Walking Holidays
England

Dorset Coast

This independent walking holiday follows a stunning section of the South West Coastal Trail between Lyme Regis and Swanage in Dorset, with a possible extension to Corfe Castle. This spectacular coast is one of the most interesting and varied in the UK and has been designated a natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO with its cliffs capturing 185 million years of the Earth's history.

Your self-guided walking trail starts at the picturesque old port of Lyme Regis, nicknamed "The Pearl of Dorset" and noted for the fossils found in the cliffs and beaches and its historic harbour. Your route then takes you over Golden Cap, which at 190m is the highest cliff in southern England and provides amazing panoramic views. After passing Abbotsbury, a beautiful village with the largest thatched building in the world, your route takes you onto the Dorset Ridgeway with great views and numerous prehistoric earthworks. You'll have the opportunity to visit several historic villages crammed with old stone thatched cottages with welcoming inns if you fancy a real ale and tea shops if you'd prefer scones and cream tea.

As you progress eastwards, so the variety and beauty of the landscape seems to increase with every new corner. Highlights include the classic picture postcard sites of Durdle Door's rock arch, and the perfect circular bay of Lulworth Cove. Stunning cliffs accompany you through the army ranges (see note on the introduction page about when it's open) in the most strenuous section of the walk. You can extend your walk from Swanage by following the Purbeck hills to the remarkable village of Corfe Castle and its castle ruins. 

Holiday Profile

• 5-7 nights, 4-6 days independent walking between guest houses
• Option of extra day's walking from Swanage to Corfe Castle
• Short break option also available from Lyme Regis to Lulworth

Dates

Everyday of the week subject to availability from 15 March to 31 October

7 & 8 night holidays starts every day during the English school holiday periods from 1 April - 31 October. Outside of these periods the first night in Lyme Regis starts on Monday or Tuesday. This is due to the route going through the Army Ranges at Lulworth on day 6 and this route is only available when firing is not taking place. Normally it is available during school holidays and at weekends, but there are some weekends throughout the year when it is not open, so please contact us before you book.

Walking Profile & Grade

The walking days on this independent holiday average about 16km in distance. The walking varies with some easy sections, whilst other sections of the Dorset coastal path have some sizeable and reasonably steep ascents and descents where care is required, especially in wet conditions. A couple of the days have a series of ups and downs making them quite difficult days for the grade with a maximum daily ascent of 650m. For the most part your walking trail follows a national footpath and it is therefore well signposted.

This walking holiday is graded moderate. You should have some experience of day walking and be in reasonable health. See more information about walking grades.

Accommodation & Meals

This independent walking holiday in Dorset has a range of good quality guest houses, bed and breakfasts and inns. In some locations the choice of accommodation is limited so please book early to ensure that we can secure our first choice accommodation. Where possible, we choose guest houses with a distinctive local character, where charming surroundings are married with a warm welcome. All accommodation is on a B&B basis. Evening meals are taken in local cafes, tea rooms, restaurants and pubs, whilst lunches can be bought at local shops or from your guest house.

When to Travel

Our self-guided walking holiday on the Dorset Coast is available from mid March to the end of October. Rainfall on the south coast is well below the UK average, with conditions becoming drier as you head further east. July has the lowest level of rainfall on average of any month, as well as the warmest temperatures. As the walk takes place along the coast, you’ll be exposed to windy conditions, which may help to keep it cool in warmer weather but may make it feel decidedly cool in poor weather. Here is more detail concerning the walking seasons.

Spring
The climate is generally mild in spring, especially from April onwards with a good number of sunny clear days, interspersed with cooler and wet weather. There are fewer tourists than in peak summer and so for those that don't mind cool mornings then April and May are ideal months.. From mid March to May the average daytime temperatures are between 10°C and 17°C.

Summer
Most days in summer range from mild to warm with the possibility of some rare hotter days. There may be overcast and humid conditions in the summer and the risk of storms is highest in the summer. From June to August the average daytime temperatures are between 19°C and 21°C.

Autumn
The climate can vary from some pleasantly mild days particularly at the start of September to cooler days in October. Visitors can see some wonderful autumn colours. From September to end of October the average daytime temperatures drop from 18°C to 14°C.

Navigation, Walking Notes & Maps

Most of this walking holiday follows the long distance South West Coast path which is signposted along its entire length. The symbol for the trail is an acorn and these are often shown on signposts accompanied by the words coastal path or a particular direction and the distance. The walking follows clear paths, tracks and minor roads for its entire duration. The walk will use other footpaths to access accommodation, villages or local sites. Our walking notes are very detailed (more information here) and include intermediate distances for sections of the trail. They also include information about the sites which can be explored along the route. We supply one walking guide per person on this holiday.

• 5 nights, 4 days walking - From £655
• 7 nights, 6 days walking - From £840
• 8 nights, 7 days walking - From £935

• Prices are per person and based on 2 sharing a room
• Loyalty scheme reduction applies for returning customers (see terms and conditions)