Some winter days feel made for hiking, and the last Wednesday in January was one of them. As David and I (Foot Trails Storyteller Emma) set off from a picture-perfect village of grey Purbeck stone cottages it was under a sunny sky with a gentle breeze.
We made our way into open fields and I was immediately struck by the lack of noise—none of the usual background hum of daily life, only birdsong and the soft rustle of trees. In the first field we entered, I spotted a large hare in the distance. Unperturbed by our presence, it sat up on its hind legs and watched us as we walked past.
We continued on through a wooded valley, following a stream making its way down to the sea. The tumbling water and crunch of gravel under our feet the only sounds to hear. Soon the countryside opened up, showing us the rolling green hills so typical of the Dorset coast with the sea glimmering behind. We made our way to the edge of the land where we could see a hidden cove directly below us, and spent a good few minutes just standing, listening the waves crashing on the shore.
Our route then took us inland again, past fields of sheep and isolated farm houses. The scenery was breathtaking, the skeletal trees casting long shadows in the winter sun. We walked on to coastal village with a cosy little pub, where we stopped for a warming bowl of soup.
From here on, over field, farm and meadow, the skyline was dominated by a breathtaking castle ruin that guided us for the rest of our walk.
Finally, we entered our destination village. I was struck at just how pretty this place was: the grey stone cottages, some thatched, some with stone tiles, looking like they had grown out of the ground rather than been built. The ancient village pub, a cosy cafe and above it all, the towering castle ruins.
This stunning walk is a new addition to our Coastal Seascapes of Dorset trip. If you’d like to explore this beautiful landscape in 2026, visit our trip page or send us an email.
