Caalm Camp

This area of Dorset is bursting with things to do from wildlife spotting to cycling to sunbathing on sandy beaches: start off with a walk to Duncliffe Wood, an ancient woodland a mile away that's known for its carpets of bluebells in April and May, or clamber up to the prehistoric hill fort Hambledon Hill or to Bulbarrow, one of the highest hills in Dorset. Local town and city trips include Shaftesbury, where there’s a Thursday market, pool, tearooms and restaurants. Also have a look at Sherborne, with its abbey and castle; Wincanton for the racecourse, and Salisbury with its medieval cathedral, award-winning museums and outdoor market twice a week. Stonehenge is also within easy reach. Also easily accessible is the World Heritage Site the Jurassic Coast, about an hour’s drive away and packed with active options: try the cliff walks at Durdle Door, mackerel fishing, Punch and Judy and sand modelling at Weymouth, the sandy beaches at Studland or fossil hunting at Charmouth.