Best Glamping in Dorset

Where to go glamping on the Dorset coast

The Jurassic Coast runs the length of Dorset — 95 miles of England’s only natural World Heritage Site. In the west, Lyme Regis is a charming, historic seaside town famous for fossil-hunting and its curving harbour wall, the Cobb, while neighbouring Charmouth’s beaches are among the best places in Britain to find ammonites. Further east lie the iconic arch of Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and the long shingle of Chesil Beach. On the Isle of Purbeck you’ll find Studland’s sandy bays, the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks, Swanage with its heritage steam railway, and the romantic ruins of Corfe Castle — a classic coast-and-castle base.

Where to go glamping inland in Dorset

Inland, the Blackmore Vale — around the abbey town of Sherborne, Sturminster Newton and the handsome Georgian town of Blandford Forum — and the ancient chalk downs of Cranborne Chase offer quieter, deeply rural glamping. Pretty market towns like Beaminster make relaxed bases among the hidden valleys, with dark skies at night — ideal for a slower countryside break.

Places to explore during your Dorset break

Highlights include Corfe Castle, Monkey World near Wool, the Tank Museum at Bovington, Abbotsbury Swannery, and the beaches of Weymouth and Studland. History lovers can explore Kingston Lacy, a grand National Trust country house and estate near Wimborne, and Maiden Castle outside Dorchester — one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in Europe. For more on the area, visit Visit Dorset.

Glamping with hot tubs in Dorset

Many Dorset sites include a private hot tub — browse Dorset glamping with hot tubs to filter to those.

Local food and drink in Dorset

Dorset’s larder is worth the trip alone — Purbeck ice cream, Dorset apple cake, Blue Vinny cheese, and fresh crab and mackerel straight off the boats at West Bay and Weymouth. Farm shops and honesty stalls dot the country lanes.

Best time to go glamping in Dorset

Summer is prime for the beaches and Jurassic Coast; late spring and September bring quieter trails and warm evenings; and autumn suits cosy shepherd’s huts with hot tubs in the Blackmore Vale.