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 day walks for all abilities.
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.
Over the last few years I’ve done many of the walks listed plus many more and have some great photos which I hope to include as part of a blog section of this website. This site is still just a hobby and I prefer being out walking in the countryside rather than inside working on my computer! I did start a website http://www.dorsetwalks.co.uk which you might find helpful as it lists some of my favourite Dorset walks but I never quite finished it and haven’t been able to publish the routes using the Ordinance Survey maps due to copyright issues which I’m sure I’ll sort out one day.
I can particularly recommend the walks below that are marked with a heart ❤️
National Trust Walks in Dorset
Studland Walks
Old Harry Rocks walk ❤️ – Click Here
Godlingston Heath walk ❤️ – Click Here
Studland Beach sand dunes trail – Click Here
Studland Beach Second World War walk – 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
The Hartland Way – Corfe Castle and Hartland Moor – Click Here
South Purbeck Hills Walks
South Purbeck cliffs walk ❤️ – Click Here
Scratch Arse Ware and Dancing Ledge walk ❤️ – Click Here
Spyway Sea Saunter – Click Here
East Man Walk – Click Here
Brownsea Island Walks
Brownsea Island wildlife walk – Click Here
Rich Reds of Brownsea Walk – Click Here
Lakes and heath walk, Brownsea Island – Click Here
Kingston Lacy Estate Walks
Walk at Badbury Rings and High Wood, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at Badbury Rings and The Oaks, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at Pamphill and Cowgrove, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
The Woodland Trail at 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 Shapwick and Droves, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at Eye Bridge and Pamphill, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at Eye Bridge, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at White Mill and Shapwick, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Kingston Lacy Park walk from Pamphill Green – Click Here
Walk at White Mill and the Droves, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walk at Holt Heath, Kingston Lacy – Click Here
Walking with heels at Holt Heath – Click Here
Walking with pumps at Pamphill – Click Here
Walking in sandals at Shapwick – 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 /
Bournemouth to Sandbanks | Sandbanks to Studland | Studland to Old Harry Rocks | Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door | Seacombe & Winspit | Dancing Ledge | Durdle Door & Scratchy Bottom | Lulworth Cove to Mupe Bay | St Aldhelm’s Head & Chapman’s Pool | Hengistbury Head & Mudeford Sandbank