Dorset offers a lovely mix of scenery including a rugged coastline overlooking the English Channel, the undulating contours of the flower-rich chalk downs and a patchwork of hedge-lined fields which, when combined with a network of paths, bridleways and quiet lanes make the county a joy to explore on foot.
Wandering through picture-postcard villages is like walking through the pages of a Thomas Hardy novel. Hardy, who was born at Higher Bockhampton in 1840 and later lived at Max Gate in Dorchester, based many of his novels on places and characters he knew within Dorset including Evershot, which was known as ‘Evershed’ in Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
The world-famous Jurassic coastline stretches along Dorset’s southern edge and includes the well-photographed chalk stack of Old Harry and the south coast’s highest point at Golden Cap with far reaching views to the east and west along the coastline. The Jurassic Coast, which also includes East Devon, was designated as England’s only natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001 due to its rocks, fossils and landforms. Over millennia coastal erosion has exposed an almost continuous sequence of rock formation spanning 185 million years.
Crowning some of Dorset’s hills are the remains of Iron Age hillforts. Constructed over 2000 years ago these defensive structures of concentric ditches and earth embankments offer great views from their commanding positions. The walks in this guide visit a number of hillforts including Eggardon Hill, Hambledon Hill and Maiden Castle; the latter is said to be one of the largest and most complex hillforts in Europe.
Take time to admire the tranquillity to be found in an ancient church, enjoy the atmosphere of a cosy village pub, some of which have been around for over 400 years, or just enjoy the abundance of wildlife to be found whilst walking in Dorset’s beautiful countryside.
