Shaftesbury Walks & Walking Routes | WalkingRambler

England · Dorset · South West England

Walks from Shaftesbury, Dorset

📍 South West England
🌿 Greensand hilltop, chalk downland, ancient woodland, vale farmland
0 routes available
⛰ Easy to Moderate
Free to access

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🥾0 RoutesAvailable
⛰Easy to ModerateDifficulty
📅Year-roundBest Months
🚗ShaftesburyStart Point

Shaftesbury sits on a dramatic greensand hilltop above the Blackmore Vale, its famous cobbled Gold Hill — instantly recognisable from the Hovis bread advertisement — giving sweeping views across rural Dorset. The Wessex Ridgeway passes through, and the ancient chalk landscape of Cranborne Chase AONB lies to the south.

An exceptionally picturesque hilltop town with one of England’s most photographed streets, Shaftesbury makes a fine base for the Wessex Ridgeway and the ancient chalk landscape of Cranborne Chase.

All Routes

0 Walks from Shaftesbury

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Map - Kingley Vale, West Sussex - 10.8 Mile Circular Walk
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Kingley Vale around the Nature Reserve, West Sussex

10.8 mile circular walk from West Stoke car park in West Sussex Distance: 10.8 milesTime: 3.5 hoursElevation: 400 footTerrain: footpaths
Distance: 10.8 miles
Starting Point: Kingley Vale Car Park, West Sussex
Ending Point: Stoughton
Terrain Type: Downland, ancient woodland and open hillside
Elevation: 400 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 3.5 hours
Interactive Map:

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Map - Winchester via St Catherines Hill, Hampshire - 5 Mile Circular Walk
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Winchester via St Catherines Hill, Hampshire

5 mile circular walk starting from Winchester via St Catherines Hill in Hampshire. Distance: 5 Miles Time: 1.5 hours Elevation:
Distance: 5 miles
Starting Point: Winchester Car Park
Ending Point: Winchester Car Park
Terrain Type: Riverside meadows and small hilltop
Elevation: 230 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 1.5 hours
Interactive Map:

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Map - Winchester via Chilcomb, Hampshire - 8.5 Mile Circular Walk
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Winchester via Chilcomb and River Itchen

8.5 mile circular walk starting from Winchester via St Catherines Hill and Chilcombe in Hampshire. Distance: 8.5 milesTime: 3 hoursElevation:
Distance: 8.5 miles
Starting Point: Winchester Car Park
Ending Point: Winchester Car Park
Terrain Type: Downland, river valley and urban paths
Elevation: 590 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 3 hours
Interactive Map:

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Circular Walking Trails
Map - Hindhead Devils Punch Bowl - 4.8 Mile Circular Walk
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Hindhead Devils Punch Bowl – 4.8 Mile Circular Walk

4.8 mile circular walking route from Hindhead in Surrey. Distance: 4.8 milesTime: 1.5 hoursElevation: 879 footTerrain: Coastal foot paths and
Distance: 4.85 miles
Starting Point: Hindhead
Ending Point: Hindhead
Terrain Type: Heathland and woodland
OS Map: OS Explorer
Interactive Map:

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Circular Walking Trails
Map - Todenham Circular, Gloucestershire - 2.6 Mile Circular Walk
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Todenham Circular, Gloucestershire

2.6 mile circular walk starting from Todenham in Gloucestershire. Distance: 2.6 milesTime: 1 hoursElevation: 203 footTerrain: Footpaths and tracks.Map:Start Point:
Distance: #ref!
Starting Point: Todenham
Ending Point: Todenham
Terrain Type: Woodland
OS Map: OS Explorer
Interactive Map:

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Circular Walking Trails
Map - Cley next the Sea via Salthouse, Norfolk - 9.1 Mile Circular Walk
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Cley next the Sea via Salthouse Norfolk – 9.1 Mile Circular Walk

9.1 mile circular walking route from Cley next the Sea via, north Norfolk coastal path, Salthouse in Norfolk. Distance: 9.1
Distance: 9.14 miles
Starting Point: Salthouse
Ending Point: Salthouse
Terrain Type: Coastal marshes, farmland and shingle beach paths
Elevation: Low-lying, largely flat coastal terrain
OS Map: OS Explorer
Interactive Map:

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Circular Walking Trails
Map - Waxham via Sea Palling & Horsey Gap, Norfolk - 7 Mile Circular Walk
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Waxham via Sea Palling & Horsey Gap Norfolk – 7 Mile Circular Walk

9.7 mile circular walking route from Waxham via Sea Palling & Horsey Gap in Norfolk. Distance: 7 milesTime: 2.5 hoursElevation:
Distance: 7 miles
Starting Point: Waxham Car Park
Ending Point: Waxham Car Park
Terrain Type: Coastal foot paths and tracks.
Elevation: 114 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 2.5 hours
Interactive Map:

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Circular Walking Trails
Map - Horsey Mere, Norfolk - 3.7 Mile Circular Walk
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Horsey Mere Norfolk – 3.7 Mile Circular Walk

3.7 mile circular walking route starting from Horsey Mere in Norfolk. Distance: 3.7 miles Time: 1.5 hours Elevation: 91 foot
Distance: 3.73 miles
Starting Point: Horsey Windpump National Trust Car Park
Ending Point: Horsey Windpump National Trust Car Park
Terrain Type: Flat coastal marshland and beach paths
Elevation: 91 Feet
OS Map: #REF!
Walking Time: 1.5 hours
Interactive Map:

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Colyton
Map - Colyton
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Colyton via Whitford – 5.9 Mile Circular Walk

5.9 mile circular walking route from Colyton in Devon. Distance: 8.7 milesTime: 3.5 hoursElevation: 196 footTerrain: footpaths and tracks.Map: OS
Distance: 5.9 miles
Starting Point: Colyton Car Park, Devon
Ending Point: Colyton Car Park, Devon
Terrain Type: footpaths and tracks.
Elevation: 196 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 3.5 hours
Interactive Map:

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England
Map - Midhust via Cowdray Estate, West Sussex
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Midhust via Cowdray Estate West Sussex

2.7 mile circular walk starting from Midhurst via West Lavington and the Cowdray Estate in West Sussex. Distance Time Elevation
Distance: 3.45 miles
Starting Point: Midhurst
Ending Point: Midhurst
Terrain Type: footpath
Elevation: 150 Foot
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Interactive Map:

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Chichester
Map - Chichester Via Canal and Harbour
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Chichester Via Canal and Harbour

9.1 mile circular walk following the Chichester Canal to Chichester Marina heading north via Dell Quay & Fishbourne then turning
Distance: 9.1 miles
Starting Point: Cattlemarket Car Park, Chichester.
Ending Point: Cattlemarket Car Park, Chichester.
Terrain Type: Gravel paths, footpaths and pavements.
Elevation: 86 Feet
OS Map: #REF!
Walking Time: 4 hours
Interactive Map:

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Meltham ~ Netherthong Circular 7 Miles

Distance: 7.1 Miles Time: 3 hours 25 minutes Elevation: 922 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Meltham End Point: Meltham Starting
Distance: 7.1 miles
Starting Point: Meltham
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 922 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Walk With Niamh

Distance: 4.4 Miles Time: 2 hours 08 minutes Elevation: 587 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Meanwood End Point: Meanwood null
Distance: 4.4 miles
Starting Point: Meanwood
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 587 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 2 hours 08 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Walk With Niamh

Distance: 5.0 Miles Time: 2 hours 23 minutes Elevation: 121 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Meanwood End Point: Meanwood null
Distance: 5.0 miles
Starting Point: Meanwood
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 121 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Lister Park And Heaton Woods Sponsored Walk

Distance: 3.7 Miles Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Elevation: 56 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Manningham End Point: Manningham null
Distance: 3.7 miles
Starting Point: Manningham
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 56 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Walk Up South Loftus

Distance: 1.4 Miles Time: 47 minutes Elevation: 610 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Loftus End Point: Loftus null OS Maps
Distance: 1.4 miles
Starting Point: Loftus
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 610 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 47 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Keighley To Gargrave

Distance: 18.4 Miles Time: 7 hours 54 minutes Elevation: 948 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Keighley End Point: Keighley null
Distance: 18.4 miles
Starting Point: Keighley
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 948 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 7 hours 54 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Ogden Loop 6m

Distance: 6.4 Miles Time: 3 hours 03 minutes Elevation: 397 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Illingworth End Point: Illingworth null
Distance: 6.4 miles
Starting Point: Illingworth
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 397 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 3 hours 03 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Ilkley To Leeds via Dales Way

Distance: 19.6 Miles Time: 9 hours 07 minutes Elevation: 2185 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Ilkley End Point: Ilkley null
Distance: 19.6 miles
Starting Point: Ilkley
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 2185 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 9 hours 07 minutes
Interactive Map:
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Ilkley To Leeds

Distance: 21.8 Miles Time: 10 hours 10 minutes Elevation: 233 Feet Terrain: Mixed Start Point: Ilkley End Point: Ilkley null
Distance: 21.8 miles
Starting Point: Ilkley
Terrain Type: Mixed
Elevation: 233 Feet
OS Map: OS Explorer
Walking Time: 10 hours 10 minutes
Interactive Map:

At a Glance

Walks available0 routes
DifficultyEasy to Moderate
Best monthsYear-round
TerrainGreensand hilltop, chalk downland, ancient woodland, vale farmland
CountyDorset
Dogs welcome✓ Yes

Getting There

📍
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Open in Google Maps

Town centre car parks. Bus from Gillingham station (South West Coaches X10)

Food & Drink

La Fleur de Lys, Salt Cellar restaurant, The Mitre

Notable Walks Nearby

  • Wessex Ridgeway section
  • Gold Hill & the Abbey ruins
  • Cranborne Chase escarpment
  • Duncliffe Wood
  • Blackmore Vale views from Park Walk
  • Compton Abbas & the Ridgeway villages
  • All Dorset towns →

🗺 OS Map Reference

Walking around Shaftesbury is covered by OS Explorer 118 / 129. Recommended for all routes in this area.

View OS Map Guide

Long Distance Trails Nearby

  • Wessex Ridgeway

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