British break: Dorset

BRITISH BREAK IN... DORSET

Sarah Riches wraps up to enjoy the charms of the south-coat’s wild beaches and coastal paths.

If you wrap up warm and embrace the chill, you’ll find that even in winter Dorset’s wild beaches and coastal paths have a certain charm, says Sarah Riches

Apparently size does matter – at least it did according to the medieval folk of Dorset. Why else would they graffiti an 11m-long erection on a hill that can be seen for miles?

Now a National Trust monument, the 55m-tall Cerne Giant is an outline of a man – complete with abs, pecs and the aforementioned member – which was dug out of chalk near the village of Cerne Abbas.

The earliest written evidence of the figure was in 1694 but, of course, the history of Dorset’s hills go back long before then.

The Jurassic Coast – England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage site – spans the coast from neighbouring Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage, Dorset. It is valued because it tells a geological story that started around 260 million years ago.

Fossils can be found on beaches along Undercliffs National Nature Reserve; I even spotted some in lumps of rock in the car park at Durdle Door. It’s little wonder, then, that the area attracts fossil hunters. If you’re interested, just be mindful of landslides and follow Natural England’s guidelines for responsible collecting, such as avoiding disturbing wildlife and only using your hands to collect loose fossils.

Dorset’s coast stretches all the way from Lyme Regis to

Christchurch, which means walkers are spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches and clifftop coastal trails.

While the coast is a highlight of any visit, leave time to explore inland, too. Take a boat trip along the River Frome in Wareham, then warm up over a Sunday roast in the Old Granary, next to the town’s Grade II listed stone bridge.

Further inland, you can climb up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury. You might recognise it from Ridley Scott’s iconic 1973 Hovis ad, which showed a boy pushing a bike up the cobbles. At the top there’s a giant Hovis loaf. See? In Dorset, size does matter.

Shoreline sanctuary Hengistbury Head is an important nature reserve for many species of flora and fauna