Durdle Door to Ringstead Circular
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Area
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Distance
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Difficulty
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Access Restrictions?
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Lulworth
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9 miles
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Medium
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No
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A classic 9 mile walk with a mixture of coastal path and inner ridge walking with great views of Weymouth and Portland.
There is a great cafe at halfway in Ringstead Bay and an opportunity to swim so this walk can take you all day if you wish. Some steep ascents and descents on the outward half.
The steep sections can be avoided by taking the Ridgeway paths in both directions and this will still be a great walk.
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Portland from Ringstead Bay
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How to get there: - Grid Reference 811813. Head towards Lulworth Cove via Wareham or Bere Regis. Just in, or just after West Lulworth village, turn right up towards Durdle Door. Go past the Durdle Door caravan park entrance and after 200 metres park near the Daggers Gate farm entrance.
Information: Toilets available on the right, in West Lulworth, on the road down to Lulworth Cove and in Ringstead Bay.
Walk details:-
Walk back towards Lulworth for 150 metres and take the right-hand track. After 100 metres, turn right, signposted Ringstead 4 miles. After about 200 metres, at the crossroads of the track, signposted straight ahead for Ringstead and White Nothe, bear left taking single gate, across the field, with Durdle Door Caravan Park to your left, to the right hand corner of the field (1/4 mile). Continue down the path, over a stile, and on down alongside Scratchy Bottom to the coast path (3/4 mile).
Durdle Door is now along the path to your left. Turn right and follow the coastal path along to Ringstead Bay, passing an obelisk and White Nothe cottages.
There is a cafe at Ringstead Bay which supplies everything you need from drinks to rolls and meals. This is a great resting place and a chance to enjoy Ringstead Bay and the shingle beach.
To return, retrace your steps past White Nothe cottages. There are 2 paths to the left, one just before and one just after the obelisk which will take you back to the start via the level inner Ridgeway paths.
Andy Pedrick
Jurassic Jaunts
Copyright Jurassic Jaunts AP 2009