Swindon
BERKSHIRE
Win
Chippenham
Reading
Bristol
VALE OF GLAMORGAN
Avebury
Hungerford
Corsham
Clevedon
Bracknell
Barry
Newbury
Marlborough
Congresbury
Bath Melksham
Devizes
Weston-super-Mare
Kingsclere
Camberley
Trowbridge
W I LT S H I R E
Cheddar
Basingstoke
Alder
Westbury
Lynton Lynmouth
Burnham-on-Sea
Whitchurch
Frome
Andover
Ilfracombe
Farnham
Lundy
Minehead
Warminster
Wells
Pilton
G
HAMPSHIRE
Watchet
Glastonbury
Alton
Amesbury
Braunton
Street
Bridgwater
New Alresford
Barnstaple
Mere
Liphook
Wilton
Winchester
Wincanton
SOMERSET
Bideford
Salisbury
South Molton
Taunton
Hartland
Petersfield
Shaftesbury
Romsey
Wellington
Midh
Great Torrington
Eastleigh
Yeovil
Ilminster
Sherborne
Southampton
W
Knife-edge
clifftops
near
Tiverton
Havant
Lyndhurst
Crewkerne
Blandford Forum
Fareham
Chard
Chichest
Old
Harry Rocks.
Bude
Hythe
Ringwood
Holsworthy
Brockenhurst
Gosport
Bogn
Axminster
Honiton
Crediton
Wimborne Minster
Regi
Lymington
Portsmouth
DORSET
Bridport
New Milton
Okehampton
Cowes
Dorchester
Exeter
Seaton
Ryde
Poole
Boscastle
Selsey
Newport
Lyme
Bournemouth
Sidmouth
DEVON
Wareham
Tintagel
ISLE
Regis
Launceston
Freshwater
OF
WIGHT
Shanklin
Exmouth
Weymouth
Swanage
Dawlish
Ventnor
Padstow
Teignmouth
Tavistock
Fortuneswell
Wadebridge
Newton Abbot
Ashburton
Portland Bill
Bodmin
Buckfastleigh
Torquay
Liskeard
Newquay
Paignton
CORNWALL
Totnes
Saltash
Plymouth
Brixham
Torpoint
St Austell
Looe
Plympton
Dartmouth
St Agnes
Fowey
Truro
Kingsbridge
Redruth
Salcombe
Camborne
Start/parking Swanage Railway
St Mawes
Falmouth
02
SOUTH
WEST
BRIDGEND
Bridgend
Porthcawl
Cowbridge
CARDIFF
Cardiff
Avonmouth
BRISTOL
DORSET
SWANAGE TO CORFE CASTLE
uDistance: 16.3km/10 miles uTime: 5 hours uGrade: Challenging
PLAN YOUR WALK
E E
SE TURE 32
A AG
E
F P
ON
Penzance
Sennen
Land's End
Route
Station, grid ref SZ029789
Is it for me? Mostly gentle
walking along grassy ridge tops;
couple of moderate climbs
Stiles 1
Helston
Lizard
Photo: Tom Bailey
CHOSEN BY…
RACHEL BROOMHEAD
A wonderful ridge
walk in the Purbeck
Hills with a small but
spectacular detour to the white
needles of Old Harry Rocks.
If the panoramic views and
awesome coastal scenery aren’t
enough, the walk ends at one
of the prettiest towns in
England. To top it off, a steam
train on the Swanage Railway
will take you back to the start.
1
Start
Turn L out of station onto
Rempstone Road. At end of road,
turn R onto Victoria Avenue and
follow to seafront. Turn L onto
Shore Road and follow it all the
way as it curves L inland. At fork,
keep R, passing church on L. Take
third R onto Ballard Way. Follow
road past ‘No Entry’ signs (for
vehicles only) and all the way
round as it bends initially R and
then sharply L. Take the first R
after L-hand bend and join path
which curves L through open
meadow parallel to seafront.
reach trig point. Carry straight on,
go through another gate and
continue west along ridge top,
admiring the wonderful views to
Poole and Swanage.
4
8km/5 miles
At crossroads in paths, turn L
signed towards ‘Swanage’ and
start to descend, eventually
going through copse of trees. At
next crossroads, go straight on
and join Purbeck Way. Go through
kissing-gate and keep on path,
ignoring any turn-offs and
gradually descending. Go through
kissing-gate to road.
5
9.7km/6 miles
Turn L and cross road to gate.
Go through a series of three
kissing-gates, cross field
diagonally L to reach track and
turn R. Climb gently on track
following signs for ‘Purbeck Way
and Corfe Castle’ and ignore path
which forks off to L. At fork, keep
R, signed ‘Ridgeway Path’. Go
through gate. Ignore path which
2
2.1km/1¼ miles
Heading into some trees, go
down stairs and up the other side
and continue to follow path. Go
through kissing-gate and climb up
steps. At top, go through another
kissing-gate and follow the South
West Coast Path all the way to
headland at Old Harry, keeping
sea on your R and passing several
impressive stacks along the way.
3
Nearest town Swanage
Refreshments Choice in
Swanage and Corfe Castle
Public toilets Swanage and
Corfe Castle
Public transport Steam trains
run every 40 minutes on the
Swanage Railway
Maps Ordnance Survey Explorer
OL15; Landranger 195
drops to L and keep R on track
which climbs and curves R round
hill. Continue to follow track.
6
11.6km/7¼ miles
At fork, keep R staying high
on ridge. A path joins from L
shortly afterwards; keep straight
on and follow sign for ‘Corfe
Castle’. Shortly afterwards, go
through gate where a National
Trust sign marks Ailwood Down.
Here, you’ll see a series of burial
mounds to R, with views to Poole
and Brownsea Island beyond.
Continue west on path, going
through a sequence of two gates
and keeping gorse bushes to R.
Pass through another gate and
keep on.
7
14.7km/9¼ miles
At radio mast, go through
uRoute available to
download and print at:
lfto.com/routes
uBuy maps at: ordnance
survey.co.uk/mapshop
gate, ignore path which drops
down to L and continue to follow
ridge west onto East Hill with its
stunning views of Corfe Castle.
From East Hill, walk down steps
on L (not shown on map), go over
stile and turn R onto Sandy Hill
Lane. At end of lane, turn L onto
main road and then L again after
the Bankes Armes onto Station
Road leading back to station.
uDownload Ordnance Survey maps to
your PC, GPS, iPhone, iPad and Android for
just £12.50
TRAILZILLA ID:
TZID18062
© Country Walking August 2013
3
7
Finish
6
4
5
2
Start
1
✁
5.4km/3¼ miles
After admiring Old Harry’s
rocks, turn around and start to
retrace your steps, but after 1km,
turn R through gate. Carry on
along path, go through gate and
Planning
Ordnance Survey mapping ©Crown Copyright in association with Memory-Map/Bauer Media’s Media Licence number 073/13
St Ives
St Just