Adventure Activities in Dorset

With a rugged coastline and rolling hills, the Jurassic Coast is the perfect location for extreme sports. If you love heights, try climbing or coasteering, if watersports are your thing, have a go at paddleboarding, kayaking or waterskiing, there’s also quad biking, zorbing and lots more. Whatever you’re into, if you’re constantly chasing that adrenaline rush, then you need to check out this list of the best adventure activities in Dorset!

Coasteering & Rock Climbing

The rocky cliffs in certain parts of Dorset provide some great climbing opportunities, and many locations also lend themselves to coasteering, a hybrid adventure activity that involves a combination of climbing, jumping off cliffs and swimming in sea caves.

Check out these providers, who all also offer paddle boarding and kayaking:

Land & Wave, based in Swanage/Poole
Jurassic Watersports, based in Swanage
Jim Oakley Adventures, based in Swanage
Adventure 4 All, based in Portland

High Ropes courses

Climb ladders, cross rope bridges and make your way over obstacles high up in the trees and speed along on a zip line. High ropes courses are fantastic fun if you’re brave enough!

Tunnel Tree Tops, near Charmouth
Go Ape, Moors Valley, near Ringwood

Indoor Climbing & Bouldering

If the weather’s not great, you can still climb indoors at these fantastic climbing and bouldering centres:

Rockburn, Bridport
The Hangout, Portland
Rock Reef, Bournemouth

Paddle Boarding & Kayaking

If you’re looking to get out on the sea, there’s no better way to do it than on a stand up paddle board or kayak. You can take part in a group session with an instructor, or if you’re happy to figure it out for yourself, just hire the equipment and off you go.

Boylos Watersports, Lyme Regis
Bay Paddle Boards, West Bay
Adventure 4 All, Portland
Land & Wave, Swanage and Poole

Waterskiing & Wakeboarding

Super fast and super fun, waterskiing and wakeboarding are some of the most exciting watersports out there. If you’re not sure about standing up, you can sit in a ringo or try a banana boat! Check out these providers who offer a range of water activities:

The Watersports Academy, Poole
Studland Watersports

Boat Trips

If you want to enjoy the water with less risk of getting wet, why not try a boat trip? You can see the coastline from a different angle on a leisurely cruise or a fast speedboat ride. If you’re lucky, you might spot seals or dolphins!

Dorset Adventure Park

At this site near Corfe Castle, you can choose from an inflatable obstacle course on a lake, or a mud run challenge, we don’t know what we’d choose, maybe both! Check out their website to find out more.

Go Karts and Quad Bikes

If you’re a speed demon then there’s plenty of racetracks to drive around, whether you’re looking for go-karts, quad bikes or other off-road buggies!

Clay Pigeon Raceway, Wardon Hill
Karting Nation, Bere Regis
Geronigo, Thornicombe
Gorcombe Extreme Sports, Blandford Forum
South Coast Karting, Christchurch

Zorb Football

A great activity, even for those who don’t normally enjoy regular football. Wearing large inflatable balls, run, wrestle and bounce your way around the pitch while trying to score goals.

Vertigo Bubble Zorbing, Bournemouth
Geronigo, Thornicombe

archery target - adventure activities in Dorset

Axe Throwing, Crossbow Shooting & Archery

Test your aim and see if you can hit the target by trying these traditional woodland sports.

Insight Activities, Tolpuddle
Dorset Adventure Sports, Poole

If this list isn’t enough, take a look at our Holiday Planner, which has a list of over 200 attractions, pubs, restaurants and places to visit.

West Dorset Leisure Holidays

West Dorset Leisure Holidays are a family run group of holiday parks on or near the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. The parks offer excellent accommodation and facilities and each of them is unique, so you are bound to find one to suit you. Accommodation includes lodges, caravans, glamping and pitches for touring & camping.

Facilities include Martin’s Bar & Restaurant, Highlands End Leisure Club, the Little Fire Station Soft Play and park nature trails. The parks are family friendly, dog friendly and are situated in beautiful coastal and countryside locations with a great range of places to visit and things to do nearby. We have caravan and lodge holiday homes for sale across all 6 parks. Find out more here, or check availability and make a booking.