Walking in Dorset
Dorset’s Jurassic Coast runs from Lyme Regis past Golden Cap, Chesil Beach and Durdle Door to Old Harry Rocks, and the South West Coast Path follows it all the way. Inland are chalk downs and Hardy’s countryside around Dorchester, the heaths of Purbeck and the rolling Cranborne Chase in the north.
Difficulty is shown only where we have graded the route, so choosing a level hides walks not yet graded.
Walks with a mapped start point are plotted above; the rest appear when you search their town. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
Choose a starting town
Purbeck & Lulworth
Weymouth, Portland & Chesil
West Dorset & Lyme Bay
Dorchester & Hardy Country
Bournemouth, Poole & Christchurch
North Dorset & Cranborne Chase
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of Dorset: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 1 and 12 miles.
Purbeck & Lulworth
- Corfe Castle Isle of PurbeckCorfe Castle · 4.2 mi
- Studland via Black Down Isle of PurbeckStudland · 3.3 mi
- Swanage via Anvil Point, Isle of PurbeckSwanage · 4.7 mi
- Kimmeridge Bay via Swyre Head Isle of PurbeckKimmeridge · 6.1 mi
- Lulworth Cove To Durdle Door Circular WalkWest Lulworth · 3.8 mi
- Winspit LoopWorth Matravers · 4.6 mi
Weymouth, Portland & Chesil
- Costal Path – Osmington – Sutton Poyntz LoopSutton Poyntz · 5.2 mi
- Sutton Poyntz LoopWeymouth · 6.1 mi
- Crossways via West Knighton WoodsCrossways · 3.1 mi
- Osmington via Sutton PoyntzOsmington · 5.8 mi
- Abbotsbury via South Dorset Ridgeway and Chesil BeachAbbotsbury · 6.0 mi
- Isle Portland via South West Coastal PathEaston · 6.4 mi
West Dorset & Lyme Bay
- Cobden Loop 4mBurton Bradstock · 3.9 mi
- Lyme Regis, Popular Circular WalkLyme Regis · 5.2 mi
- ABOFA West Bay Groves LoopBridport · 2.8 mi
- Golden Cap, Dorset Circular WalkChideock · 11.7 mi
Dorchester & Hardy Country
- Milton Abbas Loop WalkMilton Abbas · 3.2 mi
- Turners Puddle LoopTurners Puddle · 3.6 mi
- Affpuddle LoopAffpuddle · 4.1 mi
- Moreton(Dorest)LoopMoreton · 6.7 mi
- Hardys Monument via The Valley Of StonesWinterbourne Steepleton · 3.8 mi
- Melbury via OsmondMelbury Osmond · 3.8 mi
Bournemouth, Poole & Christchurch
- Half Branksome & Alum Chines LoopBournemouth · 3.8 mi
- Short Canford Heath Loop 2 (DP)Oakdale · 4.5 mi
- Hillbourne Loop (DP)Poole · 5.2 mi
- Merley LoopBroadstone · 6.7 mi
- Lytchett/Morden LoopLytchett Matravers · 2.8 mi
- Northbourne LoopNorthbourne · 10.0 mi
North Dorset & Cranborne Chase
- Sixpenny Handley LoopSixpenny Handley · 3.2 mi
- Spetisbury Hill Fort Round WalkSpetisbury · 3.2 mi
- Charlton Marshall LoopCharlton Marshall · 3.4 mi
- Shillingstone Loop (Short)Stourpaine · 5.3 mi
- Loop Round MerleyWimborne Minster · 6.0 mi
- A Walk Via Remedy Oak & WoodlandsVerwood · 3.2 mi
Popular in Dorset
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in Dorset. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
Jurassic Coast
About 96 miles of coast from Orcombe Point near Exmouth to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage is a World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2001 as the first wholly natural World Heritage Site in the UK. The South West Coast Path runs along all of it.
Lulworth Ranges
Between Lulworth and Kimmeridge the coast path crosses an army firing range. The range walks and Tyneham village are open most weekends and during holiday periods; red flags or lamps mean live firing and no entry. Keep to the waymarked paths and do not touch objects on the ground. For recorded access information, phone 01929 404819.
Cliffs and rock falls
Dorset’s cliffs are unstable, and large rock falls, such as the one at West Bay in 2023, can close sections of beach and path for months. Keep away from both the cliff edge and the cliff foot, and follow any diversion signs.
Dogs on beaches
Dog rules vary by beach. Swanage, Lyme Regis front beach and Seatown only allow dogs from 1 October to 30 April, and at Studland dogs must be on a lead on some beaches from 1 May to 30 September.
Where the coast path ends
The 630-mile South West Coast Path, which starts at Minehead in Somerset, finishes on the Dorset coast at Poole Harbour, so a walk around Studland takes you to the very end of England’s longest National Trail.
Maps
OS Explorer OL15 covers Purbeck and South Dorset, including Lulworth, Weymouth and Portland, and OS Explorer 116 covers Lyme Regis and Bridport.
Walking in Dorset: questions
How many walks are there in Dorset?
We list 341 walking routes in Dorset, starting from 84 towns and villages. The typical route is about 8 miles; 59 are under 4 miles and 108 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Corfe Castle (32), Studland (26), Bournemouth (24), Swanage (22), Poole (20) and Weymouth (16). Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Are there short circular walks in Dorset?
Yes. 26 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Swanage Short Beach Loop (1.5 mi), Burton Bradstock via South West Coastal Path (1.7 mi), Sika Trail Loop (2.1 mi) and Durdle Door Loop (2.2 mi). Choose Under 4 mi and Back to start in the filters above to see them all.
How many walks follow the South West Coast Path?
35 of our Dorset routes use the South West Coast Path for some or all of the way. Use the Coast path walks quick pick above to list them.
Are there easy walks in Dorset?
6 routes are graded easy so far, such as Kingston To Corfe (2.3 mi) and Studland via Old Harry Rock, Isle of Purbeck (3.8 mi). We are still grading the rest, so many other short routes are gentle too.
Can I take my dog on Dorset walks?
Yes, on most routes, but seasonal rules apply on many Dorset beaches. Some, such as Swanage, Lyme Regis front beach and Seatown, only allow dogs from 1 October to 30 April, and at Studland dogs must be on a lead on some beaches from 1 May to 30 September. See Know before you go for more.
Can I walk the coast path through the Lulworth Ranges?
Yes, when the ranges are open, which is most weekends and during holiday periods. When red flags or lamps show there is live firing and the path is closed; phone 01929 404819 for access information before you go.
How long is the Jurassic Coast?
About 96 miles (154 km), from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage. Most of it is in Dorset.
Which long-distance trails pass through Dorset?
The South West Coast Path, Wessex Ridgeway, Hardy Way, Stour Valley Way and Monarch's Way all pass through Dorset, and each has its own guide on Walking Rambler.