(Section 70 in the South West Coastal Path Guide)
Total 20.3km 11.26 along the coast
As we get further from home, the travel time obviously increases, so for the next section we decided to stay a couple of nights in our VW camper van “Frodo” (It was made by Bilbo’s). So got up at sunrise and caught the chain ferry across the entrance to Poole harbour and parked the van at the National Trust car park at South Beach in Studland. This meant that we could start walked soon after 10:30.
The inland route took is across Studland and Godingston Heath National Nature Reserve which is managed by the National Trust. Not unlike parts of the New Forest, with sandy and gravel paths, but no ponies. However there were spectacular views across Poole harbour and then along the coast back to Hengisbury Head.
The path follows Ferry Road, but a decent distance back and the last part is on a little sand and gravel beach on the edge of the harbour. It is just a short walk along the road towards the ferry and the official sign at the end, or in our case the start, of the South West Coastal Path. There is also a helpful sign saying that it is 4 miles to Old Harry and 630 miles to Minehead.
The path now follows the spectacular sandy beach for a couple of miles – surprisingly busy with walkers and dogs, despite a strong easterly wind. The beach is almost natural, and backed by sand dunes until we got to the National Trust cafe, toilets and large car park at Knoll beach, and shortly later to the rather more subdued Middle beach.
The path now leaves the beach and followers a low cliff back to South beach. From here we continued and ascended a long steady track towards Old Harry Rocks, with its impressive chalk stacks and cliffs. But there was also a reminder of the pandemic, with 5 Cruise ships anchored only a little way off the cliffs.
Even though there is quite an ascent to Old Harry, the path continues on up to Ballard Down. From the top we began to get views of Swanage, though a heavy shower restricted the view and made the paths rather slippery.
As we got into the edge of Swanage, the path follows a rather strange route through a private estate, which was probably a former military establishment.
Here we left the coastal path and took a shorter route back over Ballard Down to the van parked at South Beach – only 3km and a relatively easy assent.
