Gracie Barra

Brazilian jiu-jitsu isn't the first thing you'd expect to find in Dorset, but Gracie Barra near Shaftesbury has turned this corner of the South West into a proper training hub. It's a working sports venue where you can watch classes happening or - if you're game - sign up and learn the moves yourself. The facility focuses on grappling, takedowns, and ground work, the kind of thing that looks brutal on YouTube but genuinely works as both exercise and self-defence.

This is squarely for people who already train or want to start. Casual tourists won't find much beyond the classes themselves, and there's no spectator experience unless you know someone training. But if you're a martial arts enthusiast on a Dorset break, it's worth a visit - they run both beginner and advanced sessions throughout the week. Ring ahead to check current hours and whether drop-ins are welcome on any given day.

The location works well if you're based at Gold Hill Glamping or Sunnyhill Campsite nearby - both solid spots within five miles. Shaftesbury itself is worth a poke around for the high street and historic architecture, so you could combine a session here with a town wander. Expect to spend an hour in class, though that varies depending on what you sign up for. It's a genuine community space rather than a tourist attraction, and that's precisely what makes it worthwhile.