Travel & Hotel

Top spots to visit in Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire in South West England.

Top spots to visit in Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire in South West England.

This has been one of the warmest Summers I have ever experienced in the UK. We’ve had 3 whole weeks of dry heat and sunshine.

I really think it’s been the perfect time to explore UK’s coastal areas.

I recently wrote about where to eat, shop and play in Margate, South East England.

So now, I thought I’d turn my attention to South West England.

My most recent visit were to Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire.

I’ve always wanted to see Durdle Door (image above), one of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks on the Jurassic Coast.

I can tell you now that it didn’t disappoint. Isn’t it breathtakingly beautiful?

Durdle Door is a limestone arch formed by the waves from rock erosion. Durdle is from the old English word ‘thirl’ which means drill.

If you are planning a trip to Dorset or driving further down to Devon, then I would highly recommend Durdle Door as a stopover.

Adjacent to Durdle Door is the beautiful Lulworth Cove and village.

This house is called Cove Cottage, and I believe it is available for hire. If I ever owned a house in the countryside, I would love to have one that looked like this.I’m not sure how easy it is to maintain a thatch roof, but they sure look pretty don’t you think?These English stone houses look so idyllic and romantic.If you have a sweet tooth, then you have to visit The Doll’s House, a minty blue 19th Century Grade 2 listed cottage, that was once inhabited by fishermen, until 1992.You can find yummy cream teas and ice creams here.Perhaps what they are most famous for here, are their home-made fudge with natural ingredients and flavours, sourced locally where possible.Did you know that Thomas Hardy lived in Dorset? Many of the places he describes in his books were based around the surrounding areas there.

This was a poem that he wrote about Lulworth Cove scribed on the wall in the village.I thought I’d show off my Salted Caramel ice cream from Jake’s in front of the Hardy wall. We stayed at Hawkchurch Resort and Spa in Devon, at the border of Dorset. It’s a 5 star luxury retreat with views over the Axe Valley.This is a view of our holiday lodge at Hawkchurch, and might I add, complete with an outdoor hot tub. The decor had a relaxed Scandi Coastal feel, and we felt instantly at home when we arrived.

It’s so nice to have a kitchen on holiday, so we can cook up delicious meals at leisure, as we unwind with a glass of wine in the evening.We were surrounded by beautiful countryside and greeted by the gentle baa of sheep.There were also holiday homes for sale at Hawkchurch Resort and Spa.

I was curious, so got a little tour of the homes for sale. These beautiful holiday lodges start from £80,000 to around £200,000.Here’s one of the double bedrooms. The homes come fully furnished and dressed.They even have super cute roll top baths in their bathrooms. I think I would request for mine to be pink. How about you?There was a reception area with friendly staff on hand to assist guests.

I was fascinated by the lighting in the lobby area.How fun is this version with glasses?The facilities at Hawkchurch Resort and Spa was second to none.

They had a large indoor swimming pool, a spa that offered the best back rubs, and a restaurant with delicious theme nights.

We particularly enjoyed Fish and Chips, and Curry night.devon lyme regisA short car drive from Hawkchurch Resort & Spa took us to the picturesque harbour village of Lyme Regis.There were so many colourful doors to snap. I was in total insta heaven.It was a pleasant stroll on the beach, with a nostalgic British seaside vibe.devonHow cute are these colourful beach huts for hire?

I’ve never hired a beach hut before, have you?

I guess it’s nice to have a base, if you were spending the whole day on the beach.This is the door colour of my dreams, at Bayleaf cottage.The best place for breakfast in Lyme Regis, Devon, is The Town Mill Bakery.All their breads are freshly baked on the day. I believe they also have a traditional Mill next door, but this was not open when we were there. This was the most delicious Turkish eggs I had for breakfast at the Town Mill bakery with bacon rashes and sourdough bread.Since we’re on the topic of food, I thought I’d show you a great place for lunch in Lyme Regis called Swim on Marine Parade, which is right on the beach.

The view is amazing and the decor is a super cool Boho Urban jungle style.This was what I had for lunch and it was so tasty. It’s called Sunbeam, and consisted of red and white quinoa, falafel, baby spinach, hummus, roasted peppers, slow roasted tomatoes, quick pickled cucumber and red onion, toasted seeds and citrus dressing.

It was as delicious as it sounded.I didn’t do much shopping during my time away, but I did stock up on my favourite Dorset tea.We had such a fabulous trip in Devon and Dorset.

Our drive back to London took us past Wiltshire, and we decided to stop over for lunch at Pythouse Kitchen garden.There is also a walled garden which at the time we were there, was not yet in full bloom. I bet it looks amazing now. I’ve written about my trip to the walled garden a few years back.Our lunch was amazing. Everything was homegrown from their gardens.It was such a treat to see Stonehenge on the drive back too.top places to visit EnglandHope you have enjoyed my little tour of South West England. It certainly was an amazing time away with the family.

( All photography are my own. I would like to thank Hawkchurch Resort and Spa for inviting me to stay.)

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