DorchesterIf you're looking for somewhere to visit whilst staying at Ulwell Holiday Park,  we highly recommend visiting Dorset’s county town - Dorchester!

Dorchester

As the county town of Dorset, Dorchester has a wide range of shops, cafes and restaurants to explore – many of which are independently owned, however, you are sure to find a few high-street brands across Dorchester’s many streets! What’s more, Dorchester is only a 45-minute drive away from Swanage – however, if you don’t feel like driving there are also plenty of fantastic bus links to Dorchester too!

Things To Do In Dorchester

From browsing the shops to sipping on a refreshing coffee in one of the local cafes – there are plenty of things to see and do in Dorchester! On dreaded rainy days, visitors can make the most of their day trip by watching a film in one of the two cinemas in Dorchester (either the Odeon or the locally owned Plaza Cinema). Alternatively, why don’t you time your visit to Dorchester with a performance at The Corn Exchange? The Corn Exchange hosts a wide selection of shows, performances and events throughout the year – so it’s definitely worth checking out what’s on prior to your visit!

 

Shopping in Dorchester

Dorchester is home to a multitude of fantastic businesses – providing an excellent opportunity for a shopping trip! With a fantastic mix of both independent and chain shops, you are sure to find the perfect memento to remember your holiday in Dorset!

For a sweet present for a loved one, we highly recommend popping into Cranbornes for a delightful selection of gifts, cards, jewellery, cuddly toys and accessories for both men, women and children! If you’re looking to stock up on your groceries for your caravan or holiday home, Dorchester also has plenty of supermarkets including Waitrose, Co-Op and Tesco as well as local delis and grocers including The Fridge and Mina’s Deli.

cheese deli in dorchester

Historic Towns in Dorset

Dorchester has plenty of links to Dorset’s rich tapestry of Roman and Celtic heritage! If you’re looking to learn more about Dorchester’s history, you can always visit The Shire Hall Museum and The Dorset Museum to browse a selection of fantastic artefacts including dinosaur bones, fossils, Roman coins, skeletons and so much more!  If it’s a pleasant day outside, we recommend that you take a walk through Dorchester and spend a moment looking at all the Roman influences throughout this Dorset Town! Such historic monuments in Dorchester include the Dorchester Roman Town House, Maiden Castle and Maumbury Rings!

 

roman history dorchester

Flickr – Photo Credit (Hugh Llewelyn)

Restaurants and Cafes in Dorchester

Dorchester has a wide selection of restaurants and cafes to choose from! No matter whether you’re looking for a perfect spot to enjoy a family meal, or you’re looking for a restaurant with vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options – you’re sure to find the perfect bite to eat in Dorchester! You’ll find plenty of restaurants and cafes dotted throughout the town, however, we recommend heading to Brewery Square which is truly Dorchester’s hub for restaurants! Here you will find plenty of large restaurants including, Wagamamas, Lucciano’s, Hubbox, Côte, DRGNFLY, and Pizzaexpress as well as a few cocktail, wine and cider bars.

 

brewery square dorchester

Flickr – Photo Credit (cattan2011)

 

Family-Friendly Holiday Park in Swanage

Ulwell Holiday Park is ideally placed in the countryside of Swanage, which provides guests with convenient access to and from local towns and attractions – such as Dorchester! Our family-friendly and dog-friendly campsite has a wide selection of accommodation options to choose from, including luxury holiday homes, caravan and motorhome pitches, camping pitches and even a rustic glamping pod!

To secure your camping holiday in Swanage, you can book your accommodation at Ulwell Holiday Park online or by calling our friendly reception team at 01929 422823.

What our guests say

  • A lovely quiet site

    Andy Blackwell

    A lovely quiet site, nice warm amenities with good sized shower cubicles, shop not open yet as it’s too early but the local pub is ideal. Staff were very friendly and helpful. If you’re reasonably fit you can walk into Swanage but the bus service is great so why would you want to. Overall a very nice break, we will be back.

  • Super swimming pool

    Joseph Molford

    Fantastic site, we have had a brilliant holiday. Super swimming pool and changing facilities. Site really handy to get to Swanage and Studland. Will definitely return. Thanks to all the staff for a lovely holiday.

  • Excellent quality caravan site

    Peter Skrobacz

    Excellent quality caravan site, top quality, small and friendly, location fantastic. Been visiting Ulwell for over 25 years now and every year is special.

  • An amazing week at Ulwell

    Jenny H

    We have just returned back from our weeks stay at Ulwell Holiday Park with our 2 small children and dog. It was an absolute brilliant week! The site has everything you need, and more! A lovely comfy pub on site for drinks and a bowl of chips, a small shop, swimming pool, large play are with park, and the bus stops right outside.. what more could you want

  • Easter break

    Mit

    We have just returned after a brilliant Easter break. Couldn’t fault anything at all and we didn’t want to leave. We didn’t visit the pub but the shop is stocked with local produce and essentials. The facilities are great and the location convenient. Our van was spotless and had everything we needed. We will definitely be back

All reviews

4.5

We are currently at an amazing 4.5 score at TripAdvisor, based upon 200+ reviews from verified guests.

Latest reviews

Proudly associated

Over the years the family has developed the park to award-winning standards and in a style which compliments its surroundings.

  • Camping and caravanning
  • British Holiday & Home Parks assocation
  • Poole Tourism
  • Visit Britain
  • ulwell holiday park 5 star rating
  • premier parks 2025

Finding us

BY ROAD

From Bournemouth via the Sandbanks chain ferry and following the B3351 into Swanage.

From Wareham using the A351 into Swanage, turn left along the seafront towards Studland.

BY BUS

The park is situated on the main bus route from Bournemouth to Swanage.

GPS

1 ° 58’ 16” West, 50° 37’ 34” North

WHAT3WORDS

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