With the film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel On Chesil Beach now on general release, Dorset’s Jurassic coastline is once again centre stage, as Florence and Edward’s bittersweet love story unfolds against a ruggedly dramatic backdrop.

Chesil Beach, a tied island located off the Dorset headland, is an intriguingly different proposition to the archetypal English beachfront idyll. The 18-mile long stretch of coastline – the longest pebble beach in the world – is a starkly beautiful landscape which appeals to the wilder side of human nature.

The region not only offers magnificent sea views and a beautiful rural landscape, it’s also within easy reach of some of the best schooling in the South. Savills research has found that 79 per cent of pupils in West Dorset are in top state schools and independents, ahead of traditionally popular areas such as Kent and the Home Counties.

The famous Jurassic coast is currently a highly attractive proposition for house-hunters. In the neighbouring regions of Bournemouth, East Devon and Christchurch, house prices have risen as much as 30.8 per cent* in the last 10 years. In contrast, properties in the West Dorset local authority have risen just 16.4 per cent* in the same period – with Weymouth and Portland increasing by just 5.7 per cent * – offering relative value for money.

West Dorset has much more to offer than outstanding scenery and top-flight education, however. The vibrant towns of Bournemouth, Poole and Dorchester are within easy reach and there is also a regular direct train link from Weymouth to London Waterloo. If you’re hankering after a quintessentially Dorset lifestyle, there is a whole variety of enchanting villages such as Abbotsbury, Burton Bradstock and Corfe Castle, busy market towns selling the very best of local produce and, of course, the cultural county town of Dorchester, the centre of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex.

If you’re considering a move to West Dorset, Savills is currently marketing a range of properties close to Chesil Beach and the many charming towns along the Dorset coastline.

*Source: Savills Research using Land Registry