Dorset is a county of great beauty, a land of contrast and breathtaking scenery. It is one of the maritime counties of southern England, with a coastline extending some 140 kilometers from Lyme Regis in the west to Christchurch in the east, and offers a selection of the finest sandy beaches to be found in the British Isles

The award winning heritage coast begins in Poole Harbour and includes the Purbeck coastline which is the site of special nature reserves and countryside/marine parks. Traveling westwards, equally spectacular is the Chesil Bank, a barren pebbled beach, stretching 25 kilometers from Weymouth to Bridport.

Dorset is frequently described as 'The Best of Both Worlds', for behind the varied coastline lies a county rich in archaeology, unspoilt rural villages and countryside, and a history to be proud of. Southern Holiday Lets has three properties in Dorset the first is Sixpenny Cottage situated in the east of Dorseton the Cranborne Chase, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Chase was formerly a royal hunting forest and has a fascinating history of smuggling and deer poaching, the latter being punishable by death. The deer remain and can often be seen grazing at the edge of the stands of hazel coppice which are a feature of this area. The wildlife of the downs is a fascinating study in itself - there are still areas of unimproved downland on which native flowers and butterflies flourish and the rare Stone Curlew still visits the Chase every spring.

The second property is Frith House which can be found in the west of the county in Dorchester, probably Dorset's most famous son, Thomas Hardy, immortalized this County town as 'Casterbridge'. His novels still attract thousands of visitors each year to the area to see the real life settings for 'Far from the Madding Crowd', 'Jude the Obscure', the 'Return of the Native', and of course 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'. Dorchester is ideally situated for the Jurassic coast, Weymouth and Portland.

The third property lies in the charming village of Wimborne, Riverview This is a quaint village famous for Wimborne Minster and miniature village, it also is ideally situated for the bustling towns of Bournemouth and Poole. Poole Arts Centre is the home of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and nearby Tower Park is the largest leisure complex in Europe with facilities ranging from a swimming pool and ice-rink to an eight screen cinema and ten pin bowling. This one centre also has a night-club, and restaurants, and bars. As well as the Tivoli Theatre at Wimborne there are also the Pavilion and Pier in Bournemouth and the Regent Centre in Christchurch. In addition the Bournemouth International Centre is one of England's leading venues for appearances by international stars, and conferences and exhibitions. Dorset has many country houses and other historic sites to visit and one of the most interesting is Kingston Lacy run by the National Trust and lies just outside Wimborne.

Rolling hillsides, dramatic cliffs, sweeping beaches, sleepy villages, bustling towns, quiet countryside- Dorset's charms are there for all to see... there are also great pubs to discover, good food to savour and miles of peaceful paths to ramble. Sporting activity is available everywhere including sailing, diving and wind-surfing, golf, cricket, soccer, tennis, bowls, rugby and fishing, to name a few. More informal leisure pursuits which take advantage of the scenery are walking, horse-riding and rambling.