Local Guide to the Best Walks in Dorset
The Best Corfe Castle Walks includes 9 of my favourite walks starting in the historic village of Corfe Castle which nestles in a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage.
Continue reading “The Best Corfe Castle Walks”
Colmers Hill is one of the most recognisable scenes in the West Dorset landscape, this iconic conical-shaped hill rises 417 feet above the village of Symondsbury on the edge of Bridport. It has been part of the Symondsbury Estate for over one hundred years and is open to the public with a permissive path up to the top. There are several walks in the area, the shorter Colmers Hill Walk is described below.
Distance: 1.6 miles Circular
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Ascent: 295ft, Highest Point 417ft
OS Map: OS Explorer 116 Lyme Regis & Bridport
Date of Walk: June 202
Manswood is a small hamlet located 1 mile north west of Witchampton and 1 mile west of Moor Crichel in the soft rolling hills of Cranborne Chase. Manswood Walk is a circular walk that takes you through conifer plantations, coppiced woods and arable farmland.
Distance: 3.5 miles Circular walk
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated time: 1 hour 45 mins
Date of walk: late August 2022
Map: OS Explorer 118
Maiden Castle is the largest Iron Age hill fort in Britain and lies just outside Dorchester. It is owned by English Heritage but entrance is free, so is the car park. This short Maiden Castle Walk is an easy stroll around the banks and ditches of the hill fort offering beautiful views of rolling south Dorchester countryside.
Distance: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated time: 1 hour
Date of walk: 31 August 2022
This is one of the longer Cranborne Estate walks starting in the picturesque village of Cranborne and taking you through water meadows, rolling farmland and forest.
Distance: 4.8 miles
Difficulty: easy
Estimated time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total ascent 210ft, Max elevation 351ft.
Badbury Rings is an impressive Iron Age hill fort that has three rings of ramparts and ditches. From May to July you’ll find yourself surrounded by fields of wild flowers as well as butterflies and birds.
Distance: 1.2 mile (circular walk)
Difficulty: very easy
Estimated time: 30 minutes
Total ascent 49ft, Max elevation 280ft
Dorset’s largest hill fort and home to a wide variety of wild flowers, birds and butterflies. The fort sits at 143 m (469 ft) above sea level and commands wide ranging views over rural Dorset and the meandering River Stour below.
Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: easy (uneven ground and uphill sections)
Estimated time: 1 hour
Date of Walk: June 2020
Hambledon Hill rises steeply to 190 metres above the Blackmore Vale and the river Stour below. It is located close to the village of Child Okeford, 6 miles north-west of Blandford Forum. Hambledon Hill is one of the best preserved and most notable Iron Age hill forts in Great Britain.
Distance: 2.7 miles (Circular walk)
Difficulty: moderate
Estimated time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total ascent: 437ft, Max elevation 619ft
Walk date: June 2020