Southern England – Osmington, Dorset
Distance: 20km/121⁄2 miles
Time: 6hrs
Type: Downland
Where: Linear walk start- ing from Osmington to Ab- botsbury along the South Dorset Ridgeway.
Start/End: The Sunray pub, Osmington (SY725828). Abbotsbury, bus stop opposite the Ilchester Arms (SY576854).
Terrain: Well-signed downland ridge-top trail, following the South Dorset Ridgeway.
Maps: OS Explorer OL15; Landranger 194.
The South Dorset Ridgeway, 27km/17 miles long, is the new name for what used to be known as the Inland Coast Path. It’s an alternative to a stretch of the South West Coast Path between West Bexington and Osmington Mills, taking an inland route and avoiding the built-up area around Wey- mouth. It’s a very fine walk in its own right, with good views seawards from the ridges and a wealth of ancient monuments – notably tumuli and barrows, as well as henges and stone circles. The Hardy Monument on Black Down marks the highest point of the route, and is one of a number of excellent viewpoints on the walk. This route omits the beginning and end of the South Dorset Ridgeway, start- ing instead at Osmington and finishing in the lovely village of Abbotsbury, from where you can catch the bus back to the start.
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