Rock Pits Farm

In Dorset, ancient history is all around you, and there’s no better place to start exploring than at the Cerne Abbas Giant (10 minutes’ drive). A vast chalk figure inscribed into the hillside, it's thought to date back to Saxon times. Close by is an even older find; Nettlecombe Tout Hillfort (five minutes) was built in the Iron Age and sprawls over several acres. If you’re keen to get out and about on foot, head to Dorsetshire Gap (20 minutes), where five ancient drover roads meet. Become part of history and sign your name in the book under the signpost – it’s been there since 1972 – and whichever trail you decide to follow, keep your eyes peeled for ancient barrows and the remains of a medieval village. Down on the coast, poke around on the beach at Charmouth (50 minutes) for prehistoric fossils. There’s something other-worldly about Chesil Beach (40 minutes) too, as you amble along shingle that has shifted shape for centuries, while at Bowleaze Cove (35 minutes) you can take a dip in the sea and inspect ancient ruins that dot the area.