Corfe Castle and the Wareham to Swannage Railway makes for a lovely, nostalgic day out.

Swanage, with its Victorian Pier and sheltered beach makes a great starting point. The vintage railway runs most days in high season to Corfe Castle (check out times on swanagerailway.co.uk for full details), and on certain days onwards to Wareham. You can also park up at Corfe Castle and visit Swanage that way.

Corfe Castle is a magnificent 11th Century fortress which fell victim to the orgy of castle ‘slighting’ which took place towards the end of the English Civil War. Built on a ridge of limestone, it dominates the countryside around and is still an impressive spectacle despite the destruction wreaked on it.

Not far away are Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, two of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks. There is also Studland Bay not far away, with its lengthy beach, the Chain Ferry to Sandilands, and the sea stack ‘Old Harry’.