Trump shares conspiracy that Biden died and was replaced by a clone

President Donald Trump has shared a baseless conspiracy theory that former President Joe Biden died and was replaced by a robotic clone.

Late Saturday night, Trump, 78, shared a Truth Social post claiming his former political opponent, Biden, 82, was killed in 2020 and replaced by a clone – unbeknownst to Democrats.

“There is no #JoeBiden–executed in 2020,” the post reads.

The post goes on to claim that the real Biden was replaced by “clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities” and that “Democrats don’t know the difference.”

Trump’s supporters were quick to get behind his message, some sharing side-by-side memes of Biden claiming “these are not the same people,” and others egging on Trump for “trolling.”

Some commentators pointed to Biden’s earlobes, claiming that before 2020, they appeared to be unattached to his head, whereas now they are. Another even insisted that the government televised giving Biden a “funeral cannon salute at Arlington” on his Inauguration Day.

Detractors of the president, meanwhile, branded his sharing of the post “concerning.”

Trump’s wife, Melania, has also been the subject of similar conspiracy theories, with some claiming a body double replaced her during his first term. The White House at the time dismissed the theories as a “non-story.”

Trump has seemingly been digging into conspiracy theories all weekend, including on Friday when he claimed CBS “deleted” his 2015 interview with Stephen Colbert.

Trump reposted a Facebook video on his Truth Social account containing heavily edited clips of his September 2015 interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

A message next to the video states: “You are not supposed to see this video. CBS DELETED this entire episode from their official website. You will not find these segments on YouTube either.”

However, a quick search on YouTube revealed otherwise. Clips from the Trump-Colbert interview are still available to be watched on the official Late Show account. One video has 17 million views.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

Villagers fed up of tourists’ drones urge ban after man filmed in bath

Fed up residents of “the prettiest village in England” are calling for a ban on tourists’ drones after one local reported being filmed while taking a bath.

“No drone zone” signs have now been plastered across the windows of homes in Castle Combe in the Cotswolds, as well as in the local church and the public car park.

Residents say the aircraft are constantly flying over their gardens and streets – and even by one man’s bathroom window.

Retired police officer Hilary Baker, 69, told The Sunday Times: “It’s almost like some of the visitors have lost their moral compass, they have lost their boundaries. When you go into your back garden and put your washing out and there is a drone hovering 20 yards above your head, it really quite rankles.

“Another neighbour had been working in his garden and jumped in the bath and there was a drone at his bathroom window, watching him in the bath. You just think, really?

“I should think on a monthly basis I will get verbal abuse [for asking them to stop].”

Police were reportedly called on a pilot who would not land his drone last month and verbally abused locals when they asked him to respect their privacy. It is claimed he filmed children playing in a back garden and flew up and down the high street hovering at first floor window level. The Independent has contacted Wiltshire Police about the incident.

Before the drones, tourists were overstepping boundaries in Castle Combe for years, according to residents, with signs seen asking visitors to not pick flowers or walk down homes’ side alleys.

But Ms Baker, who has lived in the Wiltshire village for more than three decades, said there has been a recent surge in tourists flying drowns for their social media channels, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the picturesque village is only home to a few hundred people, thousands of visitors descend on the area every week, having seen videos on various social media platforms. Often referred to as one of the “prettiest villages in England”, its historic centre is a particular draw as well as its chocolate box cottages.

Sisters Lydia Chia, 27, and Deborah Chia, 24, who were posing for photos on a trip from Singapore, told The Times: “I saw it on my friend’s Instagram and a little bit on TikTok. It’s really pretty. I pick where to visit based on pictures and aesthetics, and whether or not it’s Instagrammable.”

Chairman of the parish council Fred Winup found that just over half of tourists chose to visit Castle Combe after seeing it online, in a visitor survey he conducted last year.

The retired bank director told of a time a drone followed him along the high street “just five feet above my head”, adding: “It was a Californian [piloting it], he was a nice guy who didn’t know the rules and said he was sorry.”

Wiltshire council has now put a sign up in the public car park, following calls from the parish council. The warning to drone pilots reads: “If you use these devices where people can expect privacy, such as inside their home or garden, you are likely to be contravening CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] guidelines”.

The rules that are in place around drones, while complicated, typically require pilots to have the aircraft in their line of sight, to avoid getting close to crowds or building, and to respect people’s privacy.

With some devices having reportedly crashed into the church roof or resident’s trees, Mr Winup said: “People do lose control of drones and they could take an eye out.”

Exercise boosts colon cancer survival rate by nearly 40%, study finds

A structured exercise routine can reduce the risk of death for people with colon cancer by more than a third, a study has found.

The results, unveiled at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference on Sunday, could transform how colon cancer is treated around the world, the researchers said.

The scientists hope the findings will prompt healthcare providers to integrate exercise plans into routine cancer care.

The CO21 CHALLENGE trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 889 people with colon cancer across six countries, including the UK.

It found that a structured exercise programme significantly reduced the likelihood of the disease returning and improved overall survival compared with standard advice.

After five years, 80 per cent of patients who followed a tailored exercise regime were cancer-free, compared with 74 per cent of those who were offered just health education materials.

This means the risk of dying, cancer coming back, or developing a new cancer was 28 per cent lower in the exercise group.

After eight years, survival rates were 90 per cent in the exercise group compared to 83 per cent in the health education group, representing a 37 per cent lower risk of death.

More than 31,000 people in the UK die from colon cancer every year, according to Cancer Research UK.

The study was part-funded by Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign and carried out in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG).

The three-year programme saw patients supported by physical activity consultants, starting with weekly in-person sessions for the first six months and moving to monthly sessions either in person or online. Activities were tailored to the individual, from brisk walking to gym-based circuit training.

Among the patients to benefit from the trial was Margaret Tubridy, 69, from North Belfast.

Before her cancer diagnosis, she said she had never exercised. Now, five years on, she says she is lifting weights, pole walking and taking part in gym classes twice a week.

“It’s been almost five years since my cancer diagnosis and if I meet anyone, I tell them I am doing great,” she said.

“Taking part in the trial helped me so much – I am stronger, fitter, and my anxiety is better. I never thought at 69 years of age I would be able to do all of this – I am chuffed to bits.”

Professor Vicky Coyle, UK lead researcher and clinical professor at Queen’s University Belfast, said the study gives “clear and encouraging” evidence that physical activity can reduce colon cancer mortality.

“We now need to work with policymakers and healthcare providers to embed exercise into treatment plans where appropriate,” she said.

Cancer Research UK said the findings should act as a wake-up call for health services, adding it could “transform clinical practice”.

However, Caroline Geraghty, senior specialist information nurse at the charity, said this can only happen “if health services have the necessary funding and staff to make it a reality for patients”.

She added: “It’s important to remember that every cancer journey is different – starting new activities after treatment can feel overwhelming, and it may not be the right option for everyone. Take things at your own pace and speak to your doctor to discuss what is safe for you.”

The researchers said more work is needed to explore the biological mechanisms behind exercise’s effect on cancer, but the evidence is already strong enough to prompt urgent action.

‘At least 31 dead’ in Israeli shooting on Palestinians near aid centre

Israeli forces opened fire killing at least 31 Palestinians near a food aid distribution point in southern Gaza on Sunday morning, according to witnesses and local health officials.

Eyewitnesses said Israeli forces fired directly “from tanks and drones” on hundreds of people as they attempted to reach the Israel-approved aid distribution centre in the al-Mawasi area of western Rafah, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Wafa news agency.

More than 170 people were treated for injuries, according to officials in the Hamas-run Strip.

The local Palestinian Red Crescent said its medical teams had recovered the bodies of 23 Palestinians and treated another 23 injured at the aid site set up by the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The Israeli military claimed it was “currently unaware of injuries caused by (Israeli military) fire within the humanitarian aid distribution site”. “The matter is still under review,” the military added.

Backed by the US and Israel but not endorsed by the UN, the GHF’s distribution of aid has been marred by chaos, and multiple witnesses have reported incidents of Israeli troops firing on crowds near the delivery sites. Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than 50 wounded, according to local health officials.

The foundation says the private security contractors guarding its sites did not fire on the crowds. The GHF claimed it delivered aid “without incident” early on Sunday.

Chaos ensued when Israeli forces began firing at a roundabout around 1km from the distribution site, according to multiple eyewitnesses.

Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd, told the Associated Press that “there was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones”.

Ibrahim Abu Saoud said troops opened fire at people moving toward the aid distribution centre, killing dozens, including women. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who he said had died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he said.

Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and another woman as they were heading to the hub. He said his cousin was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

“They opened heavy fire directly toward us,” he said as he was waiting outside the Red Cross field hospital for word on his wounded brother-in-law.

Journalist Mohammed Ghareeb told the BBC that rescue crews could not access the area, which is under Israeli control. “This forced residents to use donkey carts to transport victims to the field hospital.”

The foundation began aid deliveries last Monday after Israel lifted its aid blockade. But Palestinians appeared to have heeded warnings, including from Hamas, about biometric screening procedures employed at the foundation’s aid distribution sites. Israeli officials said the process allowed screening of recipients to exclude anyone found to be connected with Hamas.

The UN and other aid agencies have refused to work with the new system, citing a violation of humanitarian principles as it allows Israel to control who receives aid.

Israel and the GHF last week accused Hamas of trying to block civilians from reaching the aid distribution centre. Hamas denied the accusation.

In an earlier statement, the GHF said it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early on Sunday “without incident”. It dismissed what it referred to as “false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos”.

The UN has described Gaza as the “hungriest place on Earth” while Israel allowed only a “trickle” of food into the enclave, with 300 aid trucks unable to offload due to operational bottlenecks.

As a small aid flow has resumed, Israeli forces – now in control of large parts of Gaza – have kept up attacks on various targets around the enclave, killing 3,901 Palestinians since a two-month ceasefire collapsed in mid-March, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s air and ground war, Gaza health authorities say. The offensive was launched following a cross-border Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, which killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza.

Body of British hiker finally found months after he went missing

Search teams in Italy have finally found the body of a British hiker who went missing five months ago in the Dolomites in Italy.

The body of Aziz Ziriat, 36, was discovered lying in a rocky crevice on Saturday, around 400m below where the body of his friend, Sam Harris, 35, had previously been found.

The pair, who were both from London, went missing while hiking in January.

Mr Ziriat’s body was found in the Passo di Conca area by specialist search teams including a canine unit, Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue confirmed.

A spokesman said the rescuers “lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the dog finally signaled the missing man’s body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow”.

He said Mr Ziriat’s family was immediately informed of the discovery.

Mr Harris’s body was discovered on January 8. The friends had not been seen or heard from since 1 January and did not check in for their flight home on 6 January.

Their last known location was near a mountain hut called Casina Dosson, close to the town of Tione Di Trento, near Riva Del Garda on Lake Garda.

Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace FC where Mr Ziriat worked as head of community engagement, previously released a statement which said colleagues were “profoundly sad” at his disappearance.

Describing his “real passion to make a difference,” it added: “Aziz has not only been incredibly impactful in his role, but also a kind, compassionate and generous individual who brought positivity and warmth to everyone he has worked with.”

Joe Stone, a university friend of Mr Ziriat, previously told the PA news agency that the pair were “experienced hikers” who liked to go off the grid, but “alarm bells were raised” when they failed to check in for their return flight.

Win a luxury ticket package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival

Music fans can win a luxury package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival, all courtesy of Audi.

Wilderness returns this year to the picturesque nature reserve at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, and will be headlined by rock band Supergrass, Nineties rave duo Orbital, and Brit Award-winning, Grammy-nominated indie-rock duo Wet Leg.

Completing the headliner lineup are Basement Jaxx, who are making their return to live shows for the first time in over a decade, as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Remedy.

The winner will receive a pair of complimentary festival tickets and boutique accommodation in a luxury cabin for two. They will also be treated to an Audi Kitchen experience and, for the ultimate luxury, your own private chauffeur to take you and your guest to the festival and return journey.

Enter the prize draw here.

Wilderness Festival is known for its eclectic music lineup, which this year includes performances from pop singer Lapsley, singer-songwriter Bess Atwell, Scottish musician Jacob Alon and DJ Craig Charles.

At The Sanctuary and Spa, guests will discover an oasis of calm, whether that means taking part in disco yoga or a workshop to explore your sensuality. Highlights include boating, massage treatments, sauna rituals, hot tubs, a wild sauna, Wim Hof method ice baths and wild swimming.

Gourmet food offerings can be found at Ben Quinn’s long table banquet in the woods, a once-in-a-lifetime experience set in the woods and lit by chandeliers. There, Quinn and his team will serve up a feast of flavour cooked right in front of you five courses of carefully curated, responsibly sourced, local and seasonal ingredients.

Elsewhere, attendees can join a number of talks, comedy sets and conversations, from Food Stories with Jay Rayner to a live recording of Jamie Laing’s podcast, Great Company.

Comedian, writer and NHS doctor Matthew Hutchinson will share a sharp and moving look at life on the frontline of British healthcare, while cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith will uncover a bold and fascinating alternative history of female friendship.

The prize draw will open for entries at 3pm (BST) on 7 May 2025 and close at 3pm BST on 17 June 2025. Only one entry per person is permitted for the Prize Draw. Terms and conditions apply.

Romesh Ranganathan ‘taking a step back’ from his career

Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has said he is “taking a step back” from his career “to be at home a bit more”.

The 47-year-old from Crawley, known for his Bafta-winning TV series with comic Rob Beckett – titled Rob And Romesh Vs, emphasised that he will not be retiring.

“I know that people sort of say I’m busy and I’m always like, trying to work and stuff. There is no strategy. There’s no game plan. I have no end game,” he told Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.

“There’s no vision board or anything like that. (I’m) just doing whatever feels good.”

He added: “I do feel like I’m sort of settling into winding things up, like not winding things up, but I’m taking a step back.

“I want to be at home a bit more. And by the way, this is not an announcement of retirement, but I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we’re talking about this at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward.

“I think I might take a bigger break between bits. I’ve told you, I’ve not hit the thing yet, maybe this next thing could be it, but it’s not going to be it if I don’t go off and just live life.”

Ranganathan also reflected on the time he spent as a maths teacher, before his current career, and said it was more stressful than working in comedy.

“There wasn’t a single day of that job that I didn’t feel completely fulfilled,” he said.

“I felt very stressed. It’s the most stressed I’ve ever been in my life actually.

“There’s not been a single day of my comedy career that’s even come close to the stress that I felt as a teacher. I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job.”

Alongside his stand-up, the comedian is known for presenting the game show The Weakest Link and starring in the BBC One sitcom Avoidance.

He also starred in the BBC Two documentary series The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan and BBC Three’s Asian Provocateur, which saw him trace his family roots.

In 2024, he took over Claudia Winkleman’s Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 2 and he also presents Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip Hop on the station.

Inspired to walk the ‘Salt Path’? These are the best bits

Raynor Winn’s debut novel, The Salt Path, first captured the hearts of readers when it was published back in 2018 and quickly became a Sunday Times bestseller. The memoir, which has been turned into a film now in cinemas, tells the story of everyone’s worst nightmare. Not only did she and her husband, Moth, lose their home and B&B business at their Welsh farm after an investment went wrong, but they truly hit rock bottom when Moth was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease, corticobasal degeneration.

Without any other options, they came up with the idea of embarking on an adventure, by walking the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path and seeing where it took them, figuratively and physically.

With almost 300 miles of it in Cornwall, it begins in Minehead in Somerset, traverses along the north Devonshire and Cornish rugged coasts, and heads back along the south coast of the counties into Dorset, finishing at South Haven Point in Poole. It’s a mammoth walk that initially seems almost totally unachievable for them, considering Moth’s ill health, along with having such little money that they have to live off packet noodles, and wild camp.

In the film, locations aren’t given, and instead, geography is only marked by the number of miles walked, focusing on the idea of the gravity of the challenge, and how location doesn’t matter to them. Instead, it’s all about keeping moving.

As one of the UK’s best coastal hiking routes, the South West Coast Path can be taken at a much slower pace, and walkers usually complete it in sections over many years. So if you’re inspired to pull on your walking boots, here are some of the best sections along the famous route to stomp along, as well as places to rest your weary head, that don’t include the need for a tent.

Some of the most memorable – and instantly recognisable – scenery in the film comes from the little 14th-century village of Clovelly perched 400ft up on the north Devon coast. Clovelly isn’t actually on the coast path itself, it’s just off it, as one of the UK’s only privately owned villages. It’s been privately owned by the Hamlyn family and their descendants since Elizabethan times, which means you have to pay to enter (£9.90 for adults). The current owner is John Rous, and it’s this entrance fee that’s allowed it to become a maintained relic of a time gone by that’s still inhabited and thriving and, most importantly for Cornwall, hasn’t been taken over by holiday lets as second homes aren’t allowed.

The walk down to the harbour isn’t the easiest, as not only is it very steep, but it’s entirely cobbled too. Too steep even for cars, years ago villagers came up with the idea of using sledges to transport goods up and down the slope. Years ago, donkeys were used, but now you’ll find them in the stables at the top of the village.

Back on the path, this section that’s part of the Hartland Heritage coast is truly spectacular with soaring ascents, making it renowned as one of the hardest parts, but the views make it well worth it.

In the little village of Woolfardisworthy, locally known as Woolsery, is the Collective, a complex made up of a pub, fish and chip shop, local shop, farm and accommodation. The area has been given a new lease of life thanks to Michael and Xochi Birch. Millennial readers will remember their social media platform Bebo, which they sold. They then swapped Silicon Valley for north Devon, as Michael’s family had lived here for 600 years. The Farmers Arms pub has excellent food, including hogget from their own farm too. There are rooms, suites and cottages over the road.

Doubles from £275 night; woolsery.com/stay

Read more: Wild camping for women: A Dartmoor expedition

Perhaps the most ethereal villages on the entire coast path are Boscastle and Tintagel, which are only about 3.5 miles apart and will likely take about five hours to walk between. The fishing village of Boscastle sits in a deep rugged valley that’s incredibly dramatic and has an air of mysticism to it. Its windswept landscapes inspired poet and author Thomas Hardy, while it’s also home to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, with thousands of witchy books, spells and paraphernalia.

Walking out from Boscastle’s pretty harbour, pick up the coast path along the clifftops where the white watchtower is perched. Just under a mile from Tintagel, if it’s a sunny day, drop down to Bossiney beach, a fabulous little sandy cove, for a swim.

The section is another fairly challenging part of the path, but you’ll see Tintagel Castle in the distance before descending into the village. It’s regarded as the birthplace of King Arthur and is steeped in myth and legend. From the heart of the village, it’s another steep walk down to the ruins of the castle (there are Land Rovers for those who prefer a quick ride) which is owned by English Heritage and costs £16.80 for adults.

The reward is worth it, thanks to the views walking over the footbridge, suspended 58 metres above the sea, over to the medieval ruin. Look out below at the craggy inlets, and Merlin’s Cave, a blowhole that makes a loud whooshing sound as the waves wash in as the tide comes in. On the other side, don’t miss Gallos (which translates to “power” in Cornish) the life-size bronze statue that’s been inspired by King Arthur.

Just two miles from Tintagel is Kudhva (Cornish for “hideout”), a glamping site with futuristic-looking angular treehouse pods that sit among the treetops, with ladders up to the entrances. The whole site, which is set in a disused quarry, is about connecting with nature, from swimming in the lake to stargazing.

Double pods from £137 a night; kudhva.com

Read more: Best places in Cornwall to avoid the summer crowds

In the film, one of North Cornwall’s biggest towns, Newquay, is portrayed as a rather down-and-out place full of delinquents. It did have a reputation as the place to celebrate finishing school exams, and being full of stag and hen dos – but now this is firmly behind it. It’s always had some of the UK’s best beaches and has been the home of British surfing since the Sixties, hosting the championships at Watergate Bay.

From Watergate Bay, walk about an hour north to the beautiful small town of Mawgan Porth. Once it was only locals who knew about this wide open beach and great waves, but now it has been found by celebrities and it’s changing quickly. Or for a longer hike, head south along the coast to Perranporth, which is about 4.5 hours of walking.

Cornwall’s first aparthotel, SeaSpace bridges the best bits of a hotel and an apartment. It’s right on the clifftops above Watergate Bay in Newquay and has one- to three-bedroom apartments. For the best views, book a room at the front of the building which looks over the sea. Families will love the Miami-inspired 19-metre pool, and you can also hire a surfboard and hit the waves that are just a hop, skip and jump away.

Read more: Best hotels in Newquay for surfing and Cornish coastal views

At the southern tip of Cornwall on Land’s End peninsula are some of Cornwall’s best preserved tin mines. The industry was the beating heart of the county in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was the world’s biggest tin exporter, making the county extremely wealthy. Unsurprisingly, it’s now designated a world heritage site.

Starting from Pendeen lighthouse, heading south will take you past the Geevor tin mine museum (one of the last mines to close in 1990), the Levant mine, Crown’s Engine House and Botallack mine (which features in both the 2015 Poldark series and the Rick Stein’s Cornwall series), as well as the Wheal Edward Engine House.

The rolling cliffs here are full of drama, and some headlands have very narrow paths, which almost feels like walking on a tightrope; they’re so narrow that they likely won’t be there for too much longer, so tread with care.

Slightly further back up the coast is Gurnard’s Head hotel, an unmissable landmark thanks to its bright gorse-yellow painted exterior that’s right on the clifftop. The former coaching inn is still a traditional cosy pub (refreshingly, there are no TVs in the rooms), and it’s just a short walk to the coast path.

Doubles from £167.50; gurnardshead.co.uk

Read more: The best things to do in Cornwall, from surfing to seafood feasts

Along this little stretch of east Devon’s coastline, there are two of the county’s most picturesque beaches. Starting in the twee 14th-century village of Branscombe, where the local thatched pub has taken over much of the village, it doesn’t get much more bucolic than this. From the beach at Branscombe, with its dark reddish cliffs and beach huts, it’s about 4.5 miles to Beer.

At Beer, the pebbled beach is flanked on either side by the south coast’s chalky cliffs. At the end of each day, the fishing fleet is hauled up out of the water onto the pebbles waiting to return again the following day. At the top of the beach, near the sloped entrance, and just 100 metres from the water, is a hole-in-the-wall fish market selling the day’s catch.

Slightly inland, near the village of Southleigh, is Glebe House. Run by Hugo and Olive, they’re paying homage to the Italian agriturismo model of B&Bs. Plenty of the food they serve comes from their smallholding, they organise food experiences with nearby producers, and Olive’s eye for colourful, vintage-inspired artsy interiors is infectious.

Doubles from £159 night; glebehousedevon.co.uk

Read more: What to do when it rains on holiday in Cornwall

This final walk comes in right near the end of the South West Coast Path, which officially ends at Shell Bay on South Haven Point in Poole, just opposite Sandbanks and Brownsea Island in prime Enid Blyton territory. Part of the Jurassic Coast world heritage site, it’s far quieter here than the much shorter Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door section further east.

This is the longest section featured here, covering just over nine miles, from Kimmeridge Bay to Swanage. Walking along the chalk ridge, this section is one for budding archaeologists which keen fossil hunters will also love as it’s an area people have lived and hunted in since the Mesolithic period, about 6,000 years ago. Views from the aptly named “Heaven’s Gate” are some of the best – inland looks to the Purbeck Hills, and over to Corfe Castle, and it offers excellent views back over the coastline. A fitting view to end on.

Looking a little like The Pig hotels, The Canford is on the other side of the English Channel and is just a short ferry ride over. It has chic countryside-inspired rooms in heritage colours that sit above the pub.

Read more: The best spa hotels in Dorset