A Day Out in Dorchester – Sunflower Edition!
We’ve partnered up with Great Western Railway to promote Dorchester. It’s easy to get to Dorchester from the surrounding areas, just hop on the Great Western Railway line for an quick journey and a fun day out!
Here’s some inspiration for a sunflower-themed day out this summer…
Catch the Great Western Railway to Dorchester
Whether you’re coming from further away or just down the road, Great Western Railway has you covered.
The journey from Bristol to Dorchester takes around 2 hours. Leave at 8, by 10 you can be here for the whole day.
The 1 hour and 45 minutes from Bath is an easy length for a fun journey to Dorchester.
From Weymouth to Dorchester, the journey takes just 11 minutes – what could be easier!
Book your tickets at www.gwr.com.
Visit one of the many museums
Museums and exhibitions are the heart of Dorchester, showcasing the incredible history of the town and the surrounding area. With everything from dinosaurs to military history, and Teddy bears to Tutankhamun, there’s eight brilliant museums and exhibitions to choose from.
Even better – at three of Dorchester’s biggest museums, kids go FREE this summer!
Shire Hall Museum: Sat 22nd July – Sat 2nd Sept, Under 18s free
Dorset Museum: Under 16s free
Keep Military Museum: Children £3, Under 5s free
Image: Shire Hall Museum
Explore the Dorset Sunflower Trail
Nothing says summertime quite like sunflowers! Head on down to Maiden Castle Farm’s Dorset Sunflower Trail for a colourful and uplifting, outdoor family fun experience.
Get up close and personal with the beautiful sunflowers, take a relaxing stroll through the winding trails, cut in the acres of sunflowers, planted on the outskirts of Dorchester. This year’s theme for the trail is beloved British Bees. Navigate through the twists and turns of the Bee shape while enjoying watching our special pollinators hard at work. Alternatively, take a leisurely stroll down our shorter trail, created with accessibility in mind. This really is an attraction for every one of all ages.
Enjoy a drink and a cake from the ‘Café on Wheels’, or bring a picnic and enjoy dining alfresco.
Half of the profits from the Sunflower Trail will be donated to the Special Care Baby Unit at Dorset County Hospital. This is in partnership with Dorchester’s Summer of Sunflowers as you’re invited to visit the town centre to see the sunflower sculptures suspended across South Street, temporary pavement murals, view the spectacular sunflower themed shop windows across town
Spend your afternoon filling up on a scrumptious late lunch or afternoon coffee and cake!
The Town Centre has everything you need for a scrumptious lunch. Packed with coffee shops, cafes, pubs, and restaurants, you’ll find everything from sandwiches to pancakes to pub classics. Why not head to one of Dorchester’s great vegan cafes. Poundbury has a great selection of coffee shops, cafes, and bakeries for an afternoon tea, coffee and cake. Enjoy the architecture of King Charles III’s Poundbury while you stop for a sweet treat. You’ll even find some special, limited edition sunflower-themed cakes around Dorchester as part of our Summer of Sunflowers!
Fancy something more filling? You’ll find yourself spoilt for choice if you head to Brewery Square. The Square hosts a great variety of your favourite restaurants.
Find all of our cafes, pubs, and restaurants here.
Image: Sunflower cakes at The King’s Arms
Walk the tree-lined Roman walls
Get out and about after an afternoon of treats by walking the roman walls of Dorchester.
Like most Roman towns in Britain, Durnovaria was walled! Over the years, Dorchester has outgrown the original wall size of 75 acres but you can still see the original line of the Roman walls.
They have now been lined with beautiful trees so visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll as they walk around the centre of town! As the sun shines, follow the tree-lined walks – the perfect way to end your day out in Dorchester!