From golden sands and hills to amber ales: Our favourite Dorset pub walks

Ringstead Bay to Osmington Mills

This is an easy, breezy ramble along a charming stretch of National Trust coastline on the South West Coast Path from Ringstead Bay, then inland to historic, thatched Smugglers Inn in Osmington Mills for a well-deserved glass of something cold. Ringstead Bay is quintessential Dorset, with flower-strewn cliffs, a pristine shingle beach and glass-clear waters. Blissfully, it’s much quieter than other Dorset hotspots, but don’t tell anyone! There are some beautiful views of the curve of the bay as you climb the cliffs, some optional boulder hopping and rock pooling on the shore, and if you fancy a bit more beach action, you can scramble down to Osmington Mills bouldery beach which has beautiful views across Weymouth Bay, and stunning sunsets.

Lulworth Cove to Weymouth

For a more challenging hike, try this 9.5-mile route along the South West Coast Path. Start by climbing up from Lulworth Cove, home to Durdle Door’s awe-inspiring stone sea arch, and onto the path towards Ringstead Bay. This section has three steep chalky cliff peaks to navigate and it’s fairly exposed in sections. You’re rewarded with breathtaking views and by now the path tends to be quiet and peaceful. From here you follow the much more gentle walk (as above) from Ringstead Bay to Osmington Mills with the option for refreshments at The Smugglers Inn – the trail goes through the garden, so it’d be rude not to! Then you’re back on the path towards Weymouth, a classic seaside resort with a sweep of fine sand and just steps away, The Red Lion, a little pub that has fed and watered lifeboat crews for nearly 150 years.

Worth Matravers to Winspit Quarry 

From the tiny, coastal village of Worth Matravers is an idyllic walk leading down through the valley to the long-abandoned caves and mines of Winspit Quarry. Once a thriving centre of superb stonemasonry, you’re now left alone in tunnels that echo with the sound of the sea and make you feel as if nature has reclaimed them. Although originally man-made, there are no ticket barriers and no coach car parks, meaning no swarms of tourists. Like the masons that once worked here, end your day at The Square and Compass back up in the village, which busily serves pasties to hungry locals through a hatch in the wall, just as it’s done for hundreds of years. The pub also houses a fossil museum, but a lovely six-mile route over the cliffs to the deep bay of Chapman’s Pool gives you a great chance to spot your own, and get a firsthand feel for every layer of the area’s history.

West Bay to Seatown

As glorious as it is, West Bay gets busy in high season, so escape the bustle on this hour-long brisk walk over the cliffs to Seatown. The route drops you down into one of those tiny gem-like bays that Dorset conjures up so well. With sweeps of dark rock framing a strip of pale sand, the little bay is a spectacular place to spend a day jumping in and out of the waves. The Anchor Inn, once voted England’s best pub, sits by the beach where it has welcomed travellers for over two hundred years. After a pint of local ale or a cold white wine, you can head back along the coastal path, watching the glittering sea and feeling like you have the whole of Dorset to yourselves. 

Evershot through Melbury Park Estate

This gentle amble begins in pretty Evershot, meanders through the rippling grounds of 900-acre Melbury Park estate and gardens, landscaped by Capability Brown, then back to the village which is home to the charming Acorn Inn. Spot fallow, red and sika deer on your route through the park, go past the big house then into the village of Melbury Osmond. From here, follow a narrow bridleway, go under a low stone bridge, and over a small wooden one. Next you’ll cross over the road by Chetnole Lodge and continue through woodland and fields alongside Lucerne Lake until you rejoin the road back to Evershot and its inn. Prop up the long flagstone bar or eat lunch in the elegant dining room. The atmosphere is laidback rural country house – dogs and muddy boots are positively encouraged – and the food is top-notch. 

Shaftesbury Circular including Gold Hill 

A two-hour circular walk from lovely Shaftesbury taking in the pretty properties and gentle atmosphere of the town, some green and peaceful country lanes and two viewing points with long vistas, one stretching to Glastonbury Tor, the other to Melbury Hill and beyond. No visit to Shaftesbury would be complete without a stroll up Gold Hill, the cobbled street made famous by the 1973 Hovis TV advert, with superb views over Blackmore Vale. Wind up at the warm and contemporary Grosvenor Arms on the high street. Open all day, it’s a buzzy place, popular with locals and visitors alike. Sink into a sofa for a cup of tea or something stronger, or sit in the airy conservatory and choose a delicious dish off the bistro menu. 

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