Shep's Hollow

The views from Shep's Hollow are the sort that make you understand why people move to Dorset and never leave. It's a proper cliff-top viewpoint overlooking the coast near Swanage, with the kind of uninterrupted vista across the Channel that rewards a short walk from the nearest car park. On a clear day you're looking at genuine distance - the sort of panorama that justifies dragging yourself up from the beach.

This is one for walkers and photographers rather than the sit-down-with-an-ice-cream brigade. There's no infrastructure here, no benches, no visitor centre. You get the view and you get the Dorset coastline doing what it does best. The approach isn't taxing, which means families with kids in tow won't find themselves on a death march, but it's enough of a proper walk to feel like you've earned the spectacle at the top.

If you're staying at Ulwell Holiday Park or Swanage Bay View Holiday Park - both virtually on the doorstep - this is an obvious afternoon jaunt. Burnbake Forest Lodges sits a few miles inland, making it a slightly longer but still manageable outing. Allow an hour return trip once you've parked up, longer if you're the type to linger with a thermos.

It's free, naturally. Open whenever daylight allows. Worth the detour? If you're already in Swanage, absolutely. It's the sort of unfussy coastal spot that doesn't need a postcode or entry fee to justify itself.