Purbeck Plod - Swanage to Kimmeridge

The walk is detailed below and if you wish to print via PDF:-

How to get there: - Grid Reference 034773 - Durlston Country Park or Swanage Sea Front. Proceed to Swanage via Wareham and follow the signs to the sea front.

Depending on the time of the year, you can park along the front or you will need to park in one of the car parks nearby.

An alternative is to start from Durlston Country Park which is signposted from the sea front and is an excellent centre to explore a lot of fascinating information about the Jurassic Coast. It also has an information centre and café.

From the sea front, head west along the coast path, up to Durlston Country Park and follow the path along to Kimmeridge (12 miles).

At Kimmeridge (toilets available), as you come into the grassy car park area, head diagonally across to the tarmac road. Follow the road for a short distance until you are at the end of the row of cottages.

Turn right here and follow the path up across the field and up the short steep slope to the ridgeway (2/3 mile). Turn left at the top and proceed to the next stile (1/4 mile)

Turn sharp right and head down the slight incline, through the small woods which will take you through Steeple Leaze farm and up to the road (2/3 mile).

Go straight ahead and up the road for 1/4 mile until you meet a track to your right. Follow this track up to the ridgeway (300 metres). At the top you need to turn to your right and follow the signposted track past Grange Arch (a folly which overlooks Creech Grange) and on to Corfe Castle (3 1/4 miles).

This section onwards provides great views to both sides of the ridgeway.

Follow the path along the ridgeway and you need to take one of the two opportunities to bear right and drop down to the lower path which takes you to the base of the Castle. Here, walk along the path to the left of the stream or along the road to come out on the main road opposite the National Trust car park.

Turn right and proceed along the road for ¼ mile until the road turns sharp right up into the village. Take the lane to the left of this bend and follow the road for ¼ mile until it starts to bear to the right and you will see a gate and track to the left signposted Rollington Hill.

Follow this path up onto Rollington Hill  and on to Nine Barrow Down and then drop down to meet the Swanage – Studland road (2 ¼ miles). At the stile by the road, turn left and walk on the left verge of the road for ¼ mile, then cross over and take the path up to the obelisk and onto Ballard Down.

After about 3/4 mile, take any of the paths that drop off Ballard Down to the right and follow the path into Swanage.