Dorchester (32 miles), is Dorset’s county town. It has numerous visitor attractions with museums, shops, walkways and a popular market on Wednesdays. Nearby is Maiden Castle, one of the largest and most complex Iron Age hill forts in Europe. (Dogs must be kept on a lead as sheep graze the site). Dorchester is also famous…
Swanage (31 miles without the Sandbanks ferry) is a traditional seaside town with sandy beaches, surrounded by the Purbeck Hills and famous for the Swanage Railway steam railway which takes a scenic 12-mile route to Norden, just past Corfe Castle. Swanage forms the gateway to the Jurassic Coast.
Hythe (25 miles) on the eastern edge of the New Forest and its surrounding area, known as Waterside, is on the edge of Southampton Water. Take a wander up the Georgian High Street or catch the passenger ferry into Southampton. To the north of the area is the 500 year old Eling Tide Mill Experience,…
Arguably the biggest event in the New Forest calendar, this is a big agricultural show with shopping marquees, food and drink and much more. 28-30 July 2026 Find out more about the New Forest & Hampshire County Show
Southampton usually has at least one gigantic cruise ship visible in its terminal. There’s excellent shopping at Westquay and the Mayflower Theatre brings with it West End shows. Plus, there are historic sites and fascinating museums. Southampton is the historic port where both the Mayflower and the Titanic set off for America. The city suffered…
Shaftesbury is accessed by a minor road across scenic Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You’ll encounter Zig Zag Hill on the way, one of the bendiest roads in England! Great for walks, the town has the famously steep Gold Hill (famous from Hovis adverts). Find out more about Shaftesbury.
Romsey sits on the banks of the River Test, one of the finest trout and salmon rivers in Europe. Places of interest include:
Salisbury has a famous cathedral, a theatre and two cinemas. It’s a beautiful city to walk around with quaint alleyways and numerous waterways. You’ll find a good selection of shops and and places to eat and there are 5 Park & Ride sites (the most convenient for Back of Beyond guests is the Britford Park…
Wareham is the gateway to the Isle of Purbeck. It’s a historic Saxon market town on the River Frome, near Poole Harbour, with pubs, cafes and restaurants plus massive earth ramparts built by Alfred the Great. There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in Wareham Forest. Worth a visit is the phenomenon of the…
Lymington is an elegant Georgian town with a bustling high street, old cobbled walkways and several quays, along with galleries, venues and a museum, plus a large outdoor seawater swimming pool. There’s a weekly Saturday market. Lymington to Yarmouth is a scenic route to the Isle of Wight on WightLink car ferries. Nearby are Beaulieu,…
