Welcome to the Dorset AONB - Dorset AONB Partnership

The Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is one of a family of protected landscapes in the UK, working to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of almost half of Dorset's countryside.

Rather than just one beautiful landscape to shout about, the Dorset AONB is a collection of beautiful landscapes - each with different histories, ways of working and stories to tell.

We have announced the winners of our Site Seeing photo competition, with over 300 entries it's well worth a look!

Dorset AONB Map

Walking Trail Brings New Ridgeway Activity

A new interactive walking trail is seeking to attract people of all ages to explore the magnificent sights of the South Dorset Ridgeway in partnership with a Littlemoor primary school.

LANDANCE IN DORCHESTER

At dusk on Saturday 2nd September, Landance will present a unique open-air promenade performance, starting in the Maumbury Rings in Dorchester.

Have your say - National Grid events 20th & 22nd July

Have your say on proposals to remove a section of National Grid’s overhead transmission line in the Dorset AONB.
National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project will reach a major milestone at the end of the year when the team behind it will submit a planning application for the scheme.

Explore the AONB & Jurassic Coast by bus

Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Jurassic Coast Team have pulled together a series of lovely short walks for you to enjoy. All of them start at bus stops along the Jurassic Coaster bus route in West Dorset. The walks have been researched, checked (and re-checked!) by our wonderful volunteers.

The Jurassic Coast is England’s only natural World Heritage Site, a unique place where the rocks and fossils reveal 185 million years of the Earth’s history. Discover wild natural beauty, cosy seaside havens and fabulous local food and drink. While you are exploring, bear in mind: this coast looks like it does because of erosion. Erosion means that the coast is dynamic and is always on the move.

You should always keep your wits about you, whether you are out walking, fossil hunting or having a picnic. It is easy to enjoy the Jurassic Coast without putting yourself or others at risk. Don’t forget:

1. Always stay away from the cliffs (top and bottom). There is always a risk of landslides and rock falls and they can, and do, happen any time
2. Mud flows can extend across the beaches – be alert; they look deceptively like the beach itself
3. Never ignore a warning sign – they are there for your safety
4. Always check tide times before you set off along the beach. You may become cut off if the tide comes in. There are free Tide Time apps - why not download one so you can check before you go out

Sally King, Jurassic Coast and Dorset AONB Visitor, Tourism and Access Manager said: “We’re really grateful to the volunteers who helped research these walks. We plan to publish more walks along other parts of the coast and inland in the future. If you are interested in researching and checking more walks, please keep an eye out on social media and the local press – we will be asking for your help again!”

If you find any issues with any of the routes, please do let us know. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Abbotsbury via the Coast Path

Brit Valley Walk

Burton Bradstock Coastal Circular

Burton Bradstock Inland Circular

Burton Bradstock to West Bay

Fleet Lagoon Circular

Over Portesham Hill

Portesham via the old Railway

Portesham Withy Beds

Short circular from Chickerell

West Bexington on the Coast Path

Media Release: Renowned chef Lesley Waters celebrates Dorset’s finest food and drink

Dorset Food & Drink held an event at The Lesley Waters Cookery School to celebrate Lesley joining the organisation as an ambassador to promote Dorset’s finest food and drink. 30 member businesses from across the county came to mark the occasion with Lesley, the Dorset Food & Drink team and corporate partners Porter Dodson. Dorset Food & Drink members contributing to the canape feast at the cookery school in Halstock were Dorset Pastry, Ford Farm Cheese, BV Dairy, Goldhill Organics, Capreolus, Dorset Blue Vinny, Wobbly Cottage, Brace of Butchers, The Watercress Company and Solkiki chocolates. Liberty Fields and Furleigh Estate provided a Dorset twist on the classic bellini cocktail to toast the occasion.

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Lesley Waters, well known for her television appearances, studied French Cuisine for three years at Ealing College including time as a chef at the Waldorf Hotel. During this training period, she won one gold, and two silver medals at Hotelympia and was awarded a scholarship to the Hotel Intercontinental, Dusseldorf. She joined Prue Leith's restaurant and was quickly promoted to senior chef. She then worked as a freelance corporate chef and caterer for government officials before joining Leith's School of Food and Wine as an instructor, rising to head tutor.
In addition to her television work with Ready Steady Cook, Great Food Live and This Morning, Lesley is also the author of several Cookery Books, a qualified Fitness Instructor and a mother of two! Originally a Londoner born & bred, Lesley was quickly charmed by the beauty of the West Dorset area and inspired by the superb quality of the fresh local produce available right on her doorstep. She likes to cook seasonal food whenever possible and her simple, modern style creates dishes that are easy to recreate with stunning results. Teaching has always been her great passion and opening her own Cookery School in this amazing location is the realisation of a long held dream. Her energetic style of presentation is expertly combined with clear and simple guidance, making her classes both entertaining and informative.

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Dorset Food & Drink is a non-profit organisation representing the very best of locally produced food and drink. Dorset Food & Drink promotes, supports, encourages and celebrates the amazingly vibrant food and drink sector in this county. With around 200 member businesses, Dorset Food & Drink covers the whole local food scene from the small kitchen producer to the county’s top brands, from street food to fine dining, farms, distributors and places to learn.
As a county, Dorset has a fantastic range of fine fresh produce, and is increasingly being known as ‘the larder of the southwest’. With outstanding protected landscapes, 8000 years of farming and fishing heritage, market towns, coastal communities, clean seas, rural villages and lively towns it is easy to see why Dorset can produce the wonderful array of local food and drink. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it be some freshly cooked sausages or seafood, handcrafted chocolates or cheese, or even a bottle of beer, cider, wine, gin or vodka, you’ll be sure to find it through Dorset Food & Drink.

For more information on Dorset Food & Drink contact: Katharine Wright, T/: 01305 228239; M/: 07584255460 or E/: hello@dorsetfoodanddrink.org

Image copyright remains with photographer Richard Budd http://www.richardbudd.co.uk/

High res images are available on request

Editor’s Notes
Dorset Food & Drink is a member-based organisation with a special trademarked brand overseen by the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team. It represents Dorset's food and drink business community bringing a strong and vibrant sector together under one banner. As well as promoting what Dorset has to offer, it provides excellent networking opportunities for its members and specialist advice on a number of topics, including environmental issues and support to improve your businesses environmental sustainability.
The Lesley Waters Cookery School at Abbot’s Hill Farm nestles in the heart of the West Dorset countryside. It is about fresh, simple ingredients and creating great food. But it’s not just about the cooking it’s the whole day, meeting people and enjoying the atmosphere where you can relax, learn and laugh. We pride ourselves on creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and you will take home with you the knowledge and the know how to create simple and stylish food with confidence and flair. No expert skills are needed you just need to enjoy food and good company. The school offers a wide range of interesting 1 day hands on days, workshops and demonstration days for all abilities, including Bread and Pastry, Cooler than Chillies, By the Sea, Seasonal and Vegetarian Kitchen. Please see www.lesleywaters.com to find out what Les has been up to and for more details of the courses. Or you can email us at info@lesleywaters.com or call us on 0844 800 4633.

#YourArchaeology - exploring Abbotsbury

Mon Jul 17 @10:00AM - 16:00

Despite its apparent richness there is much more to the archaeology of the South Dorset Ridgeway than first meets the eye. The National Mapping Project used aerial photography to identify 2,500 new archaeological sites but there is so much more that we can only learn about these sites by exploring them on foot. So do join us on a #YourArchaeology event to find out more:

Tuesday 27 June – starting in Abbotsbury

Thursday 29 June - starting in Martinstown

Saturday 15 July - starting in Broadmayne

Monday 17 July - starting in Abbotsbury

#YourArchaeology events are not so much guided walks as explorations of YOUR landscape.

Dr Hayley Roberts, our community archaeologist, will be joining all the walks but they are not pre-planned and the aim is to assess archaeological remains as we go – so be prepared for anything! So far the project has discovered previously unrecorded sites and identified significant changes that have occurred since the photos were taken.

These events may also appeal to those currently conducting veteran tree or barrow surveys, providing additional tools to help understand the landscape.

Each event starts at 10am and runs until 4pm. Places are strictly limited and booking is essential.

Please contact Dr Hayley Roberts for more information or to reserve a place:

Email: Hayley.roberts@dorsetcc.gov.uk

There are also opportunities to get involved without venturing from your desk: if you would like to help with map-based work (particularly looking for agricultural buildings and changing agricultural practices) please contact Hayley for more info.

You can see photos of our events here: //www.flickr.com/photos/131152284@N07/albums">Land of Bone & Stone on Flickr

Heathland Flora - Survey & Training Day - near Hardy Monument - CANCELLED

Sat Jul 22 @10:00AM - 16:00

Heathland Flora Survey & Training Day

Come and join us to learn how to identify and record the flora of Dorset heathland - no experience required (though always welcome!) Heathland is a very rare habitat supporting a wealth of specialist wildlife, including adders and slow worms.

There is no charge but places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to recording in the South Dorset Ridgeway area.

Please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

You can see photos of our events here: Land of Bone & Stone on Flickr

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Guided Walk - Eggardon Hill

Thu Jul 27 @ 7:00PM - 21:00

Guided Walk on Eggardon Hill

Join us for a guided walk on Eggardon Hill exploring the archaeology of this stunning Iron Age hillfort, with Steve Wallis, Dorset County Council Senior Archaeologist.

There is no charge but places are limited: please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

You can see photos of our events here: //www.flickr.com/photos/131152284@N07/albums/with/72157681499719492" data-mce-href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/131152284@N07/albums/with/72157681499719492">Land of Bone & Stone on Flickr

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Evening Expedition - Crepuscular Creatures - near Martinstown

Fri Jul 28 @ 8:00PM - 23:00

Bats, Moths & Nightjars

Come and join us to discover some of the crepuscular creatures that usually go about their nocturnal lives unobserved by human eyes - bats, moths and the elusive nightjar.

There is no charge but places are limited, please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

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Guided Walk - Butterflies of Weymouth Relief Road

Fri Aug 04 @11:00AM - 13:00

Guided Walk - Butterflies of Weymouth Relief Road

Join us for a guided walk, led by John Elliott of Butterfly Conservation's Dorset Branch, discovering the butterflies that have colonised the verges of Weymouth Relief Road. During the construction of the road an imaginative plan was devised by Dorset County Council to create new herb-rich downland by sowing the bare chalk of the steep roadside verges with local seed of plants such as kidney vetch. The experiment has been a great success with 21 species of butterfly now recorded in the area. With luck and sunshine there should be Small Blues in flight, and if we are very lucky there may be a glimpse of the rare and beautiful Adonis Blue.

The walk will start at 11am and finish by 1pm; the route is under 3 miles and on tracks but there is one long steep climb back on to the Ridgeway.

There is no charge but places are limited and booking is essential.

Please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

You can see photos of our events here: Land of Bone & Stone on Flickr

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Dorset Food & Arts Festival

Sat Aug 05 @ 9:00AM - 17:00

The Dorset Food & Arts Festival takes place in Queen Mother Square, Poundbury on Saturday 5th August 2017.

Come and discover the best of Dorset. The festival is free and family friendly.

Celebrity chef Lesley Waters has been a regular fixture at previous festivals with her inspirational food demonstrations and knowledge and they have her back in 2017

For full details, including all the stalls, kitchen demos and entertianment visit

www.dorsetfestival.org

Heathland Flora - Survey & Training Day - near Hardy Monument

Sat Aug 12 @10:00AM - 16:00

Heathland Flora Survey & Training Day

Come and join us to learn how to identify and record the flora of Dorset heathland - no experience required (though always welcome!) Heathland is a very rare habitat nationally and supports a wealth of specialist wildlife, including adders and slow worms.

There is no charge but places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to recording in the South Dorset Ridgeway area.

Please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

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Dry Stone Walling - near Upwey

Wed Aug 23 @10:00AM - 15:30

Come along and join us if you would like to try your hand at the traditional craft of dry stone walling. Working alongside experienced volunteers from our partner organisations EuCAN and the Dry Stone Walling Association, you can find out if this is the thing for you - but be warned it is a bit addictive!

We are on site from 10am until 3.30pm each day and all tools and protective equipment are provided - you should be aware that the location is quite remote and there are no facilities!

You can read more about another section of wall completed recently on the Ridgeway here: Dorset Echo - Mammoth dry stone walling effort - so if you want to join in and have a go, do get in touch.

There is no charge but places are limited and booking is essential.

Please contact Jill Hearing for further information:

Email: j.hearing@dorsetcc.gov.uk or phone: 01305 228273

You can see photos of our events here: Land of Bone & Stone on Flickr

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Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

Sat Sep 09 @10:00AM - 17:00

Returning once again the ever popular Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

This year on the 9th & 10th September

For full details visit the Cheese festivals website

Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

Sun Sep 10 @10:00AM - 17:00

Returning once again the ever popular Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

This year on the 9th & 10th September

For full details visit the Cheese festivals website

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