Below them spread the Dorset countryside, shimmering in the heat of the day, the distance almost lost in a blue haze. 

Enid Blyton

Have I mentioned I am lucky enough to have my birthday always fall very close to, if not on, the August bank holiday? I am sure I mentioned it…

Every year we try to do a trip for my birthday.

• 2018 we went to the Netherlands
• 2019 we did a few day trips to Kent – we really should have planned something better, like an overnight stay somewhere, it was such a gorgeous sunny weekend
• 2020 we went to Dover and Canterbury (I am well aware I am behind with posts)
• 2021 we found ourselves on the road to Dorset!

This was a last-minute decision. I wanted to go somewhere new for my birthday but it was all so pricey because I left it so late.

How did Dorset come about? I saw one of our biker friends post on Facebook about how he went for an excellent ride down the Jurassic Coast. The photos looked fab, the roads smooth and it wasn’t even that far (less than 200 miles one way). I found a pretty decent campsite that offered a shepherd’s hut (no packing tents and sleeping bags) and we were good to go.

Why is the Dorset coast called the Jurassic Coast?

With a name like Jurassic Coast, you would expect us hurtling on the motorcycle (Chris Pratt style, just not on a Triumph) among herds of gracious herbivores, roaming the green pastures of the Dorset coast (they do move in herds!). Alas, this was not the case.

The Jurassic Coast is a long stretch of the English Channel where the cliffs show millions of years of geological history. And when I say millions, I mean millions. The rocks hide the secrets of three big historical periods

After so many millions of years, all the dinosaurs and prehistoric life you might find here are fossilized.

If you have kids, you can find workshops and activities where they are taken along the beaches to look for said fossils – a good way for them to have fun, learn something, and for you to relax with a nice pint of local ale.

The Jurassic coast stretches through two counties. It starts in East Devon in Exmouth and goes all the way to Old Harry Rocks. In the four days there, we drove over two-thirds of its full, 95-mile length (from Lyme Regis to Old Harry Rocks).

We had the weather on our side – warm and sunny days, perfect for longer rides and walks down to the sea. The evenings had a bit of a cold bite to them, making it lovely to sit by the fire in the middle of a field, listening to the occasional train pass by.

I have to admit, the idea to go to Dorset was the best one we could’ve made for such a short trip. I love the coastline, the beaches look inviting and there was quite a lot to do. It is one of the areas of the UK I am looking forward to going back to.

Do you have a tradition for your birthday? Something you try to do every year. Or are you one of those people who likes their birthday passing by unnoticed? Let us know in the comment section!