Bridport

Rope-making put this market town on the map centuries ago, and you can still feel that industrious spirit threading through Bridport's characterful streets today. Palmer's Brewery dominates the southern approach - Britain's only thatched brewery and proper old-school operation that's been family-run since 1794. The smell of hops drifts across town on brewing days.

West Bay lies just two miles south, where the River Brit meets the English Channel at a proper working harbour. Those dramatic sandstone cliffs you see on Broadchurch? That's here. East Beach stretches eastward from the harbour mouth, though it's more pebbles than sand. Better views come from climbing Coneygar Hill or heading to the Coast View point for proper Jurassic Coast panoramas.

Back in town, The Lyric Theatre punches well above its weight for a place this size, while Bridport Arts Centre keeps the creative scene ticking over nicely. St. Swithun's Church anchors the medieval heart, though the Wednesday and Saturday markets really bring the place alive.

Dorchester sits 15 miles northeast if you need proper shopping or transport links - the X53 bus connects them hourly. But honestly, Bridport works best as a base for exploring this stunning stretch of coast rather than a destination itself. Those holiday parks scattered around the area make perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or an evening pint, yet positioned to tackle the South West Coast Path, explore Lyme Regis, or hunt for fossils along the beach. The surrounding countryside rolls in gentle folds toward the sea, dotted with those honey-stone villages that make Dorset so endlessly photogenic.