Mini Guide – Wild Wessex

The moors, cliffs and romantic woods of Wessex have inspired literary greats such as Thomas Hardy and Samuel Taylor Coleridge for centuries, and helped repopularise the Anglo-Saxon name of this ancient region

Moors, Hills & Heathland

Exmoor National Park

Exmoor is known for its broad, russet views. In the middle sits the higher moor, an expansive, other-worldly landscape harbouring the picturesque village of Exford. In the north, sheer, rock-strewn river valleys cut into the plateau and black cliffs lurch toward the sea. Life on Exmoor is attuned to the rhythm of the seasons.

New Forest National Park

With typical English irony, New Forest is anything but new-it was first proclaimed a royal hunting preserve in 1079. It’s also not much of a forest, being mostly heathland. Designated a national park in 2005, the forest is a joy to explore. Wild ponies graze, deer tiptoe and birds flit about. Photo-­worthy villages dot the landscape, connected by walking and cycling trails.

Quantocks

The red sandstone hills known as the Quantocks trace a 12-mile curve across Somerset’s northern edge. A mix of moors, valleys and woods, these hills offer stirring views across the Bristol Channel to the Gower coast. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1956, the Quantocks receive far fewer visitors than Exmoor and Dartmoor, making them perfect for hikers and bikers.

Jurrasic Coast

Durdle Door

The poster child of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, this immense 150-million-year-old Portland stone arch was created by a combination of massive earth movements and erosion. Today, it’s framed by shimmering bays; bring a swimsuit and head down the steps for a dip. You can park at the top of the cliffs, but it’s best to hike the coast path from Lulworth Cove (one mile).

Portland

The ‘Isle’ of Portland is a hard, high comma of rock with dramatic views, fused to the rest of Dorset by the ridge of 18-mile Chesil Beach. Its white limestone has been quarried for centuries, but these days it’s the water-sport facilities, birdlife and stark cliffs that make it worth a visit. Don’t miss the disused workings at Tout Quarry, which now house labyrinthine paths and sculptures hacked out of the rock by artists including Antony Gormley (near Fortuneswell).

Lyme Regis

Defined by its fossilised booty, Lyme Regis is surrounded by cliffs from which rock-hard relics of the past pop out repeatedly, exposed by the landslides of a retreating shoreline. The town is now a pivot point of the Unesco-listed Jurassic Coast – and fossil fever is forever in the air. Everyone, from serious palaeontologists to those out for a bit of fun, can head out coastal rummaging. Sandy beaches, plus some delightful places to sleep and eat, make this quaint spot even more attractive.

Ancient Relics

Avebury

With a diameter of 348m, Avebury is the largest stone circle in the world. It’s also one of the oldest, dating from 2850 BC to 2200 BC. Today, more than 30 stones are in place, and pillars show where missing stones would have been. There’s also an on-site museum displaying archaeological treasures.

Stonehenge

Standing dignified atop Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge is a great archaeological mystery: despite countless theories about the site’s purpose, ranging from a sacrificial centre to a celestial timepiece, no-one knows for sure what drove prehistoric Britons to build it. The first stones were erected around 3000 BC, and the monument’s history is told at the visitor centre.

Maiden Castle

On the southern fringes of Dorchester, Maiden Castle is the largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort in Britain. The first defences were built on the site around 500 BC; in its heyday, the fort was densely populated with clusters of roundhouses and a network of roads. The steep-sided chalk ramparts flow along a hill’s contour lines and surround 48 hectares.

Wessex Essentials

Transport

There are airports at Exeter, Bristol and Southampton; the latter is also the biggest train hub, with services to London, Birmingham and Scotland. Trains from Waterloo or Paddington go to Southampton, Salisbury, Bournemouth, Taunton, Weymouth and Exeter.There are coach services to cities and major towns. Traveline South West provides region-wide bus and train information, however, renting a car will give you the most flexibility. Most car-hire firms have offices at the airports and train stations.

Where to Stay

Streamcombe Farm is an enchanting 18th-century farmhouse on the edge of Exmoor National Park, where the only sounds are sheep and deer outside.

With its witty designer décor and Lyme Regis location, 18th- century Hix Townhouse is hard to resist. Each room echoes a leisure theme; the pick is Sailing, with mock portholes, a roof terrace and sea views.

Pig on the Beach is a country house with a reputation for rural luxury. Rooms are elegant, the restaurant focuses on own-grown produce, and shepherds’ huts double as spa treatment rooms.

The Know-How

Activities

• Exmoor National Park

Wildlife watching. Exmoor supports one of England’s largest red deer populations. Barle Valley Safaris runs three-hour trips.

• New Forest

Cycling. Over 100 miles of routes link the main villages; maps and guides can be bought from Lyndhurst tourist office or via its website.

Canoeing & archery. New Forest Activities runs sessions in canoeing, kayaking and archery.

• Jurrasic Coast

Kayaking. Jurassic Coast Activities offers a paddle along Dorset’s coast.

Fossil hunting. The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre runs guided fossil-hunting trips.