Walking the Jurassic Coast
Dorset and East Devon: The walks, the rocks, the fossils
Walking the Jurassic Coast
Dorset and East Devon: The walks, the rocks, the fossils
This guidebook includes 30 walks on the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset. Covering the coast between Exmouth and Bournemouth, these delightful routes range from 3 to 16 miles (5 to 24km), exploring and explaining the spectacular geology of this World Heritage area with clear, easily understood descriptions, cross-sections and timelines.A guidebook to 30 walks on the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset. Covering the coast between Exmouth and Bournemouth, the walks are suitable for most walkers, with shorter routes alongside plenty of more challenging, full-day hikes.
The walks range in length from 5 to 24km (3–16 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–8 hours. The majority of the routes hug the shoreline between Torbay and Swanage, while others venture inland on the Dorset Downs.
- 1:50,000 OS maps are included for each walk
- GPX files available to download
- The geology of this World Heritage Coastline is brought to life with timelines and cross-sections
- Local points of interest include Lulworth Cove and Chesil Beach
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781852847418
Availability
Published
Published
4 Jun 2015
Reprinted
31 Jan 2024
Edition
First
Pages
240
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm
Weight
280g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.
CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Strata diagram
Geological topic index
Introduction
The Jurassic Coast
When to walk
Getting there and around
Staying the night
Maps and GPS
Safety at the seaside
Using this guide
Geological introduction
The sea
The Great Unconformity
The Universal Formations
The fossils
The drift of the continents
Eastwards is also ‘up’
1 Devon’s Red Beds
Walk 1 Budleigh Salterton and Woodbury Castle
Walk 2 Budleigh Salterton
Walk 3 Otterton, Peak Hill and the Otter
Walk 4 Sidmouth to Weston
Walk 5 Branscombe Mouth to Weston Mouth
Walk 6 Beer and Hooken Undercliff
Walk 7 Hartridge and Dumpdon
Red Bed Roundabout
2 The Lias
Walk 8 Lyme Regis Undercliff
Walk 9 Lyme Regis to Charmouth
Golden Cap
Walk 10 Hardown Hill, Golden Cap and Seatown
Walk 11 Golden Cap and Seatown
Walk 12 Bridport to Seatown
Walk 13 West Bay and Burton Bradstock
Walk 14 Beaminster to Pilsdon Pen
3 Chesil Beach
Walk 15 Litton Cheney and Eggardon Hill
Walk 16 Abbotsbury Castle and Chesil Beach
Walk 17 Hardy Monument to Elwell
Walk 18 Isle of Portland circuit
Walk 19 Osmington shore and White Horse
4 Chalk Walks: Lulworth and inland
Walk 20 Cerne Abbas and the Giant
Walk 21 Dorsetshire Gap
Walk 22 Hambledon and Hod hills
Walk 23 Ringstead Smugglers’ Path
Lulworth Cove
Walk 24 Lulworth Cove and Coast
Walk 25 Lulworth Cove and the Fossil Forest
5 Isle of Purbeck
Walk 26 Kimmeridge, Tyneham and Flower’s Barrow
Walk 27 Swyre Head and Houns Tout
Walk 28 Chapman’s Pool and St Aldhelm’s Head
Walk 29 Swanage: Durlston to Dancing Ledge
Walk 30 Ballard Down and Agglestone
The Isle of Purbeck Circuit
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Indoor Geology: Museums and visitor centres
Appendix C Rock reference
Appendix D Glossary of geological terms
Appendix E Timechart: Cambrian period to the present day
Appendix F Rocks of the Jurassic Coast
Appendix G Jurassic Coast cliff diagrams
Seasons
Year-round. Late July and August can be busy on beaches and car parks. Winter (October to March) has more challenging weather and can be muddy underfoot..
Centres
Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Beer/Seaton, Lyme Regis/Charmouth, Bridport, Dorchester, Portland, Cerne Abbas, Lulworth, Swanage
Difficulty
Most walks are on good, clear paths. Coast path ascents and descents can be steep but are short. The longer walks require physical fitness but many shorter ones allow time for studying the rockforms and fossils.
Must See
Nearly 100 miles of clifftops. Fossil-hunting at Lyme Regis. The quartzite pebbles of Budleigh Salterton. Tree trunks of 150 million years ago at Lulworth Cove. The Cretaceous sea that carved right across England. Chalk downland and a rude man at Cerne Abbas. The Purbeck crumple zone caused by Italy's impact with Europe.
August 2023
Walk 13
The cliff collapse on 9 Aug at West Bay affects Walk 13 between Burton Freshwater and West Bay. The beach is currently closed and the clifftop path (as seen on the book's cover) has an emergency temporary diversion inland across the golf course, along the 'public footpath' line. The situation may change as cliff conditions are assessed, so look out for signs locally.
The cliff collapse on 9 Aug at West Bay affects Walk 13 between Burton Freshwater and West Bay. The beach is currently closed and the clifftop path (as seen on the book's cover) has an emergency temporary diversion inland across the golf course, along the 'public footpath' line. The situation may change as cliff conditions are assessed, so look out for signs locally.
July 2023
Walk 16
Page 131 - The Bull Inn at Swyre is no longer there
June 2023
Walk 11 parking
Under Parking in the Information box on p92, it should say See walk 10.
August 2022
Walk 28
On reaching the start of the tarmac lane above Chapman's Pool, the former footpath down to the Pool has now been closed due to the unstable Kimmeridge Clay surface, and its steps and stile removed (although it is still being used by the disobedient). The former bridleway having also been closed, the only access to the shore is by the former track to the boathouse.
Accordingly, at the bottom of Hill Bottom keep left on the rough track above the stream, along the foot of the steep slope. After a landslipped area, it winds down to the boat houses at the southern corner of the big bay.
The walk continues back up the same track.
December 2021
Walk 26
Walk 26 Kimmeridge
At Tynham Cap, a minor route alteration. On the outward part of the walk, where the green track along the ridgeline turns into a field on the north side of the ridge, instead take the grass path ahead. After 200 metres, a small gate leads back onto track again. Just before this gate note the path turning down sharp left, which will be used on the return route.
July 2021
2021 reprint updates
741 Reprint 2021 (1.982 MB)
May 2021
Walk 20
P160, descending towards Minterne Magna
The small gate on the left ('signposted for Minterne Magna') has dropped its arm and just has a bridleway marker. The mid-field signpost below has been lost, so slant gradually away from the track, working gently downhill for 300 metres. After passing above a small wood, look out for a small gate in the fence at the field foot.
(Thank you to Simon Stevens)
May 2021
Walk 19
P150 In Weymouth Bay the holiday park signposting and shop have changed, so just follow 'exit' signs to escape to the A353.
April 2021
Walk 12 Bridport to Seatown
Two cliff falls in April 2021 affect this route, though neither as yet has caused radical diversion of the Coast Path. One is east of Seatown, on the ascent to Thorcombe Beacon. The other east of Eype's Mouth, above Fault Corner (previously reported on the website), and has a small diversion inland into the holiday park here.
Look out for signs marking the path alterations, and be aware that they may develop further.
April 2021
Walk 7 Hartridge and Dumpdon
At Hillend Farm, exit to the corner of a lane.
Keep ahead along this lane. After 50 metres, there has sometimes been a cleared path up left through the bracken, and turning right along the slope top. Otherwise, in 300 metres along the lane turn up left on a right-of-way path. Either way, you reach a lane at the slope top.
Thanks to Mr Simon Stevens for this update!
August 2019
Route updates
Walk 10 Permissive path to St Gabriel's Beach
The path and steps down to St Gabriel's Beach, so handsomely restored in 2014, was undercut by cliff erosion in 2017 and is currently closed until further notice. Maintenance, repair and replacement of this path is a constant battle between the National Trust and the sea, with the NT in the role of the plucky underdog. A notice (or absence of one) at the top of the path will give its current status – see also the Golden Cap page at www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
This does not affect the main route continuing along the cliff top towards Golden Cap.
April 2016
Walk 8 Lyme Regis Undercliff
The route has reopened (Spring 2016) after being closed due to a landslip above Culverhole Point. The new, slightly diverted route takes in Goat Island (which isn't an island - see 'Insolated Strip' in the diagram with Walk 8). Thanks to Paddy Dillon for flagging this.
The cover of the guidebook refers to 'notes on the Jurassic Coast Path' which were not included in the final published book/ePub/Kindle.
We apologise for any confusion or disappointment but readers can now download Ronald's introduction to, outline description of and tips on the logistics of tackling the Jurassic Coast Path.
Notes on the Jurassic Coast Path (82.193 KB)
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