South West Coast Path: Dorset

Our Dorset holiday delivers a memorable finale to the 630 mile South West Coast Path. This spectacular section of the trail boasts amazing geology and stunning scenery as it travels from Lyme Regis to Poole along the Jurassic Coast, England’s first Natural World Heritage Site.

Highlights along this stretch of coastline include Charmouth Beach where you can look out for fossils. Nearby is the wonderful viewpoint of Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast of England. Birdwatchers will relish West Bexington Nature Reserve, a stop off for migrating birds. Another must see is Thorncombe Beacon, one of a chain of beacons used to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada in 1588. As is the long pebble bay of Chesil Beach, the site of many shipwrecks, and near Lulworth the iconic coastal landmark, Durdle Door.

Near Weymouth there is a choice of routes, either stay on the coast or follow the South Dorset Ridgeway through one of the UK’s most significant ancient ceremonial landscapes.

Whether the Dorset coast is the home straight on an epic South West Coast Path adventure, or perhaps your introduction to this iconic walk, or even something in between, you are sure to have a thoroughly enjoyable and hugely rewarding experience.

Our Holidays

The South West Coast Path is England’s longest waymarked long-distance footpath and National Trail. We have a range of walking holidays along the entire length of the South West Coast Path. All routes are well worth undertaking in their own right and you can take on each section separately until you’ve completed the whole path.

We offer 2 itineraries walking from Lyme Regis to Poole on the Dorset section of the South West Coast Path.

Please bear in mind that the distances each day are trail distances only. They do not take into account walking to your accommodation. On some days the accommodation might be on or close to the trail but on other days you may need to walk one or two miles to get to your overnight stop.

Note on transfers: Many of the accommodations on the Dorset coast operate a two night minimum policy, therefore when booking, you need to be prepared to be transferred to and from your accommodation on several nights of your holiday.

Our colleague Steve walked from Lyme Regis to Poole on the South West Coast Path. Read Steve’s blog Putting in the Miles on the Dorset Coast