DORSET has fought off global competition to be named one of the top 40 places in the world to visit. Other locations which made the shortlist of this year’s ‘hot’ destinations in the Guardian newspaper included locations as far-flung as Sri Lanka, Cuba, The Azores, Patagonia in Chile, Milan in Italy, Memphis in Tennessee, Brisbane in Australia and Yosemite in California.
Dorset was one of four locations in the country which made the list, alongside Salisbury, Bristol and Margate.
The county was praised for famous locations such as the dramatic backdrop of East Cliff in Bridport – which features in the ITV series Broadchurch, and places linked to Thomas Hardy, such as picturesque Higher Bockhampton.
The popularity of the Dorset-born poet and novelist is growing in the run up to the release of Far From the Madding Crowd by film studio Fox Searchlight in May.
The reviewer said: “If hit TV drama Broadchurch, which starts a second series tomorrow, hasn’t put Dorset on the map, the release of Thomas Vinterberg’s film of Far From the Madding Crowd in May should have people flocking to this rolling landscape in, well, madding crowds.” The film’s cast includes Hollywood actors Tom Sturridge, who starred in On The Road, and Carey Mulligan, who played Daisy in The Great Gatsby.
Also singled out was the Seaside Boarding House in Burton Bradstock, which is situated on cliffs overlooking Lyme Bay and Chesil Beach. Nick Thornley, on behalf of the Visit Dorset Tourism Partnership, said: “It’s great news for Dorset to be named in the Top 40 holiday destinations for 2015. “It’s going to be an exciting year for Dorset; the return of Broadchurch to our screens has put the area back in the media spotlight and helped visit-dorset’s website traffic more than double compared with January last year. “Dorset’s picturesque coastline and countryside is a beautiful place for a holiday at any time of the year.”
“Let me enjoy the earth no less because the all-enacting light that fashioned forth its loveliness had other aims than my delight.” – Thomas Hardy, Author. Dorset.
Are you a fan of the hit ITV crime drama, Broadchurch? If so, get the lowdown on behind the scenes information of the cast, producers and all the Dorset filming locations.
Our Jurassic Spectacular Tour visits the Broadchurch location. See the tour here: Jurassic Spectacular Tour
Broadchurch was penned by Doctor Who and Torchwood writer, Chris Chibnall, with each series boasting a star studded cast including David Tennant, Olivia Colman and Arthur Darvill.
Broadchurch …the story
Broadchurch first hit our screens back in March 2013 with the second series following in early 2015 and the final series in 2017. The premise has always been to explore how a tragic incident affects a small, close-knit community, and how the characters react to the media attention and the mutual suspicion that arises. Broadchurch is unique in how it shows how something terrible can happen in such a beautiful place.
The Dorset landscape was always intended to be a main character of the drama; Chris Chibnall wrote Broadchurch “as a love letter to the scenery of the Jurassic Coast which used key landmarks as part of its story.
The landscape informs the drama: the cliffs, the sea, the beach are all key elements of the story.”
Intimacy and secrecy surround the series keeping us continually guessing and on the edge of our seats.
Broadchurch cast and crew on filming in Dorset!
The spectacular location not only looked great on screen but it also found it’s way into the hearts of the cast and crew, who have adored Dorset, and who can blame them!
David Tennant, who played DI Alec Hardy commented after filming the last series in Dorset “I will miss our trips to the coast. West Bay and the Jurassic coastline I will definitely need to visit because there is something very special about that place and it is an extraordinary part of the country”.
Olivia Colman, who played DS Ellie Miller talked about Dorset’s beauty when being on location filming for the first series – “being on the cliff at Bridport in the sunshine during the first week of filming was just amazing. Idyllic”
Andy Buchan, who played Mark Latimer was asked if he would miss the locations that have become part of the Broadchurch phenomenon, to which he replied “I think I would take a holiday in Dorset every 10 minutes if I could. It is a spectacular part of the world. From the scenery to the people, the whole package down there is spot on.”
Jodie Whittaker who played Beth Latimer comments “I love being in Dorset. It’s a brilliant place to be and film”.
Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Trish Winterman in the third series said “Well it was absolutely wonderful being down in Dorset, really beautiful and I had a period of time in the summer when I was down a lot and I had a little caravan on the beach (Freshwater Beach Holiday Park). I used to walk over the cliffs to West Bay to work in the morning and in the middle of summer it was absolutely lovely. It doesn’t get any better than that!”
When asked what she thought of West Bay, Eve Myles, who featured in the second series, replied “I’d never been there before – how glorious is that place and why haven’t I been before? It’s two hours from my house door to door, I’ll be going there a lot more. I was spotting out places to take the children next summer. It’s beautiful.”
Filming on the Jurassic Coast was a real bonus for Pauline Quirke, who played Susan Wright in the first two series, said “I have absolutely fallen in love with the place. I loved being at West Bay and when I got the chance I’d go off exploring. I have been to Lyme Regis and lots of other places just having a wander around with Bailey (her pet Labrador).”
“Even when the weather turned cold it was still beautiful.”