Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Distance 54km (33.6 miles) Climbing 1,260m Time 3hrs to 5hrs
Start/ inish Corfe Castle National Trust car park (grid ref SY 956/825, postcode BH20 5DR)
Route summary A big ride taking in most of the trails on the Isle of Purbeck, with amazing views, pubs and singletrack
1 Follow the A351 right, over the roundabout. Turn left into the caravan site. Follow the bridleway in the far right corner to a road. Go left, to the top. Turn right on the bridleway.
2 Go through a gate (fence on left). At the track crossing, head left through a gate on a grassy bridleway (fence on right). Turn left at the car park and left on the road. Keep ahead at the crossroads, on a gravel track past Steeple Leaze Farm.
3 Pass through a gate on the left side of a field. Go through another gate in the far corner. Head east on a grassy track (fence on right). Go right on the road, left at the T-junction and right on a bridleway. Turn hard left at Swyre Head viewpoint. Follow the road into Kingston and go right on the B3069.
4 Turn right, onto the Purbeck Way. Go left, up a steep hill (or keep ahead to the sea/Chapman’s Pool). Turn right at the T-junction for an out-and-back to St Aldhelm’s Chapel. Then go the other way, to Worth Matravers. Bear left by the pub, cross the B3069 and join a bridleway. Keep left to go over the A351.
5 Go right on the next road, for 1km. Just past a B&B, turn left on some doubletrack. When this bears left, turn sharp right. Maps produced in
association with After 2km, go sharp left, up a wide track. Bear right near the top, then go right on the ridgetop path.
6 Almost immediately, veer o left, across the grass. Go through a gate, into the woods. Turn right on the road, then left on a bridleway past the golf club. Keep left at the marker, beside the golf course. Continue, keeping left, to ‘Frank’s Tank’.
7 Retrace your steps, but instead of turning right and passing the golf club, continue ahead, towards the sea. Keep right at the forks, then go left, downhill. Turn right on a track to the road (B3351). Go right, into Studland, then left on School Lane.
8 Join the bridleway around the cli tops. Bear left at the stone seat, join the road into New Swanage and turn right. After 1km, go left on a bridleway. Keep ahead at a junction, then bear o left on some singletrack, beside some trees.
9 Go right on a wide track, steeply uphill. Turn left at the top. After passing the point where you crossed this track earlier, continue for 2km, to a signpost/crossing. Turn sharp left, downhill. Before the trail forks, go right on some singletrack. Keep ahead on a road, under a bridge. Turn right on the A351.