Wareham Hotels - Smooth Hound Hotel Directory

Wareham, located in Dorset, is a historic market town that is quite old and features ramparts and earthen walls. The town itself was actually constructed between two rivers. Due to the age of the settlement, there is certainly much to see and do in the immediate area. Some of the sights to see while in Wareham include Corfe Castle, the Tank Museum, Monkey World, Lawrence of Arabia's cottage and grave, Lulworth Castle and the Swanage Steam Railway. There are also plenty of dining, shopping and entertainment options in Wareham as well as in the immediate surrounding area. Wareham is also located at the western end of Poole Harbour.

The market town of Wareham can be found on the southern coast of Dorset, on the estuary of the river Frome. The town has been inhabited for thousands of years and some of its roads follow their Roman ancestors. Alfred the Great built the town's earth ramparts to help defend it against Norse invaders. These remain as grass banks and are now used as homes for the local wildlife.

One of the main attractions in the town is the Wareham Town Museum, which includes a special section devoted to Lawrence of Arabia, who was a regular visitor to the town and lived in his nearby retreat at Clouds Hill. This cottage is now a museum and has been preserved as T.E. Lawrence left it when he died in 1935.

Near by is Corfe Castle, a village that is home to the remains of an eleventh century castle. The site has been used as a burial ground for at least six thousand years and the present castle replaced one from the time of the Norman Conquest. The recently restored castle keep features an "appearance" door which was designed for Henry I.

In the summer, there are pleasure boat trips along the river Frome. On these short cruises, you can enjoy the local scenery and view the picturesque countryside in the surrounding area. There is also a ferry service to nearby Brownsea Island, which was the home of the first Boy Scout camp and was recently used to celebrate 100 years of this worldwide youth organisation.

Locally, there are a number of well marked walks. These include the Wareham Forest Way, which meanders along twelve miles of forests and countryside.