My home county is beautiful.
However, the sad truth is, I very rarely get to explore it beyond my little corner in Weymouth. Weymouth itself is very picturesque, I mean, my daily commute to work is literally just a 10 minute walk along the beach. There are definitely worse place to live in the world.
My partner James and I have made a pact, to get out and enjoy where we live, as much as we can. This prompted our spontaneous day trip to Corfe Castle a few weeks ago.
History lesson! Corfe Castle was built by William the Conqueror (Not literally, more that he decided, 'Hey, see that hill in Dorset? You know what would look great there? A castle.') It was built in the 11th century, and was destroyed in the 17th century, leaving it in the state we see it now. Located just down the road from Swanage (a lovely seaside town which you absolutely must visit), Corfe Castle sits on the hill, overlooking the village which shares its name.
Corfe Castle is now owned by the National Trust, and has become a huge tourist attraction in my part of the world. The village surrounding the castle is quaint, with classic British pubs, tearooms, and locally owned shops.
As well as paying for entry to the castle for a little explore, another must-do activity is taking a ride on the steam train which stops in the village. The train runs from Norden to Swanage, and costs as little as £2.70 for just a quick 10 minutes return journey to Norden. It's certainly a unique way to explore more of the area around the castle, very quintessentially British, and nostalgic. Plus you can stick your head out the window and pretend you're in The Railway Children or something similar.
Essentially, it was a really low-key, stress-free way to spend our day with no time constraints. As we visited in November, even though it was a Saturday, it wasn't particularly busy, meaning we could potter along at our own pace and not be swept into a busy crowd.
I would definitely recommend that you pop along to Corfe Castle should you ever find yourself in Dorset (and if you live here, just go and explore!)
Much love ♥
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