I Am arriving for a 10 day reunion with a relative at the end of February. The plan was to rent a car at Heathrow, spend a couple of days in Bath,then possibly Cotswolds area, then visit Cornwall/Devon. To cut down on the driving, we thought we would visit the Dorset area instead of Cornwall/Devon. Where would be a good base? Lyme Regis sounds nice, but maybe too quiet at that time of year? Long to be by the sea again,and take long walks along the cliff coast line.

I'd take the bus or train to Bath from Heathrow. You don't need a car in Bath; there's plenty to do to fill 2 days. And, if you're coming in on a long overnight flight, it would give you time to get over jetlag before driving. You can rent a car in Bath on your way out.

Unless your relative is already in Britain and will do the driving.

Lyme Regis would be ideal IMO (don't know about 'time of year').

Branscombe - Beer, around Beer Head, is a nice walk. There's also Golden Cap near Burton Bradstock and Chesil Beach near Abbotsbury.

thank you for the responses. We now plan to drive to the Cotswolds, then Bath, then Dorset area, probably Lyme Regis. And yes I probably won't do much driving day 1.

Dorset is Lovely. Lyme Regis might be &quot;<i>maybe too quiet at that time of year</i>&quot; but it will be less quite than other parts of Dorset.

February might be a great time for visiting Lyme Regis if you're interested in fossil hunting. Apparently it's best after storms.
http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/lymeregis.htm

What about Dorchester itself- county town of Dorset and within easy reach of the coast- Lyme Regis, Lulworth Cove, Abbotsbury Swanery, West Bay for excellent seafood. Sidmouth on the Devon coast is very pretty and there are lovely cliff top walks which should help blow away the jet-lag in February!!!

Second Dorchester, couple years ago, I based at the city for touring around by public transport, Casterbridge Hotel on High Street has really nice room and the best breakfast I ever had in U.K.