Why Silverlake Estate Is a Brilliant Base for Exploring Dorset
Location matters enormously when choosing where to stay in Dorset.
Stay too far east, and West Dorset becomes a considerable day trip. Head too far west, and Purbeck suddenly feels much further away. If you want beaches, countryside, historic towns and family attractions rather than just one type of holiday, choosing the right base makes a real difference.
That’s one of the reasons we like Silverlake Estate.
Set in the Dorset countryside near Dorchester, the estate feels wonderfully removed from the busier resorts, yet you’re well placed to explore in several directions.
You can wake up surrounded by lakes and countryside, then walk beside the Jurassic Coast later that morning.
Here are some of the places we’d recommend for your list.
Weymouth
For a classic Dorset seaside day, Weymouth is an obvious choice.
The sweeping sandy beach is the obvious draw, particularly for families, but we’d always make time for the harbour too.
Walk around the water, watch the fishing boats coming and going, stop for something to eat, and continue towards the Nothe if you have time.
Weymouth is also useful when different generations want different things from a day out. You have the beach, shops, restaurants, the harbour, boat trips and attractions, all within a relatively compact area.
It’s somewhere we’ve spent countless days as a family and still return to regularly. We’ve brought together many of our favourite places in our guide to exploring Weymouth, along with a separate guide to the best places to eat around Weymouth Harbour if you’re planning to stay for lunch or dinner.
Ringstead and White Nothe
When we want something quieter, this is one of the stretches of coast we especially enjoy.
Ringstead Bay lies beneath the hills of the Jurassic Coast and feels a world away from Dorset’s larger resorts.
You can spend a few hours on the beach or follow the coast path towards White Nothe. We’ve walked here many times with Smarty, and the views are some of our favourites along this part of the Dorset coast.
If you fancy discovering somewhere a little less well known, Bran Point is tucked along the coast near Ringstead and is one of those places many visitors simply pass by. We’ve explored it ourselves and put together a guide to Bran Point with everything you need to know before you go.
Back at Ringstead, the Reef Café is set just back from the bay and is a great place to stop for food, drinks or a snack after a walk. It’s somewhere we regularly enjoy when we’re in this part of Dorset.
If you’re happy putting on your walking shoes, this whole stretch of coastline is well worth exploring and makes a great contrast to a day spent enjoying Silverlake’s pools and lakes.
Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door
There is a reason these two places feature on so many Dorset postcards.
Durdle Door’s limestone arch is among Britain’s most recognisable coastal landmarks, while neighbouring Lulworth Cove is a remarkable natural harbour set within chalk cliffs.
They can become extremely busy in summer, so we’d always recommend going early if you can.
Better still, walk between them.
The climb is considerable in places, but the views are worth it. Approaching Durdle Door on foot gives you a much better sense of the landscape than simply driving between viewpoints.
They can become extremely busy during summer, so we’d always recommend going early if you can.
If you’ve enjoyed kayaking on the lakes at Silverlake and fancy something a little more adventurous, you can also explore this stretch of the Jurassic Coast by kayak. Guided sea-kayaking trips depart from Lulworth Cove, offering the chance to paddle beneath the cliffs and towards Durdle Door when sea and weather conditions allow. It’s a completely different way to see a coastline most people only experience from the paths above.
If you’d rather let someone else do the navigating, seasonal boat trips also depart from Lulworth Cove, offering another chance to see Durdle Door and the surrounding Jurassic Coast from the water.
And for something completely different, look out for the beach sauna at Lulworth Cove. A seaside sauna followed by a dip in the cove certainly isn’t your everyday Dorset beach experience.
Dorchester
Exploring Dorchester is sometimes overlooked in favour of Dorset’s coast, which is a shame.
The county town has layers of history stretching from the Romans to Thomas Hardy and beyond. You can explore the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, discover the town’s connections with Hardy, visit nearby Max Gate, or travel a little further to Hardy’s Cottage.
If history interests you, Maiden Castle lies just outside town. Despite its name, it isn’t a castle at all but one of Britain’s largest and most impressive Iron Age hillforts. It’s worth visiting for the views alone.
Our guide to history and heritage near Silverlake Estate explores many more nearby places, while our guide to the best museums in Dorchester is a useful place to start if you’re planning a day in the town.
And if you’re making a day of it, we’ve also put together our guide to the best places to eat in Dorchester, including restaurants and places we’ve discovered ourselves and would happily recommend.
Tyneham and the Isle of Purbeck
One of Dorset’s most fascinating places is to the east.
Tyneham was evacuated in December 1943, when the area was requisitioned for military training. The residents expected to return after the war, but the village was never permanently resettled.
Today you can walk through what remains of the village before continuing towards Worbarrow Bay. Access is restricted because the surrounding land remains part of the military ranges, so it’s important to check opening arrangements before travelling. If you’re planning a visit, our guide to Tyneham Village covers its history, what you’ll find there, and the practical details to know before you go.
Continue deeper into Purbeck and you’ll reach Corfe Castle, Swanage and eventually Studland, which we think has some of the best beaches in Britain, not just in Dorset. Our guide to the best beaches in Studland covers our favourites, while our guide to things to do in Studland has plenty more ideas if you’re planning to spend the day here.
Another Purbeck favourite is The Blue Pool, set among woodland and heathland near Wareham. We’ve visited many times over the years, and it’s somewhere we enjoy in every season, whether we’re walking around the pool or stopping at the tearoom. Our guide to The Blue Pool has everything you need if you’d like to include it in your stay.
You could easily spend several days exploring this corner of Dorset, which is one of the reasons we return to Purbeck again and again.
Abbotsbury and West Dorset
Head in the opposite direction, and the landscape changes again.
Abbotsbury is one of Dorset’s prettiest villages, with stone cottages, the famous Swannery, and nearby subtropical gardens.
We also love the walk up to St Catherine’s Chapel.
It isn’t particularly long, but its position high above the village offers you wonderful views across the surrounding countryside and towards Chesil Beach.
From Abbotsbury, you can continue west towards Burton Bradstock, West Bay and Bridport if you fancy making it a full day’s exploring.
Some days, stay exactly where you are
The great advantage of choosing Silverlake as your Dorset base is that you don’t have to go anywhere.
After a few days exploring, a slower morning can be very welcome.
Have breakfast outside. Walk around the estate. Take the children to one of the activity areas. Play tennis. Head for the water. Find somewhere quiet by the lake.
There’s plenty to do without leaving Silverlake, which is why we’ve created a separate guide to activities at Silverlake Estate.
It’s also what makes the estate particularly useful for multi-generational holidays. Not everyone has to want to do the same thing at the same time.
A different Dorset holiday every day
During one stay, you could spend a morning beside a lake, an afternoon on the Jurassic Coast, another day exploring a ruined castle, and the next day eating lunch overlooking the sea.
That’s the real appeal of Silverlake Estate for us.
It gives you the space and facilities of a countryside resort while putting a remarkable amount of Dorset within reach.
Our Silverlake Estate Curated Collection features handpicked holiday homes across the estate, alongside our local guides to nearby beaches, restaurants, attractions, activities, history and places to visit.
So you can explore as much of Dorset as you wish.
Or, occasionally, decide that today’s plans can wait until tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Silverlake Estate is in the Dorset countryside near Crossways, between Dorchester and the coast. Its location is one of the reasons we think it is so well suited to exploring this part of Dorset.
You’re surrounded by countryside at the estate, yet Dorchester, Weymouth and the Jurassic Coast are all within easy reach, while Purbeck and West Dorset make excellent day trips.
There are several beaches within easy reach of Silverlake Estate, so we’d choose one according to the sort of beach day you fancy. Weymouth is a great option for a traditional sandy beach, while Ringstead is one of our favourites for somewhere a little quieter. You’ll also have Dorset’s famous Jurassic Coast to explore, including Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.
We’ve put together a separate guide to the best beaches near Silverlake Estate, including some of our favourites.
Weymouth is roughly a 20-minute drive from Silverlake Estate, though journey times naturally vary with traffic, particularly in summer. That makes it easy to spend the morning enjoying Silverlake before heading into Weymouth for the beach, the harbour, lunch or an afternoon by the sea.
Yes. Durdle Door and the neighbouring Lulworth Cove are both close enough for an easy day trip from Silverlake Estate. Again, it’s about a 20-minute drive.
We’d recommend giving yourself plenty of time rather than treating them as quick photo stops. Walking part of the coastal path is one of the best ways to appreciate this extraordinary stretch of the Jurassic Coast, and going early is worthwhile during the busiest summer months.
You’re spoilt for choice. Weymouth, Dorchester, Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Corfe Castle, Tyneham, Swanage and Studland can all be part of a holiday here. For something a little different, head west towards Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach, Burton Bradstock and West Bay. We’ve created a comprehensive guide to places to visit near Silverlake Estate if you’re planning your days before you arrive.
We think it’s an excellent choice. Silverlake Estate puts you within easy reach of some of the Jurassic Coast’s best-known landmarks, while allowing you to stay in a lakeside setting surrounded by countryside rather than in one of the busier coastal resorts.
You can explore Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door one day, Weymouth and Portland another, then head west towards Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury, West Bay and beyond. There are also plenty of lesser-known stretches of coastline to discover if you’d prefer to leave some of Dorset’s busiest spots behind.
We’ve brought together our favourite places, walks, beaches and some of the coast’s lesser-known highlights in our guide to exploring the Jurassic Coast, including many of the places we’ve visited ourselves over the years. And on the days when you don’t fancy going anywhere, there’s plenty to enjoy back at Silverlake.