Walking Holidays In Dorset

Highlights on The Jurassic Coast Path – Take a Fossil Fevered walk from Lyme Regis through time itself along this World Heritage Trail, a Geological Wonder that also boasts ancient Abbeys, lost villages and world class beaches.

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What is the Walking in Dorset like? Well, it’s simply reassuringly English! Dorset fits most peoples vision of the green and pleasant land at its most comfortable and furthermore at its most comforting. Lush gentle rolling hills sweep down through rich pastures to sparkling bays and azure seas linked by the ever rising and falling coastal path. Those on our Dorset walking holidays will rest up in ancient thatched villages hiding ivy clad churches, crumbling castles, hillside chalk carvings and the inevitable teashops, a scenery with strong literary connections to the likes of Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen and John Meade Falkner.

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In Dorset, the whole of the South West Coastal Path runs through a protected world Heritage site “The Jurassic Coast” and the much talked of “walk through time” takes you on a coastal trail of rock arches, sandstone stacks, oil wells, burning cliffs, landslides, fossils and hidden lagoons. Astounding geology meets the essential green England, meets the chalk cliff stacks and coves.  Much of the Jurassic Coast Path is more gentle walking than further west but don’t be lulled into complacency. You climb Golden Cap here one of the highest points on the whole South West Coast Path and between Lulworth Cove and Swanage will be challenged by 2 days of coastal walking as steep, dramatic and severe as it gets within the surreal wilderness area of the Lulworth Army Ranges.

 

A major advantage for travellers passing through London is you can reach a Dorset Walking Holiday with only two hours on the train making short walking breaks and walking weekends ideal on this section.  Read on for a fuller flavour of what a Dorset Walking Holiday has to reveal and don’t forget to pack your fossil hammer with your walking boots.

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View walking options in full detail using these links or check our Dorset Coast Path Map showing all our Dorset Walking Holiday Routes

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The Dorset Coastal Path – Lyme Regis to Poole – walk the full coastline of Dorset in a week of wonderful walking or just take a short break through the highlights at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove.

 

Jurassic Coast Path West – Starting in East Devon at Exmouth the full World Heritage Walking Holiday walks you into Dorset via the unique jungle that is the Downlands under cliff path

 

Jurassic Coast Path East – The classic trail sections in Dorset,  from the Fossils of Lyme Regis, the drama of the Isle of Portland to the wave battered arches and chalk stacks around Durdle Door.

 

The South Dorset Ridgeway – The inland alternative walking route bypassing Weymouth and running high above the coastline on a Dorset Walking Holiday in classic rolling downland through ancient earthworks, standing stones and never ending panoramas from the Dorset Ridgeway.

 

The Portland Circle – a unique piece of the coast path around this dramatic, storm battered and history soaked island.