A delve into family history marked the start of a journey to a county of unspoiled countryside for Andrew White, who walked in the footsteps of his ancestors in Dorset

FOR most of my life I assumed that my family's roots were planted firmly in County Durham soil. When I decided to research my family history I expected to see a long line of Whites being born and bred in and around Bishop Auckland, where I knew my immediate ancestors had lived. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that I am, in fact, from southern stock – specifically Dorset.

My great-grandfather Henry Charles White, a coachman by trade, moved north in the search for work sometime around the start of the last century. Before then, it turns out, my forebears lived in a cluster of West Dorset villages with unfamiliar names like Litton Cheney, Long Bredy and Frampton.

These villages and others around them appeared to be unfeasibly pretty when I checked them out online and the county as a whole looked like it had a lot to offer, so I resolved to find out for myself.

With partner Frances, I headed for the aforementioned Frampton, for a week's stay in a converted barn. It was a good start. Rose Barn was as idyllic as its name sounds – small, but beautifully reborn as a cosy and comfy base from which to explore the area.

We headed straight for the coast and the harbour resort of West Bay. The shingle beach with its towering golden cliffs, the location for several scenes in the recent TV series Broadchurch, is part of the 96-mile long Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. It is at the western end of Chesil Beach, which runs for 18 miles along the south coast and which formed the backdrop for much of our adventures.

Just north of West Bay is the market town of Bridport. By good fortune, we had arrived on the day of the Bridport Torchlight Procession and, somehow, ended up taking part in the annual march from the town's delightfully named Bucky Doo Square back down to West Bay. Parading for a mile-and-a-half with 1,500 other people all carrying flaming torches for no apparent reason was a surreal experience – like something out of The League of Gentlemen or The Wicker Man – but it was great fun, rounded off with a spectacular seafront fireworks display.

Bridport is at one end of the Jurassic Coast Road, which shadows Chesil Beach for 18 undulating miles and is sprinkled along its length with dozens of charming towns and villages. One of the best is Abbotsbury, a gem of a place which packs a lot of punch for its size.

Here we paid a visit to the Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens – described as "one of the finest gardens I have ever visited" by no less a judge than Alan Titchmarsh – and the Abbotsbury Swannery where the breathtaking sight of hundreds of the frenzied birds at feeding time will live long in the memory.

Perched on a hill overlooking the village is the 14th Century St Catherine's Chapel, well worth the short but demanding walk for the superb views across Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon.

At the other end of the coast road is the Isle of Portland and the county's southernmost point, Portland Bill. The red and white lighthouse which dominates the skyline is a striking landmark, and no image on our trip was as exciting or powerful as the rolling sea crashing against the harbour rocks.

A little further east along the coast is the crescent shaped Lulworth Cove, a natural wonder whose beauty is matched by its neighbour, Durdle Door, a magnificent rock arch which looked particularly dazzling in the early evening sun.

The word picturesque could have been invented to describe Cerne Abbas – once named Britain's most desirable village – with its chocolate box houses, historic abbey and impressive number of pubs. But it is the village's Cerne Giant, a huge chalk hill figure with an oversized appendage which draws the most visitors – and gasps!

Our Dorset trip included several other delights – Weymouth is as elegant a seaside town as you could hope to see, historic Dorchester boasts a wide range of attractions and Monkey World, near the village of Wool, is a terrific family day out.

As our trip drew to a close, we ventured onto the many narrow and twisting roads to see for ourselves some of the villages my ancestors had lived in. And I came to understand that although my great-great grandfather George White – buried in St Mary's Churchyard in Frampton with his wife and four of his children – and my other ancestors must have had hard lives, they did live in some of the country's most beautiful surroundings. I hope to see it again some day.

  • Andrew and Frances stayed at Rose Barn, in Frampton, Dorset. For inquiries or to book, visit rosebarnframpton.com or call 01300-320029.
  • For details on Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens and Swannery, visit abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk or call 01305-871130.
  • Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 10am to 5pm. For full details, visit monkeyworld.org
  • For more details on accommodation, attractions and things to do in Dorset, visit the official tourism website at visit-dorset.com