Walking & Cycling

Dorset and The New Forest offers a great variety of long and shorter walks through breathtaking scenery, whether along the stunning heritage coastline, or inland through the ancient woodlands, heathland and countryside. There are over 3000 miles of well-signed and waymarked footpaths, bridleways and byways to explore! Many cross or skirt spectacular sites that offer open access, often of historic or archaeological interest. Footpaths are marked with a yellow arrow, although walkers may also use byways (orange arrows) and bridlepaths (blue arrows).

In addition, there is a selection of waymarked on-road cycling routes, marked with a specific sign for each particular route, through quiet country lanes whose most frequent traffic is likely to comprise a tractor or herd of cattle. There are no generic signs for cycleways although off-road cyclists may also use byways (orange arrows) and bridleways (blue arrows).

All can be consulted in more detail on Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps 116, 117, 118, 129 and Outdoor Leisure 15 and 22. Information and guidebooks on each long walk are generally available in Tourist Information Centres or local bookshops.

WALKING ROUTES

The New Forest – the Forest is a walker’s paradise with hundreds of marked walking and cycling paths to take you through the woodlands and heathlands.  Call in to the Tourist Information Centre for maps.

Dorset Coast Path – starts at Lyme Regis and extends for 100km to Poole harbour, offering a variety of terrain and spectacular views, and passing the famous landmarks of Golden Cap, Chesil Beach, the Isle of Portland, Lulworth Cove and Old Harry Rocks. A small section of the route at Kimmeridge is closed most months on week days for army firing; please check with local information points. The path is part of the South West Coast Path, based on the working footpath used by coastguards to patrol the coast each day to stop smuggling.  Various guidebooks are available, including the Ordnance Survey National Trail Guide for Exmouth to Poole. www.southwestcoastpath.com

The Wessex Ridgeway - is a 190km distance path from Marlborough in Wiltshire to Lyme Regis, and forms part of the Great Ridgeway, an ancient highway which was once an important tradelink. The Dorset section begins at Ashmore, the highest village in Dorset, and from here the walk to the coast offers splendid views as it crosses the County's main ancient hillforts, including the highest hill in Dorset, Pilsdon Pen, as well as the famous chalk figure the Cerne Abbas Giant. The official guidebook describes also eleven circular routes which can be walked from the main path. www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/wessexridgeway.html

The Solent Way - Beginning at Milford on Sea, this walk traces the coastal edge of the New Forest for 22km, passing through the pretty villages of Lymington, Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu and Hythe en route to Havant. The route takes in a range of scenery, ranging from the shingle beach, sea wall, nature reserve, country lanes, woodland and fields, and there are good transport links at various points along the route. www.solentway.co.uk

The Liberty Trail - follows in the footsteps of six men who walked across Somerset and Dorset to join the Duke of Monmouth at Lyme Regis when he landed there in 1685, forming a part of the Monmouth Rebellion for the English crown, which ended so brutally with deportation or death at the hands of the infamous Judge Jeffreys. Starting at Ham Hill, the route extends for 40km to Lyme Regis.

The Dorset Jubilee Trail - a recently-created walk, running from Forde Abbey on the western border of the County to Bokerley Dyke on the north-eastern border. The 125km walk curves its way through quiet villages, passing rural churches and offering extensive views over the rolling downs and secret valleys that make Dorset so special.

The Brit Valley Way - is an 8-mile walk from West Bay near Bridport to Beaminster and has since been extended to link with South Somerset's River Parrett Trail. There are also seven circular, and shorter walks which you can take from the main path to discover the open gentle countryside that surrounds the River Brit.

The Purbeck Way - stretches for 25km from Wareham, leaving the River Frome and its water meadows, through heathland, woodland and downland, arriving at the dramatic coastal scenery of the Dorset section of the South West Coast Path before returning to Corfe Castle, and on to Winfrith Newburgh and Lulworth Cove. Wilts and Dorset Buses operate a number of services in the area to link with the trail and with Wareham Train Station and the Swanage Railway.

The Wareham Forest Way - is a waymarked footpath through some of the less well-known landscapes in the north Purbeck area. Just over 16km long, it heads north from Wareham through Wareham Forest, then passes through a patchwork of small fields and woodland to Sturminster Marshall, linking with the Stour Valley Way. There are excellent bus connections along the Wareham Forest Way, which in turn link with Poole and Wareham railway stations.

The Avon Valley Path - runs for 24km along the valley of the River Avon from Salisbury Cathedral to Christchurch Priory, through a wealth of wildlife and for much of the way through a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest for its nature. Other sections of the route are classed as environmentally sensitive, meaning that traditional agriculture is encouraged. The river is famous for its numerous aquatic plants, its fishing and its range of bird life. A guidebook is available from local stockists.

The Castleman Trailway - is based on a 22km recreational route that follows the old "Castleman Corkscrew" railway line from Ringwood to Upton, near Poole. The majority of the Trail is for walkers but cyclists may ride part of the route.

The Ferndown, Stour & Forest Trail - is an easy 14km circular walk that can be split into two single walks, ideal for all the family. Starting in Ferndown, it weaves through the forest, across the heath and then along the banks of the River Stour before returning across farmland back to the start.

The Macmillan Way - is a special long distance path created recently to raise funds for the Macmillan Cancer Relief Fund. The complete route spans 360km from the coast at Boston in Lincolnshire to the coast at Abbotsbury, entering Dorset just north of Sherborne. www.macmillanway.org

The Monarch's Way - follows the escape route of Charles II from Worcester to Charmouth after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The Dorset section features the short final section of this 850km long route. Three guidebooks describe the route with an historical flavour and can be purchased from main book shops. www.monarchsway.50megs.com

Short Circular Walks
For those who prefer shorter walks, the New Forest has plenty to offer, many clearly waymarked as nature trails and starting from simply a couple of miles in length. Dorset can offer the Beaminster Hills Circular Walks, Abbotsbury Round Walks, Three Short Walks around Osmington, Wareham Two Rivers Walks, short walks around Sturminster Newton, and short walks around Shaftesbury. Some of the shorter walks traverse or extend along parts of the longer trails. Many towns and villages also publish local walking trails.  Information on short routes are available from tourist information centres and other stockists.

Guided Walks
There are many short guided walks, lasting from an hour or so to a full day, around the area which are led by Dorset or New Forest Countryside Rangers and other approved guides. Many of the walks have themes such as wildlife, local history and geology. You can find out about these walks and dates by purchasing the Dorset Countryside Book, available from all Tourist Information Centres. Those who are less mobile can consult the Out & About book, free from the same outlets. Alternatively, ask for the list of Blue Badge Guides in any tourist information centre, for a tailor-made tour with a qualified and knowledgeable local guide, or join a Blue Badge tour already organised in the locality - if available they will be publicised in tourist information centres.  

CYCLING

The North Dorset Cycleway offers a choice of three challenging routes, of 36, 60 or 100 km duration, through the hills and vales of the Cranborne Chase, the Blackmore Vale and the Dorset Downs. Much of the scenery is truly breathtaking, including the second-highest point in Dorset at Bulbarrow, the scenic 18th-century estate village of Milton Abbas, and the distinctive local market towns of Blandford Forum and Sturminster Newton.

The Purbeck Cycleway follows a 65km route starting from the ancient Saxon town of Wareham, passing through the Purbeck downland and heathland via the imposing Castle ruin and idyllic village of Corfe Castle.

The Castleman Trailway covers 22km of the old Southampton to Dorchester railway line, which was closed in the 1960s. The route can be followed on foot, by bike or on horseback.

The Lepe Trail and the Fordingbridge Trail in the New Forest both cover sections of off-road cycling. The Lepe trail is an easy-going 9-mile route on the lanes and rights of way on the edge of the New Forest. The Fordingbridge Trail is more challenging, a 21-mile route for the more experienced cyclist which circles the Rockbourne Roman Villa.

The New Forest also offers a range of short waymarked cycling trails through the forest and heathland in the heart of the New Forest.

Boat Trips

Boat trips offer fishing, sightseeing and even alternative ways of simply getting about.  There are numerous operators at all the main harbours along the coast.   Occasional paddle steamer excursions take place along the Purbeck coast in the summer months as well as trips around Christchurch harbour www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk.   A boat trip is also an excellent way to appreciate the Jurassic Coast : a leaflet is published on www.jurassiccoast.com

Sailing

With picturesque scenery, sheltered coves and safe anchorages the Purbeck and eastern Dorset coast is a sailor's paradise. In the west Lyme Bay is guarded by the notorious tidal race of Portland Bill and, with a shortage of sheltered anchorage, is for the accomplished yachtsman only!

Weymouth has several sailing clubs in the harbour. Portland harbour is growing in popularity for international sailing competitions hosted by the newly established National Sailing Academy, one of the venues for the 2012 Olympics. Lyme Regis has a small fleet of yachts and an active dinghy club. Christchurch, ideally situated at the confluence of the River Stour and Avon enjoys a unique position on the shores of its harbour.

Windsurfing & Waterskiing

The orientation of the Dorset coast and the wide range of bays, inlets and harbours means that no matter where the wind blows there are conditions to suit most requirements. Portland Harbour is an internationally renowned venue for competitions because of the unique protection offered by Chesil Beach. Poole harbour also provides relatively smooth water in strong winds. Elsewhere along the coast, Lyme Regis, Kimmeridge Bay and Hook sands (near Studland) offer challenging windsurfing in strong wind conditions. Other popular spots include Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth and Swanage Bays. Sailboards can be hired by the hour, half-day or day from several shops in Poole harbour, Weymouth and Swanage.

Canoeing

The sheltered bays and headlands off the Dorset coast offer exciting sea kayaking.  There are numerous launching and recovery points along the coast but adequate equipment, preparation and training are essential.

Surfing

Although not renowned as a surfing destination, Dorset's coast does provide some surfing locations. In good conditions, the reefs at Kimmeridge provide excellent waves, although the presence of rocks and rip currents make the area unsuitable for beginners. Part of the bay, Broad Bench, is within the Lulworth Ranges and so access is restricted to this area at certain times of year. If new to the area, seek local advice before surfing at this location.

The piers at Bournemouth and Boscombe, along with the beach at Southbourne, provide popular surfing locations and are suitable for beginners. However, during the summer months the waters can be busy.

Diving

Dorset's marine environment, particularly the numerous wrecks and reefs, offer something for everyone. The rocky ledges of Lyme Bay are of particular interest as they contain a wealth of marine wildlife including the fragile pink sea fan and solitary corals, some of which are rare in UK waters. A number of areas have been designated as Voluntary Marine Nature Reserves including sites off Swanage, Kimmeridge and Charmouth. Dorset SEASEARCH is a project for divers to make useful observations of underwater habitats and marine life www.seasearch.org.uk . The centres for both diving and training are at Poole, Swanage, Weymouth, Portland, West Bay and Lyme Regis. The best, but also the busiest months, are during the summer.

The deeper wrecks (20m+) should be considered as challenging dives, especially to the novice or newcomer to UK diving. The nearest recompression chambers are at Poole or Plymouth.

Safety

Portland Coastguard co-ordinate search and rescue along the Dorset Coast. In case of emergency dial 999. Non emergency calls Tel: 01305 760439.

Maritime Coastguard Agency publish a set of leaflets 'Safety Afloat, a voluntary code of Best and Safe practice for Leisure Craft Users' and this, together with further advice is available at their One Shop Stop/24 hour helpline on 0870 6006505.

When undertaking maritime sports it is advisable to inform Portland Coastguard of your plans or at least let someone know where you are going and what time you plan to return. Take into account the prevailing conditions and the weather forecast.

The Lulworth Gunnery Range between Lulworth Cove and Kimmeridge Bay extends out to sea for nearly 12 miles, and this area is closed to boats during firing sessions, but is usually open during weekends and school holidays.