In Walk 1 pause at the West Bexington carpark to observe the Chesil Beach which stretches away to Portland in the east, and in the other direction to West Bay. The 17 miles of shingle is graded from fist sized stones at the Portland end to coarse gravel at West Bay. In the distance beyond West Bay is the distinctive flat topped summit of Golden Cap.West Bay makes a good starting point for a very strenuous 8 mile round trip there.

I have not included this in the list of walks as it is straight there and back, and is well waymarked throughout. Nearing the end of WALK 1 you pass the Abbotsbury carpark. The road turns inland here and after about 1/2 mile you reach the Sub-Tropical Gardens, which are well worth a visit if you have time (Refreshments available). The best known feature of Abbotsbury is the Swannery but the village has a long and interesting historical background, well documented in its HISTORY website.

MAPS : The popular 1/50000 O.S. maps do not really give sufficient detail, particularly if you are tackling a walk for the first time. The 1/25000 maps provide that necessary detail - but there are drawbacks too. There used to be a 'Pathfinder' series of maps. They did not cover a large area but slipped neatly into a back pocket. These have now been replaced by the Explorer series (No 117), and Outdoor Leisure Maps ( No 15). These two maps cover all the walks There is a problem however. These maps cover a large area and are printed on both sides of the paper. This is fine for one half where the map can be 'concertinaed' in the usual way. To view the other half you have to open the map out fully ( and No 15 is 49" x 37"). This is alright on the kitchen table, but is a different matter in the open.

Walks 3 and 4. On the common stretch of these walks you unexpectedly come across some free standing sculptures. These were sponsored by the Common Ground New Sculptures Project, and the artist is Peter Randall-Page.

While on the topic of maps, if you have been browsing around you will see that Dorset has its fair share of odd village names : Plush, Mappowder, Melbury Bubb, Ryme Intrinseca, Hazelbury Brian, Bishops Caundle and Folly. There is even a tiny hamlet named Oxbridge , just north of Bridport.

Army firing ranges. The coastal strip between Lulworth Cove and Kimmeridge is normally closed to the public, being Army controlled land. However a coastal path is usually open at weekends, Bank Holidays and for the whole of August. Originally it was proposed that the walking line would be bounded on both sides by secure fencing. Instead the path is indicated by unobstrusive short marker posts. This has worked very well,so please do not wander off the defined line. To check if the walks are open you can ring 01929 462721 ex.4700. The points of entry to the walks are clearly marked on Map 15.

Because there have been no pesticides on the land for about 70 years there is a great variety of wild life. The birds don't seem upset by the odd gun going off (shotguns excepted no doubt). There is also no sign of the dreaded caravanitis.

Godlingston Heath .All six species of British lizards are present here tho' the only one you may see on a warm day might be an adder. Studland Heath adjoins to the north-east, and the part of that heath between the main road and the beach is a National Nature Reserve. There is a short nature trail starting from the beach carpark.

West Dorset is well supplied with Henges, Hill forts, Chalk figures, Long Barrows and Tumuli (hundreds of those). Althougth not quite the largest, Maiden Castle Hill Fort, located just S.W. of Dorchester, is probably the best known. It is well worth a visit -there is no tourist trap gift shop - and parking is free. Follow it up with a visit to The County Museum in Dorchester. For further information about this and other antiquities try surfing for Monuments and Barrows For more general information about walking in the area try the Dorset group of the Ramblers Association , the countryside section of Dorset County Council and RamblingUK whicich is setting up a walks database.

Walk 8 : Kingston Russell House (on left) . In the 16th Century John Russell went to the courts of Henry VII and VIII to find fame and fortune, eventually becoming Duke of Bedford. Hardys monument is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Masterman Hardy, Captain to Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, and not as is often supposed, to Thomas Hardy, novelist. The monument is made from locally quarried limestone, and is open at limited times during the summer

DURDLE DOOR (WALK 3). This well known beauty spot has a pleasant beach with fine pebbles. The snag is that the beach is nearly 400 feet down from the carpark. More to the point its nearly 400 feet up when you are going home. A leisurely walk over Hambury Tout (450 ft) brings you to Lulworth Cove, where the carpark is almost at sea level, which means a good climb back to Durdle Door. Lulworth has a very narrow pebbly beach and during the holiday season gets packed to capacity. If you're coming walking get here by 6a.m.! When the range walks are open you can go along eastwards to Worbarrow Bay, Tyneham and Kimmeridge. Be prepared for some very steep climbs. The Coastal Path eastwards from Kimmeridge is clear of the Army ranges, and is open at all times.

GOLDEN CAP provides sweeping views along the coast in both directions, and is worth a bit of effort to get there. From Seatown (Walk 11) there is a brisk 600 ft climb, over a relatively short distance. If that is too much, help is at hand with a carpark at 500 ft!. Leave Chideock to the west and at the top of the hill, just before the dual carriageway starts, turn sharp left. Give plenty of warning that you are turning because you cannot see the turn in advance - its immediately before a small layby.After turning off the main road, turn left again almost at once then follow signs to carpark. This is Langdon Hill. A wide gravel path goes right round the hill keeping to the same height. For Golden Cap head south, then at the south east corner of the wood go off left down a narrow path(no sign). Just a short way down and you turn left (S.P. Coast path and Golden Cap). Then at the next junction turn right and the way is then clear.

No comments on points of interest in South Dorset would be complete without reference to Corfe Castle.There is a long history of violence and mayhem dating back before there was even a castle here. King Edward the Martyr called at a hunting lodge where his stepmother Elfrida was staying, who promptly arranged his murder (AD 978). Later during the reign of King John 24 knights were imprisoned in the Castle, and 22 of them starved to death. King Edward II was kept here before being moved to Berkeley Castle where he was murdered! (The above site gives an excellent potted history).
During the reign of Elizabeth I the Castle passed into the hands of the Bankes family, and when the last member of the family died in 1980 the Castle and most of the village was left to the National Trust.

PORTLAND. Well known for its supplies of building stone, the 'Isle' of PORTLAND is worth a visit. At the north end it is nearly 500 feet high, giving panoramic views along the Chesil Beach (see photo for Walk 1) and towards Weymouth and the chalk cliffs beyond. The land then falls away gradually to reach sea level at the Bill. It gets very wild and windy here when there is a S.W. gale roaring up the Channel. For more details see above link.

KIMMERIDGE BAY. A pleasant spot to while away an hour or two.A large grassy carpark directly overlooks the bay - with only a few steps down to sea level. More background information including reference to Clavells Folly (left) from Dorset Wildlife Trust Website.

ROCKS and FOSSILS. The Dorset coast from the Devon border to Old Harry Rocks in Purbeck is a delight for geologists and palaeontologists for the sheer variety on offer. This part of the coast, together with a stretch of East Devon, has been granted World Heritage site status by UNESCO. The Dorset County Council Heritage website gives an excellent and quite detailed description of the geological and fossil features of the proposed site, and for a wider picture of fossil topics countrywide try Discovering Fossils .

The FLEET is a brackish,tidal channel which runs for 9 miles behind Chesil Bank, from Portland Harbour to just west of the Swannery at Abbotsbury. The salinity of the water is virtually that of the sea at the Portland end, and almost fresh at Abbotsbury. There are extensive mudflats at low tide.
The above website (FLEET) gives more pictures but for a detailed description of all aspects of the region try FLEET EXTRA and go to BIRDS for an extensive list (more than 150) of the enormous varieties of visiting birds. During the summer the swans congregate in the Swannery area, but at other times spread themselves along the length of the Fleet.

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