Area: Dorset

'The miles of tracks offer an opportunity to explore some of Dorset's internationally important heathland and its rare wildlife.'

Dorset Council

'A superb walk with a few short climbs to reach the ridge for fantastic views and one the UK’s most spectacular Bronze Age cemeteries.'

South West Coast Path

'The five Beaminster Hills Circular Walks were created by the Beaminster Ramblers as their millennium project in 2000. They were published twice as pamphlets and have been so successful  that they have begun to run out. It has been decided to put the walks on to the World Wide Web to increase their availability. The maps are the same as in the pamphlets, but the descriptions of the walks have been updated.'

Beaminster Ramblers

'We do as much walking as we can and aim to average at least 5 miles a day. We walk 3 miles to get our flour and 6 miles to get our eggs and have even done a 30 mile round trip to go to an evening theatre performance. We enjoy walking to pubs and decided to see how many pubs we could walk to and back from, starting from home. We have now done 70 different pubs, one at a time ... We are at the stage now where many of the pubs are 30 miles away and involve camping overnight. We are trying to get the tally up to 100 ...'

The Dynamic Duo Company

'This circular walk takes in the hamlets and villages of Minterne Magna, Cerne Abbas, Nether Cerne, Godmanstone, Forston and Charminster.'

Dorset Council

'This walk starts and finishes by the church in Kingston. It is a spectacular walk with stunning views of the Purbeck Landscape.'

Dorset Council

'Walk to Swanage and take a train back to Corfe Castle. A challenging hike through a dramatic landscape rich in history, on paths and tracks that have been used by feet and wheels for many thousands of years ...'

South West Coast Path Association

'Our AONB covers 380 square miles of countryside criss crossing the boundaries of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. The area is visually stunning, with a broad mixture of different types of landscape, as well as a rich historical heritage.'

Member of the Ramblers - Dorset Area Grouping

'We are lucky in Dorset that we have some stunning countryside with around 3,000 miles of public rights of way to explore.'

LDWA Dorset

'Organises walks throughout the year, usually on the 2nd Sunday of the month. During the summer there is occasionally an additional walk. The typical length is 6 to 9 miles.'

'The Forum has 21 members - 18 independent members and 3 representatives of Dorset County Council, Bournemouth and Poole Borough Councils.'

Dorset Council

'The Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is one of a family of protected landscapes in the UK, working to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of almost half of Dorset's countryside. Rather than just one beautiful landscape to shout about, the Dorset AONB is a collection of beautiful landscapes - each with different histories, ways of working and stories to tell ...'

Member of the Ramblers - Dorset Area Grouping

'Few places in Britain equal Durlston: The bare statistics merely hint at the amazing diversity of wildlife: 33 species of breeding butterfly, over 250 species of bird recorded, 500 wildflowers, 500 moths and thousands of other invertebrates. Durlston's special qualities stem from a combination of geography, geology, history and careful management which has created a mosaic of nationally important wildlife habitats: sea-cliffs, downs, ancient meadows, hedgerows, woodland, and dry-stone walls each with their characteristic plants and animals.'

Member of the Ramblers - Dorset Area Grouping

'The first stretch of the England Coast Path, from Rufus Castle on Portland to Lulworth Cove, is open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this stretch of coast on 29 June 2012.'

England Coast Path Route Descriptions

'This area of natural beauty was bought in memory of Thomas Hardy, to protect the landscape in which his novels are set. Fontmell Down and Harding's Down offer stunning views that stretch for miles across the Blackmore Vale.'

National Trust

'The Jurassic coast is the most popular place in Britain to collect fossils. The best way to experience the Jurassic Coast is on a guided fossil hunting expedition. Book a guided fossil walk and you will learn about the geological history and fossils of the world famous coastline.'

Lyme Regis Fossils

'Starting at Evershot, the second highest village in Dorset, this walk meanders close to the River Frome towards Poole Harbour.'

Dorset Council

'Gillingham achieved Walkers Are Welcome (WAW) status on 10 August 2015. This means that it has fulfilled the six criteria necessary for acceptance: it has demonstrated local support, gained endorsement from the town council, made a commitment to ensure the local path network is in order, guaranteed adequate marketing of WAW status, shown how use of public transport will be encouraged and demonstrated how the status will be maintained in future, with broadbased support.'

Gillingham Walkers

Usually held Early September.

The Three Rivers Partnership

'Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) set most of his novels and many poems in Wessex, once an ancient kingdom of southern England. The heart of Hardy's Wessex is Dorset and the Hardy Way is a journey through some of the most unspoilt parts of this beautiful county, extending from the coast then inland to the timeless Cranborne Chase on the Wiltshire border ... We believe the Guidebook written by Margaret Marande and updated in 2015 is essential not just to follow the route, but because the many excerpts from Hardy's work provide an extra dimension of enjoyment to discovering Dorset and his magical Wessex.'

Walking Pages

The Hardy Way [Beaminster Ramblers]

The Knoll House

'Follows a route near Bovington along country lanes and through leafy woodland and heathland. This circular trail starts and finishes at Bovington's famous Tank Museum, taking in Lawrence of Arabia's home at Clouds Hill and his last resting place - the cemetery at Moreton.'

Dorset Council

'The Dorset Group of the LDWA was founded in 1993. The Group organises regular social walks nd two challenge walks each year, one being the Dorset Doddle, a 32 mile walk along the coastal path from Weymouth to Swanage.'

Dorset Hundred 2016

'Set within an enclosed 1,000 acre deer park the historic buildings and ancient woodlands of Lulworth Castle and are ideal place to explore. Pack a picnic and come and enjoy all Lulworth has to offer.'

'There are many miles of paths and tracks through Moors Valley Country Park and Forest. You are welcome to walk on any of these paths; however, the best routes have been waymarked.'

Member of the Ramblers - Dorset Area Grouping

'The North Dorset Trailway now extends from Sturminster Newton to Spetisbury, providing an off road trail for walkers, cyclist etc. The opening of the latest section, between Stourpaine and Blandford, proved to be a triumphant day with hundreds of people attending by various means of transport.'

Dorset Council

ALERT Unfortunately, the Website originally cited here (and the North Dorset Trailway Network?) seem(s) no longer, so I have cited instead a page from Dorset Council (where at the time of Review it was noted that the NDT Leaflet 'is currently being updated').

'Follow in the footsteps of a medieval priest as you walk along the ancient track known as the Priest's Way. It passes between quarries and across open fields with spectacular views along the way. The walk finishes near one of Dorset's most famous pubs, the Square & Compass.

Dorset Countryside Ranger Service

'The Purbeck Plod was introduced in 1965 and ran yearly through to 2002. Our Group re-introduced the walk in 2008 adding the options of a 25 mile run and a 16 mile walk ... The challenge isn't just in the distance. There are a lot of climbs along the way. On the 25 mile route these add up to about 4,300 feet and on the 16 mile route, they add up to about 2,700 feet.' Challenge now usually held Late June/Early July.

The Ramblers East Dorset Group

'An annual three day event organised by the WALX HQ team ... Hundreds of group walks all led by knowledgeable, qualified guides plus workshops with the UK’s leading outdoor exercise specialists. Plenty of Nordic walking, Total body walking, Wellness walking, Themed walks and more…. all in stunning scenery.' Usually held Mid September.

WALX

'The route travels from Wareham to Corfe Castle, then eastwards to Ballard Down, then south and westwards along the South West Coast path to Chapman's Pool, then north to Corfe Castle.'

Dorset Council

'Long-distance footpath, following the route of the River Parrett in Somerset, England. The trail, which is 50 miles (80 km) long, runs from Chedington in Dorset to the mouth of the river in Bridgwater Bay where it joins the West Somerset Coast Path.'

Wikipedia

River Parrett Trail [Discover South Somerset]

Dorset Council

Friends of the Rodwell Trail and Sandsfoot Castle

Member of the Ramblers - Dorset Area Grouping

'The South Dorset Ridgeway Partnership brings together people from many interests and backgrounds in an inspiring programme to learn about, care for and enjoy this special place. When you stand on the South Dorset Ridgeway you are surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery in England.  Everywhere you look you see history in the landscape; this is one of the most important pre-historic landscapes in Europe.'

South Dorset Ridgeway Partnership

South Dorset Ridgeway [National Trails]

'We offer friendly weekend and mid-week easy to moderate grade walks of 4-9 miles in Purbeck and Dorset. Our walks programme is continuous throughout the year with the exception of a break over the Christmas period. We also have a Christmas lunch! ... Membership Subscription is £5.00 per year. Come and join us on some of our walks to find out what the group is like without any obligation at all. We hope you'll like us.'

'Dorset is one of the finest counties in England for walking; its exceptional mix of awe inspiring coastline, ancient wooded valleys, rolling chalk downlands and secluded river valleys makes for a true rambler’s paradise!'

'This Walk Pack has been designed to help you explore and enjoy the rich and diverse landscapes, towns and villages that East Dorset has to offer. There are a range of routes from flat easy walks for families to more challenging hilly ones: e.g. Route 4 Alderholt (5.5 miles)  This walk is an easy, level walk through farmland and woodlands, taking in a section of the beautiful Ashford Water.'

Dorset Council

'Find routes and maps for walking trails in and around Purbeck.'

Dorset Council

'Weymouth and Portland has a wealth of walks, trails and local footpaths and bridleways to explore. You can travel through 20 million years of Jurassic time, explore flowery meadows and fossil-filled quarries and a wild coastline with an array of wildlife both on land and in the sea. One great way is walking the South West Coast Path which skirts around Weymouth and the Isle of Portland.'

Dorset Council