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The Cerne Abbas Giant
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The Cerne Abbas Giant – often referred to as the Rude Man, for obvious reasons! – is a mysterious hill figure, the largest in England, carved into a chalk hillside near Dorchester in Dorset. His raison d’etre is unknown, and the first recording of the 180-feet high carving was in the 18 th Century, although the proposed origins of the figure vary from the 2 nd to the mid-17 th Century. The Cerne Abbas Giant has a relative – The Long Man of Wilmington in the South Downs
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Kingston Lacy
Wimborne Minster,
Dorset,
BH21 4EA
Tel: 01202 883402
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Kingston Lacy is a remarkable country mansion set amidst a beautiful estate in Dorset. The house features architecture by Charles Barry, who was involved in the design of the Houses of Parliament, and has a sumptuous interior that contains an important collection of artwork. The house and grounds make a great family day out, and a programme of special events runs throughout the year.
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Alice in Wonderland
Christchurch,
Dorset,
BH23 6BA
Tel: 01202 483444
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The Alice in Wonderland Family Fun Park, based of course on Lewis Carroll’s classic tales, is a great day out for the whole family and is easy to get to, situated just a few miles from Christchurch in Dorset. A unique theme park, it offers a range of rides and attractions to suit all ages, with Alice herself and all of her friends making an appearance.
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Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle,
Near Wareham,
Dorset,
BH20 5EZ
Tel: 01929 481294
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Corfe Castle is one of the UK’s most iconic ruined castles, and is located close to the Dorset town of Wareham. The history of the castle can be traced back over 1000 years, and visitors today can take advantage of the excellent visitors centre, which has a fascinating representation of the castle’s past and the people involved with Corfe over the centuries. There are also extensive grounds to explore and the fabulous Swanage Railway has a stop here.
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Swanage Railway
Station House,
Swanage,
Dorset,
BH19 1HB
Tel: 01929 425800
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The award-winning Swanage Railway is one of the UK’s most splendidly preserved steam railways, and runs between Swanage and Norden in Dorset, through the pleasant rolling countryside of Purbeck, and past the romantic ruins of Corfe Castle. A fleet of handsome steam trains chuff merrily along the journey, and there is a programme of special events running throughout the year.
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Dorset Heavy Horse Centre
Edmondsham,
Dorset,
BH21 5RJ
Tel: 01202 820346
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The Dorset Heavy Horse Centre makes a fun day out for the whole family. See the mighty shire horses as they demonstrate the past art of the working horse, as well as miniature Shetland ponies and donkeys, who love to be the centre of attention. There are wagon and tractor rides and friendly farm animals including goats and llamas, and a children’s petting zoo, play area and café.
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Thomas Hardy’s Cottage
Higher Bockhampton,
Near Dorchester,
Dorset,
DT2 8QJ
Tel: 01305 262366
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Thomas Hardy captured the essence of 19 th Century Wessex with his epic, and often controversial, novels. Two of his most acclaimed stories were written when he lived at this picturesque thatched cottage at Higher Bockhampton – ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’ and ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ – and the cottage and gardens have been preserved for future generations by the National Trust.
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Monkey World
Wareham,
Dorset,
BH20 6HH
Tel: 01929 462537
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Monkey World is a centre that was set up to care for rescued primates from all over the world. It can be found near Wareham in Dorset, and is home to the largest group of chimpanzees outside Africa, as well as gibbons, orang-utans and a host of other primates, who live in spacious enclosures in a natural woodland setting. There is also an outdoor play area, woodland walks, a café, gift shop, education centre and plenty of amusements for children of all ages.
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Wimborne Minster
High Street,
Wimborne,
Dorset,
BH21 1HT
Tel: 01202 884753
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There has been a place of worship on the site of Wimborne Minster for over 1300 years. The present Minster, squat and charming, dates mostly from the Norman era, although its name is after that of the Saxon St Cuthburga. The Minster is constructed largely of Dorset stone, and despite its later Gothic adornments, is a remarkably well-preserved example of Norman architecture.
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The Tank Museum
Bovington,
Dorset,
BH20 6JG
Tel: 01929 405096
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The Tank Museum, near Bovington in Dorset, is the most extensive collection of armoured vehicles in the world. With over 150 vehicles dating from the earliest days of tank warfare in the First World War to exhibits from the modern day, there is a fascinating range of vehicles from 26 countries. There is also a collection of medals, and a reconstruction depicting the horrors of trench warfare.
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