered chalk downland plants and insects that thrive here make the chalk grassland where the giant is located of significant significance to both the nation and the continent of Europe. Find a marsh fritillary butterfly in May, and keep an eye out for wildflowers in the summer.
Bridport Hat Festival
The 2023 Bridport Hat Festival will be held on Saturday 2nd September 2023.
The Bridport Hat Festival is another unusual things to do in Dorset this Sept 2023. The Bridport Hat Festival is a volunteer-run celebration of hats, a means of raising money for organizations that support people with head injuries, and a huge party for the town and its visitors to cap off the summer. The most imaginative, eccentric, fashionable, and stylish hats are combined with live music, numerous competitions, talks, displays, and performances.
Dorset Knob Throwing
What’s more unusual things to do in Dorset than throwing a knob? In addition to hosting Frome Valley Food Fest, the Dorset Knob Throwing Event is jam-packed with entertaining attractions. The Dorset Knob is a tough cookie that makes a great hurling competition projectile! Each participant is allowed an unlimited number of entries, and there are no age limitations. Three knobs are thrown underarm, and the one that travels the farthest is measured where it lands.
Activities including “Knob Eating,” “Knob Painting,” “Knob & Spoon Race,” “Guess the Weight of the Big Knob,” “Knob Darts,” and “Knob Pyramid” are available. Live bands will be among the entertainment provided to make this a truly delightful day out with a twist.
Dorset Knob Throwing Festival is not happening until May of 2024.
Fossil Hunt at Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is situated in the center of the Jurassic Coast, a 95-mile stretch of coastline that was named a Unesco World Heritage site in 2001 because to its remarkably long geological past. Between 250 and 65 million years ago, the rocks of Lyme Regis, which span the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous geological eras and cover 185 million years of Earth’s history, were formed.
The greatest beaches for fossil hunting are Monmouth Beach (especially for ammonites) and East Cliff Beach between Lyme and Charmouth. Mary Anning, a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector, searched these shores for fossils. She unearthed a 5.2-metre-long skeleton of a prehistoric species, Ichthyosaurus.
If you are new to fossil searching, a guided fossil hunt is by far the greatest method to maximize your chances of discovering a fossil, build confidence, and learn from an experienced collector. Local specialists organize regular guided tours, with the Lyme Regis Museum and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre doing regular guided fossil searching hikes throughout the year.
Glass Blowing
Another very unusual things to do in Dorset is learning how to create glass sculpture. Explore the ancient and magical art of glassmaking. With this remarkable substance, you may gather, form, design, and create your own glass pieces ranging from paperweights to vases.
Create your own glass sculpture and learn about how this ancient technique works. Along with the opportunity to witness glass blowing in action, there are numerous brilliant glass sculptures created by Stuart himself that can be viewed and purchased. It is not every day that you get to blow glass into your favourite item, so it is definitely one to check off the list.
