Windrose Rural Media Trust

28/08/2026

More things to do this weekend...😊

August bank holiday is nearly here, and there are plenty of places to explore for the long weekend in Dorset.

Whether you're after coastal views, ancient history or a gentle woodland walk, here are a few ideas to get you started.

🏖️ Golden Cap, Bridport - the highest point on the south coast, with panoramic views across the Jurassic Coast
🌊 Arne Nature Reserve, Wareham - dramatic heathland and ancient oak woodland overlooking Poole Harbour
🚶 Stonebarrow, Charmouth - open spaces for a picnic and a smugglers trail to keep the kids entertained
🪨 Valley of Stones, Dorchester - a National Nature Reserve scattered with sarsen stones left behind by the last Ice Age
🏰 Durlston Country Park, Swanage - coast, meadows and woodland together, with trails for every kind of walk
🕰️ Tyneham and Worbarrow Bay, Wareham - a village frozen in time, with a walk down to the bay beyond

Find these and many more on our Explore page 👇
https://dorset-nl.org.uk/explore/

Where will your bank holiday adventure take you?

📷 : Photo of Golden Cap by Donna Edwards

28/08/2026

Things to do this weekend...

24/08/2026

West Bay Discovery Centre is a great little place - this exhibition is on for another three weeks.

Discover how the Jurassic Coast has changed through time.

Our Changing Landscapes exhibition celebrates 25 years of the Jurassic Coast as a World Heritage Site. Explore fossils including ammonites, see a model Jurassic seabed, watch short films about coastal change, and try the fossil touch table.

A great visit for curious minds of all ages.

🎟️ Free admission — donations welcome.
We will be open 7 days a week in August from 11 am to 4 pm.

18/08/2026

A walk along the coast...

If you're someone who would love to join a group walk and would rather go outdoors with someone alongside them, The South West Coast Path Connectors have that covered.

Coast Path Connectors run regular wellbeing walks along the Dorset coast. A friendly Nature Buddy is there to welcome you, walk alongside you, and help you feel part of the group from the start. Walking together by the sea lifts mood, supports physical and mental health, and helps ease stress, all while you take in the fresh air and coastal views.

Each walk is planned around what participants need, with information on the route, terrain, distance and facilities shared in advance. Up to six sessions with a Nature Buddy are available, the walks are free, and everyone is welcome.

Read more about stepping into summer with a Nature Buddy 👇
https://dorset-nl.org.uk/step-into-summer-with-a-nature-buddy/

Nature Buddies is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, helping to make Dorset more inclusive and accessible to all.

23/07/2026

The Dorset flag is flying...

Today (23 July) we mark Historic County Flags Day by flying the Dorset Flag over County Hall as a symbol of Dorset’s distinctive heritage and as a celebration of the county’s enduring place in our shared history - joining communities across the United Kingdom in celebrating the rich heritage and identity of the nation’s historic counties.

Historic County Flags Day is observed annually on 23 July, commemorating the creation of the Devon Flag in 2002. This milestone inspired a nationwide movement which led to the design, recognition and registration of flags representing the historic counties of England, Scotland and Wales.

The UK’s county flags will be proudly displayed on Parliament Square, London alongside the Union Flag. This event aims to celebrate the rich history of each historic county.

Members of the public, Members of Parliament and local representatives are encouraged to visit Parliament Square to view the display and learn more about the unique stories behind each county flag.

Councils and organisations across the country are also being encouraged to fly their county flags, recognising the important role historic counties continue to play in local identity and community pride.

Councillor Stella Jones MBE, Chair of Dorset Council, said: “Historic County Flags Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the heritage, traditions and sense of belonging that our historic counties inspire.

"The Dorset Flag is a proud symbol of our county’s unique identity, reflecting generations of history and community spirit. By flying the flag over County Hall, we are recognising Dorset’s place in the story of our nation and celebrating the pride that so many people feel in calling Dorset home.”

20/07/2026

We were involved in a radio training programme for young people on the South Dorset Ridgeway. Follow this link to find out more and hear some of the young people's stories - https://windroseruralmedia.org/projects/ridgeway-radio/

The Festival of Archaeology starts today, and here in Dorset there's no better way to mark it than by stepping out into the landscape itself 🪨

Hidden in the hills between Dorchester and Weymouth, the South Dorset Ridgeway is ancient ridge of high land that has drawn people for thousands of years, a place where our ancestors gathered to celebrate life and bury their dead.

Experts tell us it rivals Stonehenge and Avebury for the sheer number of monuments and what they reveal about the past, yet it remains one of the UK's best kept secrets. Wildlife, geology and human history are woven together across the barrows, hillforts and standing stones of this land of bone and stone.

This landscape is for everyone. Whether you're heading out with the kids, going for a hike, spotting wildlife or simply soaking up the view, our Hidden in the Hills guide and walking maps will help you find your way in.

Explore the land of bone and stone 👇
https://dorset-nl.org.uk/location/exploring-the-south-dorset-ridgeway

📷 : Tony Gill

13/07/2026

Plenty to look forward to at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show 😊

11/06/2026

Reminds us of Farm Radio!

If Open Farm Sunday got you curious about farming in Dorset, the latest episode of the Down in Dorset podcast is the perfect follow-up listen 🎧

Hosts Lizzie and Tim have been out across the county talking to the farmers, teachers, and organisers working to connect town and country this summer.

Episode 5 covers a lot of ground: a FiPL-funded classroom welcoming children to a Dorset farm, a beekeeper with plans for a hands-on education hub, school visits where children chop home-grown veg into farmhouse soup, and a preview of the interactive Discover Farming marquee coming to the Melplash Show in August.

The podcast is part-funded by Dorset Council and our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. Search "Second Nature: Down in Dorset" on your usual podcast app, or find it at www.second-nature.co.uk/listen.

Did anything from Open Farm Sunday surprise you? We'd love to hear what you discovered!

29/05/2026

Happy Oak Apple Day, the birthday of Charles II and the day he was restored to the throne in 1660.
In Great Wishford, they celebrate it like this:

This film captures Great Wishford Oak Apple Day, a unique village t...

09/05/2026

How much countryside can Dorset afford to lose?
Check out the new Dorset Life magazine here online.

Well… here it is. We’re Dorset Life! New name, fresh look, same Dorset at its heart – just brighter, bolder, and (we think) rather lovely.Inside this very first issue (or […]