Weymouth

Weymouth is the quintessential Georgian seaside resort and playground, with elegant Esplanades and Promenades. It makes for an overnight stop with excellent facilities and a lot of amusement! Impressive Royal Crescents and Royal Terraces with fine Georgian and Victorian architecture give the town a classy feel and there are even good examples of Tudor and Elizabethan Town Houses still standing.

Defoe and Thomas Hardy were just some of the famous visitors, the latter writing about the town which he referred to as ‘Budmouth’. Indeed George III loved it here so much that he was forever returning and it is at Weymouth that he entered the sea in his new-fangled bathing machine, accompanied by fiddlers playing ‘God Save the King’. Apparently, he claimed it cured him of his nervous disorder at any rate!

The towns previous history is less glamorous, a sign in the harbour confirming the exact arrival spot of the devastating Black Death in 1348 when a ship docked here and unwittingly unloaded the deadly disease which decimated the population of the UK at that time.

The picturesque 17th century harbour is a good spot for restaurants and drinks as the seagoing world slides by, as well as the old quarter with a redeveloped Victorian brewery featuring good eating spots and specialist shops in admirable surroundings. The marina walkway created in 2001 makes for a pleasant stroll running through the thousands of yachts and boats moored in the harbour area.

The more brash side of Weymouth is to be found out on the Georgian Esplanade and beach, where everything from Punch and Judy and sand sculptures to the famous King George III stature and Jubilee clock will be waiting for you. There is an excellent and informative Weymouth Sea Life Centre and for those who want a rest day with some water sports, here or Poole are the best options along this coast line with diving, sailing and windsurfing easy to arrange from Weymouth.

Facilities are excellent in the resort and travel connections make this an easy arrival and departure point with trains from Weymouth taking only 3 hours to reach London Waterloo.