SUE WARD retraces the steps of her childhood, and discovers little has changed on this particular section of the south coast

Purbeck is a unique part of Dorset where sandy beaches and breathtaking coastal scenery blend harmoniously with unspoilt countryside and chocolate box houses of mellow stone and golden thatch, covered in spring with purple wisteria.

Relentless waves have pounded the dramatic rock formations along the Dorset Heritage coast since Jurassic times to stunning effect at places like Durdle Door, Man-o'-War Bay and Lulworth Cove.

Whichever season you choose to visit the area, the ever-changing landscapes reveal sights and sounds and little details to delight the eye.

As a child I spent many holidays in Dorset, and now 100 years later I was going back to see if it was the same delightful mix of coast and countryside that I remembered.

My base of operations was West Lulworth, where within walking distance are places with evocative names like Fossil Forest, Flower's Barrow, and Smuggler's Cave, all on or close to the Coastal Path.

To learn about the history and geology of the spectacular natural cove, visit the Heritage Centre before strolling to the water's edge to admire the Cove with its safe beach and clear water.

Dominating the tiny village of East Lulworth is one of the principal tourist attractions in the area. Lulworth Castle is full of surprises with plenty for everyone to enjoy. Built in the 15th century primarily as a hunting lodge this magnificent building was almost totally destroyed by firein 1929, leaving only the facade.

Recently restored in association with English Heritage, the castle and its historic chapel are set in beautiful parkland where various special events take place during the year.

Towering above the stone village at its foot, the imposing ruins of Corfe Castle stand at the heart of the area guarding the gateway to the Isle of Purbeck. Once one of England's greatest strongholds, the castle was captured and destroyed by Cromwell's men in 1646 during the English Civil War.

In Corfe you can discover interesting shops selling art and antiques, handcrafted jewellery, fossils and cuddly toy bears, or enjoy a Dorset cream tea in the peaceful, almost monastic, atmosphere of the Courtyard Caf in Corfe in a stunning old English garden with rare and unusual plants. where you can find a scale model of the castle and village faithfully recreated in Purbeck stone.

Just north of Corfe Castle at Norden, indulge in some sheer nostalgia with a step back in time on the park-and-ride steam train which takes you to Swanage, a traditional seaside resort set in a broad, gently curving bay. With its diving centre on the pier, boat and fishing trips from the quay and summertime events, there's always something going on.

The Saxon walled town of Wareham stands between the Rivers Frome and Piddle. Here you can walk around the town on grassy mounds which are all that remains of the ancient walls, take a boat trip to Poole Harbour, or simply sit back and soak up the atmosphere.

Brownsea - home to a pride of more than 100 peacocks, red squirrels and a bird sanctuary - is the largest of five islands in Poole Harbour. Famous as the site of the first scout camp set up by Lord Baden Powell in 1907, a stone carving marks the spot.

Purbeck has attractions for everyone and families are well catered for with a variety of all-weather attractions and events such as Farmer Palmer's Farm Park in Organford, where even the youngest children can feed the lambs and young goats, take a hay ride or play in a mountain of straw bales inlaid with tunnels - utterly brilliant.

In nearby Wool, 40 acres of Dorset woodland have become a home for more than 100 primates at Monkey World which was set up in 1987 by Jim and Alison Cronin to provide a sanctuary for chimps rescued from the clutches of callous overseas photographers.

Here primates like Judy, whose former owner Mary Chipperfield was tried amid a blaze of glory on 12 counts of cruelty, are rehabilitated into social groups in large natural areas where they can live once again as chimps.

Jim Cronin's passion for our closest living relatives means travelling all over the world to negotiate with Governments to stop the illegal smuggling and use of primates as beach photographers' props, exotic pets, in laboratories or circuses.

If one place should be mandatory for holiday-makers to visit, this is it. Truly a heartening experience - I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

For a totally different experience, make tracks to the Tank Museum at Bovington where you come face to face with the might and power of military machinery from World War I to the present day. In July and August you can see armoured vehicles going through their paces and ride in an armoured vehicle.

The most evocative part of the museum is The Trench where you take a walk through the recruiting office, arrive on a railway platform in France and then advance straight into the trenches - a realistic experience depicting the horror for both the British and German forces.

Although this is a museum devoted to the art of war, in some peculiar way I found it to be more a testament to peace.

At the end of my trip I truly felt that 'distance hadn't leant enchantment to the mind'. Purbeck's mix of coast and country was every bit as outstanding as I remember it.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.