Sandbanks and the Dorset Coast

Settle in to your hotel and join your host for a welcome drink before dinner. D

185 million years of natural history is evident along the Jurassic Coast. In this time creatures became fossilised and dramatic rock formations were erected, shaped and changed. Few sites display the coastline’s extensive past better than Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.

Your coach journey to the two sites will wind through pretty scenery. At Lulworth Cove, keep your eyes peeled for fossils - perhaps an Ammonite within the rocky headland or a bullet-shaped ‘Belemnite’ within the pebbles on the shore. At Durdle Door, capture this iconic limestone archway on your camera, created by the erosion of less resilient rock. On calm days, boats pass through the door.

During your day, stop for a cream tea in a local venue, to reflect on the first day of your Stay and Discover experience. B, D

It was the summer of 1941 and despite the ever-present headlines of war, author Enid Blyton stepped off a puffing locomotive at Corfe Castle. She, like so many visitors before and after, became captivated by the dramatic ruined Norman castle that occupied the hill above. It became fictionalised as Kirrin Castle in Five on a Treasure Island.

Today, you are invited to take a similar steam train journey along the Swanage Railway from the station sharing the same name as the route, to Corfe Castle. The station is located just outside of the castle’s surrounding village. B, D

Brownsea Island has quietly observed everything from the English Civil War to the formation of the Boy Scouts. Located just one kilometre from Sandbanks’ affluent shoreline, Brownsea Island was first recorded as a human settlement in the early ninth century.

Well before William the Conqueror was born, the island was home to a hermitage of monks who used the island for simple living and solitary prayer. Henry VIII recognised the island’s strategic position - located at the entrance to Poole Harbour - and built the fortification known as Branksea Castle, which still stands today.

During the English Civil War, Parliamentarian forces regularly stomped across the island and in 1908 Robert Baden-Powell used what he had learned in the military during his time in South Africa to establish the boy scouts. As you can tell, the island boasts an abundance of history, but its wildlife is equally impressive.

During your visit, look out for red squirrel and sika deer - introduced at the end of the 19th century from Japan. Spend a full day on the island before returning to your hotel. B, D

Please note that departures from March 13-April 3 will visit Beaulieu instead of Brownsea Island because the island is closed during this period.

Having enjoyed this remarkable area, check out of your hotel and return home. B