Jurassic Coast Day Trips from Apple Cottage, Dorset

The Jurassic Coast is a 95-mile UNESCO World Heritage stretch of coastline recording 185 million years of Earth's history, and Apple Cottage sits neatly in the middle of it. From this 1700s stone cottage near Dorchester you can be at a different cove, beach or fossil bay each day of the week without ever facing a long drive. With sleeping for five, free parking for up to five cars and a very large enclosed garden to come home to, it makes an ideal family (and dog) base.

The postcard duo of the Jurassic Coast. Lulworth Cove is an almost perfectly circular bay carved by the sea, while Durdle Door — a mile or so along the coast path — is the famous limestone arch. Both are roughly a 30-minute drive from the cottage. Both are dog-friendly year-round with no summer ban, with dogs off-lead on the beaches (a lead is wise on the clifftop path between the two). The walk down to Durdle Door beach and back up is steep, so it suits older children and reasonably able walkers. Bins are only in the car park, so take your litter and dog waste back up with you.

About 20 minutes south, Weymouth is the classic seaside-resort day out: a long sandy beach, a Georgian seafront, a harbour full of boats and plenty of cafés and ice cream. It is brilliant for younger children thanks to that gently shelving sand. Dog owners should plan around the seasonal rules: the main town beach bans dogs from 1 May to 30 September. Outside those dates dogs are welcome, and there are year-round dog zones (Bowleaze Cove, and Greenhill Groyne through to Overcombe) even in summer.

At the western end of the county, Lyme Regis is about an hour's drive but well worth a full day. This is prime fossil-hunting territory — the beaches below the cliffs are among the best places in Britain to find ammonites — and the historic Cobb harbour is a joy to wander. For dogs: the main Front (Town) Beach has a summer ban from 1 May to 30 September, but East Cliff, Church Cliff and Monmouth Beach welcome dogs all year.

A quieter, wilder alternative about 35–40 minutes away, Kimmeridge Bay is a haven for rock-pooling and one of the best snorkelling spots on the south coast thanks to its marine reserve and the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre. The dark shale ledges are packed with marine life at low tide, making it a favourite with curious children. It is far less crowded than Lulworth.

Because the cottage is so central, you can mix big-hitter days on the coast with gentler ones inland — Dorchester's market and museums, the Cerne Abbas Giant, or the grounds of Corfe Castle. Come home each evening to the log burner, the fire pit and the enclosed garden. Pack layers and proper footwear whatever the season.