Independent Trails: Fact File.DOR1
Total distance:
75 miles (120km)
Duration: 7 nights, 6 days walking (hiking)
Minimum/maximum daily distances: 9½ miles (15km)/15
miles (24km)
Average daily distance: 12½ miles (20km)
Waymarked: The route is very clearly waymarked with South
West Coast Path National Trail acorn waymarks and is very easy to follow.
Season: All year
Starting point of holiday: Lyme Regis
End of holiday: Poole
Code: DOR1
Itinerary
Day 1:
Travel to Lyme Regis, where your first nights accommodation has been booked.
Nestling snugly between steep hills, Lyme Regis is a beautiful old port. Attractive
colour-washed cottages and elegant Georgian and Victorian villas overlook the
long curving harbour wall known as the Cobb. The Cobb is a famous location in
literature: not only did Loisa musgrove's accident in Jane Austen's novel Persuasion
take place here, but it is also where The French Lieutenant's Woman stood and
stared out to sea in John Fowles novel.
Day 2:
Lyme Regis to Bridport. 9½ miles (15km)
From Lyme Regis, the path runs along the cliff top over Golden Cap, the highest
point on the south coast, to Bridport's harbour at West Bay. Bridport is an
attractive market town. Ropes and fishing nets have been made here from locally
grown flax and hemp for more than 1000 years. In the past most of the rope was
for the rigging of sailing ships, but ropes for gallows were also made, and
the hangman's noose became known as the 'Bridport dagger'. The town owes the
width of its street to the rope industry; the houses were set back an extra
10ft to allow for 'ropewalks': places where the flax strands were twisted into
shape.
Day 3:
Bridport to Abbotsbury. 9½ miles (15km)
From the harbour, the path goes along the cliff tops past Burton Bradstock,
before dropping down to Cogden Beach. Burton Bradstock is a picturesque Dorset
village with a fine church, attractive chapel, three old inns and a 'swingling'
mill, where flax for making linen was dressed. From Cogden Beach the path goes
along Chesil Beach, a great bank of pebbles to West Bexington. From here there
is a choice of routes to Abbotsbury; the coast route along Chesil Bank or an
inland route along the South Dorset Ridgeway which provides glorious views of
the coast and visits Abbotsbury Castle, a superb Iron Age hill fort with wonderfully
preserved ramparts.
Abbotsbury is a pretty little village of thatched tawny-coloured stone cottages,
beside the ruin of a Benedictine Abbey. The huge tithe barn now houses an interesting
country museum. The swannery, home to some 600 swans dates back to medieval
times, when it presumably formed part of the Abbot's larder. If time permits,
a walk up to the 14th century hilltop St Catherine's Chapel provides breathtaking
views of the coast.
Day 4:
Abbotsbury to Weymouth. 14 miles (22.5km).
Leaving Abbotsbury, the path meanders along the shores of the Fleet lagoon to
Weymouth. Sheltered by Chesil Bank, the Fleet attracts thousands of birds and
in spring the beach is brightened with pink thrift, white sea campion and yellow-horned
poppy An important port since Roman times, Weymouth gained notoriety when a
ship unloading here brought the Black Death to England in 1348. It was George
III's experimental dip in the sea at Weymouth that ensured the future posperity
of this attractive town. Wealthy gentry followed in their droves and the results
of their patronage can be seen in the elegant Esplanade, the terraces of poticoed
houses, bow-fronted shops and St Mary's Church with its Classical-style clock-tower.
Day 5:
Weymouth to Lulworth. 14 miles (22.5km)
From Weymouth, the coast path follows the seawall past the remains of the Roman
temple of Jordan Hill to a popular little cove, and then follows cliff top paths
to Lulworth Cove, with some stunning views of the limestone arch of Durdle Door,
one of the most famous landmarks on the south coast. A famous beauty spot, Lulworth
Cove is a perfect shell-shaped bite out of the cliffs. Above the cove, struggling
up the hill from the cove, the village of Lulworth, noted for its smuggling
exploits in the early 1700's is a pretty jumble of thatch and stone cottages.
Day 6:
Lulworth to Worth Matravers. 13 miles (21km)
Returning to the cliff tops, the path follows the edge of the cliffs over Bindon
Hill and then Rings Hill, with its extensive Iron Age fort, before visiting
the deserted range village of Tyneham. The village is a fascinating - the church
with its beautiful 13th century piscina has an interesting display explaining
the history of the village. Just opposite the church is the old schoolroom.
In use until 1932, all children of school age in the village attended the same
class, with a small platform at one end being reserved for the infants. After
the village, the path zigzags down the slopes of Tyneham Cap before continuing
along the low black cliffs to the 'nodding donkey' oil well at Kimmeridge Bay.
From Kimmeridge Bay the path continues along the cliffs past Clavel Tower, a
folly built in 1831 that in later times served as a coastguard lookout, to the
distinctive peak of Hans-tout, which provides superb views stretching from Portland
Bill to the Isle of Wight. Reaching St Alban's Head with its sturdy Norman chapel,
the path continues along the cliffs to the village of Worth Matravers, a sleepy
village of snug cottages, a post office, village pub and lonely old church.
Day 7:
Worth Matravers to Poole. 15 miles (24km)
From the village the path continues along the cliff tops past Durlston Castle
to Swanage. Stonework and street furnishings brought from London in the 19th
century are an intriguing feature of this pleasant seaside town. The ornate
façade of the Town Hall came from the Mercer's Hall in Cheapside and
theclock-tower near the pier originally stood by London bridge in honour of
the Duke of Wellington. Leaving the seafront, the coast path mounts the chalk
ridge of Ballard Down and then follows the cliff top paths to Handfast Point,
which provides superb views over the dramatic white chalk stacks of Old Harry,
before descending to the village of Studland. After visiting the tiny church
of St Nicholas, which has some fine Saxon stonework, the path wanders along
the sands of Studland Bay to South Haven Point and the ferry for Poole.
Poole is a beautiful and ancient seaport on a huge harbour. The town developed
in the 13th century and was colonized by pirates, fishermen and then timber
traders. The old quarter around the harbour rewards exploration - the old Customs
House, Scalpen's Court, where the graffiti written by Cromwell's troops is still
visible around the fireplace and the Guildhall are the most striking of over
100 historic buildings.
Day 8: Depart from Poole after breakfast.
Extra nights/Rest days
An extra night gives you a chance to explore some of the towns and villages along the trail or relax and give those weary legs a rest. Lyme Regis with its beautiful harbour, fascinating museum and parish church with its amazingly large chained bible is a good choice for an extra night. There is a lot to see and do in Bridport - a fine medieval church, interesting museum, thatched brewery with its waterwheel, some fine almshouses and a lovely old harbour. If you fancy somewhere quieter consider Worth Matravers, a lovely village with fascinating history. Poole, with its rich history and wealth of fine old buildings is another good choice.
What's included
Travel Information
Detailed instructions on
how to get to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent
to you on booking. A summary is given below.
Most convenient International airport: London
Outward journey from London to Lyme Regis: There is a fast
and regular train service from London Paddington/Waterloo to Axminster (2 ½
hours). It is then a short bus or taxi journey to Lyme Regis.
Return journey to London at the end of the holiday: There
is a fast and regular train service to London Waterloo from Poole (2 hours).