Clear your lungs and enjoy a hearty sing song and hike around Durlston Country Park on the 2nd January.

Join a ranger for some country folklore and folksong as you beat the bounds of Durlston.

Durlston: 2nd January 10.30am: £3  

A public consultation for plans for a wind farm at East Stoke took place recently with 76% of respondents supportive of the scheme.

The Alaska Wind Farm, as it is being called, will consist of 6 turbines that are 125 metres high and would provide energy to over half the homes in the Purbeck District.

Infinergy, the company behind the scheme, are continuing a period of consultation and you can fill in a questionnaire and keep up-to-date on the progress of their proposals, which are still at an early stage, on their website.

As a nation of hoarders we all have unused items cluttering up our homes and garages and the Freecycle website, which has been around for a couple of years now and allows users to exchange goods for free, is the ideal way to dispose of those unwanted items and de-clutter your home.

A Purbeck group of Freecycle has now been set up, so instead of sending your unwanted items to landfill you can give them a new lease of life or pick up something free for yourself.  

Gold stars all-round for Purbeck residents as we now produce the second lowest amount of household rubbish in the country - 303kg a year compared to the national average of 509kg.

Since the introduction of Purbeck District Council’s ’Recycle for Purbeck’ scheme this reduction in household waste has been matched by an increase in recycling from 16% to an impressive 30%.

An eccentric Swanage hermit, who set up his home in a shack on the cliffs of Ballard Down over 30 years ago, passed away from pneumonia at Poole Hospital last week, aged 69. 

Arthur Bird (’Dick the Fish’) came to Swanage in 1969 en-route to Cornwall, but he stayed and built a stone and driftwood shack on the cliff-side at the north end of Swanage beach, where he found solace for the rest of his life.

His funeral will be at St Mary’s Church, Swanage, on January 7 at 11am.

Just a warning to fellow Purbeck residents who may have received the same letter we did through the post this morning from Marcus Brent & Co Solicitors Agents (Suite 130, 61 Wellfield Road, Cardiff CF24 3DG).

It was addressed to the occupier rather than us personally and says we should phone Neil Anthony on a freephone number “concerning urgent documents which seem to have gone astray”.

The letter looks bonafide and it is playing on people’s curiosity and creating a sense of urgency so that they phone the number. Even if it is a freephone number I suspect the person on the end of the phone may attempt to extract further personal information or money from you in a ploy to get back those “urgent documents” that you never knew existed until you received the letter.

If anyone else has received a similar letter we’d be interested to know.

Work off those Christmas excesses and get inspiration to see some of the stunning Dorset countryside over the festive period by checking out the Ramblers Festival of Winter Walks website.

With organised walks in many areas, the Festival of Winter Walks is the perfect way to restart your New Year’s get-fit regime.

There is lots of seasonal fun to be had on Weymouth beach on 23 December for the first 5K Santa Fun Run.

“The idea is that 500 or so Santa’s chase a man, only known as the STIG!, dressed as a Christmas pudding along Weymouth beach, the first to catch him wins a cash prize, Pudding’s decision is final!”

There will also be spot prizes for the Fattest, Sexiest, Youngest and Oldest Santa’s.

A free drink and Christmas pudding will be given to all involved and the small entry fee of £10 will go towards terminally ill children in Dorset at Julia’s House.

Registration form and further details contact Mr Steen on 07752 902080

There’s skating fun for all the family from Boxing Day through to 3 January at Lulworth Castle.

As well as 30 minute skating sessions (not on ice but used by professionals to practice) there will be pantomime themed characters and fun, face-painting, quizzes and a bouncy castle.

Skating lovers should also visit the BIC in Bournemouth as it is currently running public ice skating sessions right through until 6 February. Sessions last 90 minutes and booking is recommended.

For those Pantomime fans who’d like a trip outside of Purbeck, one of the region’s big panto’s this year is Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, which runs from 19 December to 6 January at Weymouth Pavilion Theatre.

Stars include Eliza Taylor-Cotter (Janae from BBC’s Neighbours), Paul “Bubble” Ferguson from Big Brother, Mike “Squeaky” McClean from ITV’s Richard & Judy Show.

Tickets for Snow White can be purchased from the Box Office 01305 783225. 

Sleeping Beauty is showing at Bournemouth’s Pavilion until 6 January. Stars include Malandra Burrows (Emmerdale & I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here) and Helen Fraser (Body Bag from Bad Girls). Book your tickets on  0870 1113000.

The Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne is showing ‘Sinbad The Sailor’ - a swashbuckling adventure for all the family. Shows run from 20 December to 5 January. Tickets for Sinbad can be purchased from the Box Office on 01202 885566.

There are 2 Christmas carol concerts taking place this week that are guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit.

The Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir perform their ’Noël! Noël!‘ Christmas carol concert at Dorset County Museum on Thursday 20 December at 8.15pm. Enjoy mulled wine, mince pies and a private viewing of the ground floor galleries before the concert.

Join the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for a night of your favourite carols and music at their ‘Carols Sing-a-long’ concert at Poole’s Lighthouse on Friday 21 December from 7.30pm.

For those of you early birds there is the chance to watch the sunrise on one of the shortest days of the year in the unique setting of Corfe Castle on 21 December. 

Meet at 7.15am and enjoy a warming drink and breakfast roll afterwards. Booking Essential 01929 481294.

Alternatively, see in the winter solstice over Old Harry Rocks the following morning (22 December). Meet at Knoll Beach car park at 7.15am and after the sunrise enjoy a hearty breakfast at the beach cafe. Booking Essential 01929 450259.

Almost bigger than the Beatles themselves, the Bootleg Beatles perform a Christmas show at Poole’s Lighthouse on Sunday.

Formed in 1980, the “World’s best Beatles tribute band” have performed over 4000 shows and supported Oasis (that other Beatles tribute band!) at a number of their major gigs.

Lighthouse: 16 Dec 7.30pm:  Tickets£23

Get into the the festive spirit at a free Carol Concert at Corfe Castle next Tuesday evening.

The carol concert will be performed by the Isle of Purbeck Arts Club Choir and children from Corfe First School.

Experience an invigorating and educational 2 hour bird walk on Studland beach and nature reserve this Wednesday morning.

Titled ‘Turkeys are not the only birds’ and led by a nature expert, the walk is followed by a 2 course lunch at Knoll Beach Cafe.

For tickets (£12 per person) contact Emma Wright at the National Trust on 01929 450259 or email emma.wright@nationaltrust.org.uk