101 Reasons To Visit Shaftesbury, Dorset

Thinking of visiting Shaftesbury? Whether you're here for an hour, a day, a week, or longer, here's 101 things to seek out:

The newly refurbished play park at St James. Kid HEAVEN.
The ancient beech trees on Pine Walk.
The magnolias in Spring.
The huge wisteria on the corner of Magdalene Lane in early summer.
The Salt Cellar breakfasts. You must try the mushrooms!
Ecco Gelato.
The Abbey Museum and Gardens. Founded in 888 by Alfred The Great, it was destroyed by Henry VIII in 1539.
The Japanese Anemones on Park Walk in late summer.
Trinity Churchyard. Shady in the summer, a carpet of Snowdrops in the early spring. We love it when the avenues of limes are in full-leaf.
The Lido.
Dramatic frosts in the winter. Come to town early, grab a coffee and take a bracing walk as the whole place glistens.
The mists in the spring and autumn. Thanks to the Shaftesbury's elevation we frequently sit above the clouds. If you're an early riser you'll often be treated to this beautiful spectacle.
Coconut & Cotton's ever-changing variety of plastic free solutions for everyday living.
The Grosvenor Arms. A historic coaching inn that's now a smart hotel, restaurant and venue. It's at the heart of the community and is open all day and in to the evening.
Pasties from Reeves. Made near Salisbury, there is nothing better than their hot flaky pastry. That said...
The Sausage Rolls from the Shaftesbury Deli are unmissable. The one with onion marmalade is especially well-loved by our team.
The Oxfam Book Shop. Great for records, art books as well as holiday reads at a snip of their RRP.
The Farmer's Market on the first Saturday of the month. Fresh shellfish, coffee, meat, veggies and eggs.
The Tuesday Antiques Market. Small yet perfectly formed. Especially good for tools and jewellery.
The Arts Centre exhibitions. They tend to change every two weeks and are always worth a look. There's often the chance to meet the artist, too.
The sunsets from Castle Green.
The chance to buy fresh Brixham fish on a Thursday morning in the high street.
Shaftesbury's Vintage & Eco Fair on the 1st Sunday of the month in the Town Hall.
Holyrood Farm Campsite. Budget-friendly accommodation on the outskirts of town.
The llamas near the allotments in St James. Lambs are often in the same field in the spring.
Breach Common wild areas. Lots of work has been done in recent years to this hidden corner of town.
The Truckle Truck on a Thursday morning. The garlic pickle is the stuff of legend.
The enamel Love Lane sign.
To break up a journey between London and Devon or Cornwall. Just a few miles off the A303, Shaftesbury is a great place to stay over or stretch your legs and grab some lunch.
The Pump Yard in St James.
The Two Brewers' roast potatoes on a Sunday. Unmissable, especially after a long walk.
The brownies at King Alfred's Kitchen. Their whole menu is delicious and very reasonably priced. Marvel at the ancient building while you refuel.
Stoney Path. Take note of the top step, which has been worn smooth over hundreds of years.
The new picnic benches on Castle Green with wheelchair spaces. Easy access from Bimport with a flat, grassy space for kids and dogs to let loose.
The Snowdrops! A reward for visiting town in February. Hundreds of thousands of sprouts poke their head through the frigid soil, hailing the start of spring.
The Shaftesbury Antiques Centre. Restocked with treasures daily, find it in the middle of the High Street.
Nest. Tucked away but with a pretty courtyard with modern, delicious menu. They also do takeaway.
The view of Melbury Beacon when looking south.
The Chapel Bakery Pop-up in The Grosvenor Arms on Saturday mornings.
The tree walks. Pick up a map in Folde Dorset or The Tourist Information Centre.
For the racing pigeons that fly over the town. They are so wonderfully peaceful to watch.
Gold Hill. Idyllic, bucolic, iconic.
FOLDE Dorset. A jewel in Shaftesbury's crown.
The water refill station outside the Town Hall.
Alfred Shaftesbury. A volunteer-run radio station with a busy social media presence. Follow for news from Shaftesbury.
Cancer Research - there's always a bargain to be found!
Pizzetta outside the Town Hall on a Thursday evening.
The Fringe Festival in July. The UK's third largest Fringe Festival.
The WI's flowers on a Thursday morning. 9.30am sharp ;)
The new greengrocers halfway down the high street. Seasonal produce, trays of mushrooms for a fiver - it's a gem!
The wild garlic in spring. Bring a basket and take a walk around town. You'll find carpets of the pungent green leaves in many spots.
The chance to see wheels of cheese being raced up Gold Hill at the Food Festival.
Bargains! A wonderland shop filled with useful, affordable things.
The outdoor gym and skate park at Barton Hill.
The Library.
Shaftesbury In Bloom's Sensory Garden beside the library.
The ever-developing high street with its proudly independent shops.
For the many, many spots for good coffee.
Angel Lane for its idyllic row of cottages.
The view across the fields from Great Lane.
The allotments in St James. Take a wander through and see what's growing.
The crater at Castle Hill. A quiet spot to watch the sun set.
Farm Soap Co.'s shop full of all natural soaps made in Shaftesbury
St Peter's Church. Humming with history and very beautiful inside and out. Especially peaceful around Christmas.
Our recently opened First Floor shop!
Shaftesbury's Fair Trade Town status.
The site of St John's Church. The Bury Litton yew sits in the centre of this historic, quiet corner of town.
Shaftesbury's proximity to The Jurassic Coast. You can easily take day trips to Dorset's famous beaches and coastal spots from Shaftesbury. A hour to a hour 1/4 of driving and you'll be beside the sea.
Two sprawling antiques centres in Semley, a short drive away.
The chance to see where some of the Abbey ruins ended up. If you spot a cross above a stone in town it signifies that it was once part of the Abbey.
Tout Hill. Gold Hill's lesser-known cousin which boasts a huge monkey puzzle tree.
Unusual house plants at Bright Blooms.
Unusual garden plants at The Potting Shed!
The Golden Fish. Excellent fish and chips for a low-fuss supper.
The cherry blossoms on Coppice Street in the spring.
The terrace at The Mitre pub on the high street. Gorgeous views in newly refurbished surroundings.
The Tourist Information Centre (located inside Morrisons in the Bell St. car park).
The view from Win Green ( a 10 minute drive from town.) The perfect spot for those fish & chips.
Paws & Claws. An old-fashioned pet shop with a hefty stack of treats behind the counter for visiting hounds.
The Ship. A quirky and characterful pub that's always full of locals.
The chance to spot a Spitfire flying overhead from Compton Abbas Airfield.
The tiny antiques shop at the top of Gold Hill. Especially good for antique drinking glasses, art and garden pots.
The Heritage Trail
The Millennium Garden in St. James. A peaceful corner of the town, brimming with beautiful plants and trees.
The ghost signs on Jean's Sweet Shop (two doors up from our shop) and in Laundry Lane.
The Food Festival!
Geocaching. There are so many caches hidden around the town.
The French Mill Circular Walk.
Shaftesbury Wines and their tiny vineyard out back!
The arch at the bottom of Gold Hill. A relic of the extensive tunnel network that runs beneath the town.
A Cinema potentially opening at The Arts Centre (we're keeping our fingers crossed for this)
Chutneys. Indian cuisine with a modern take.
Seeing if you can spot Glastonbury Tor on a clear day from Castle Green.
The bluebells in Kingsettle Wood.
For the dogs! Shaftesbury is very dog friendly and even if you don't have one of your own, you'll meet many wagging tails on a daily basis.
The houses and cottages along Bell Street. From thatched cottages to double-fronted splendour - take a walk through history along this pretty road. Look up for two thatched cats!
The historic sign writing on the doorway of Sloanes Hair Design. A tiny glimpse in to Shaftesbury's history. Just two doors up from our place.
Willow Natural Living. Especially good for beautiful Christmas decorations.
A chance to ogle at the beautiful properties in the windows on the estate agents. Shaftesbury is surrounded by tucked-away villages filled with stunning houses. Dreams are free, eh?!
The Nun's Passage under King Alfred's Kitchen. A vaulted cellar that's (hopefully) soon to become a new hot spot in town.
The people! Shaftesbury is a very friendly town full of locals who are passionate about the place.