Dorset Walks

Dorset is home to some of the best walks in the UK including many scenic coastal paths along the Jurassic Coast. Shell Bay in Studland marks the traditional end of the 630-mile South West Coast Path however there are plenty of stunning circular Dorset walks for all abilities.

Instead of listing all the best walks here on this website we’ve built a site dedicated to highlighting some of the best walks in Dorset: https://www.dorsetwalks.co.uk

DorsetWalks.co.uk includes detailed route maps with links to download the walk GPS data to enable you to easily follow the walk on your mobile phone or GPS device. We’ve also included detailed route descriptions and photos of some of my favourite walks.

Here are links to some of the most popular posts on DorsetWalks.co.uk

The Best Lulworth Cove Walks (external link to DorsetWalks.co.uk)
The Best Worth Matravers Walks (external link to DorsetWalks.co.uk)
The Best Studland Walks (external link to DorsetWalks.co.uk)
The Best Corfe Castle Walks (external link to DorsetWalks.co.uk)
The Best Seatown Walks (external link to DorsetWalks.co.uk)

National Trust Walks in Dorset

Many of the best walks along the Dorset Coast pass through land that is owned and managed by the National Trust so the National Trust Website is an excellent resource for finding circular walk descriptions and maps. The good news is that access to the walks is free to everyone, you don’t have to be a National Trust Member although members will be able to use the National Trust Car Parks for free.

To keep things simple we’ve just listed the walks below and included links to their relevant web page showing a map and route description which we hope you’ll find helpful.

I can particularly recommend the walks below that are marked with a heart ❤️

Studland Walks

Old Harry Rocks walk ❤️ – Click Here

Godlingston Heath walk ❤️ – Click Here

Studland Beach sand dunes trail – Click Here

Studland woodland walk – Click Here

Corfe Castle Walks

The Purbeck Ridgeway ❤️ – Corfe Castle to the coast – Click Here

Corfe Common History Walk – Click Here

South Purbeck Hills Walks

South Purbeck cliffs walk ❤️ – Click Here

Kingston Lacy Estate Walks

Walk at Badbury Rings and The Oaks, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at Pamphill and Cowgrove, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at the Beech Avenue and Droves, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at Pamphill Green and Moor, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at Eye Bridge and Pamphill, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at White Mill and Shapwick, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at White Mill and the Droves, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Walk at Holt Heath, Kingston Lacy – Click Here

Blackmore Vale

A circuit of Hod Hill ❤️ – Click Here

Hod Hill butterfly walk – Click Here

Walking around the ramparts at Hambledon Hill ❤️ – Click Here

Melbury Beacon Walk ❤️ – Click Here

Fontmell Down Walk – Click Here

Compton Down Walk – Click Here

Hardy’s Cottage Walks

Hardys Cottage walking trails through Thorncombe Woods – Click Here

Hardy’s Cottage Discovery Trail (Kids) – Click Here

National Trust PDF Guides

Dorset’s Hillforts – A Visitor’s Guide (pdf) – Click Here

Kingston Maurward Walkabouts 1 (pdf) – Click Here

Kingston Maurward Walkabouts 2 (pdf) – Click Here

Hardy’s Landscape (pdf) – Click Here

Trails in Dorset

The Great Wessex Way (Long Distance Walkers Association) – Click Here

Stour Valley Way (LDWA) – Click Here

The Hardy Way (LDWA) – Click Here

The Wessex Ridgeway,

The Jubilee Trail – https://www.routeyou.com or https://www.visit-dorset.com

The Stour Valley Way – https://www.stourvalleyway.co.uk

The South Dorset Ridgeway – https://www.routeyou.com

North Dorset Trailway – http://www.northdorsettrailway.org.uk

Dorset County Council

Visit their website:

https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/sport-leisure/sport-and-leisure.aspx

Then click on the link to walking then walking routes and trails

East Dorset

Castleman Trailway – Click Here

Wareham Forset Way

East Dorset Walking Routes – a series of 14 walks – Click Here

North Dorset

The Wessex Ridgeway – information pdf

The North Dorset Trailway

Sturminster Newton Walkabouts

The Isle of Purbeck (long distance)

South West Coast Path – link to Visit Dorset website for index

The Isle of Purbeck (medium distance)

The Commoner’s Way – leaflet pdf

The Lawrence of Arabia Trail – leaflet pdf

Wareham Forest Way – leaflet pdf

The Purbeck Way (West Route) – leaflet pdf

The Purbeck Way – leaflet pdf

The Isle of Purbeck (short distance)

Wareham Town Walks – leaflet pdf

The Wareham Two Rivers Walk – leaflet pdf

Quarrymans’ Ways – leaflet pdf

The Priests Way – link to South West Coast Path map

Smugglers’ Ways – leaflet pdf

Studland and Ballard Down Round Walk – map leaflet pdf route directions leaflet pdf

West Dorset

South Dorset Ridgeway – link to South West Coast Path

Kingston Maurward Walkabouts

Cerne Valley Way – leaflet pdf

Frome Valley Trail – leaflet Evershot to Dorchester pdf

Thorncombe Wood Walkabouts

Dorchester to Weymouth Trail – leaflet pdf (download)

Weymouth & Portland

Walking maps of Littlemoor

Portland Quarry Trails

The Rodwell Trail

Jurassic Coast Trust Downloadable Walks

https://jurassiccoast.org/visit/walking-the-jurassic-coast/downloadable-walks/

Cranborne Estate Walks

Cranborne Estates have produced a leaflet that will guide you around a number of routes within the Estate. Leaflet includes routes description and map.

https://www.cranborne.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CRANBORNE-WALKS.pdf

Related Pages: Hengistbury Head / Sandbanks / Studland / Old Harry Rocks / Durlston Country Park / Worth Matravers / Corfe Castle /