THE ISLE OF PURBECK

The Isle of Purbeck in East Dorset is not an island in the true sense of the word.

Purbeck was one of the earliest Heritage coasts to be identified – spectacularly beautiful, with to the east and south, high chalk cliffs, pretty little coves and lovely sandy beaches, and at the north the great expanse of Poole Harbour.

Some twenty years ago, sheer numbers of visitors were destroying beauty they came to see and enjoy. At the same time, changing agricultural methods were altering the landscape and the balance of nature, and there was considerable pressure to allow exploitation of mineral resources.

In 1974, the Countryside Commission, in co-operation with the Dorset County Council set up the Dorset Heritage Coast Project. A Heritage Coast officer was appointed to encourage a positive approach towards conservation.

The goodwill resulted in benefits to visitors, land owners and wildlife, improved footpath networks, better access, reduced erosion and trespass. Guided walks and exhibitions help the visitor to a better understanding of the aims and problems of the Heritage Coast. Thanks to the co-operation of everyone, the Purbeck Heritage Coast project has been awarded the Council of Europe Diploma for it’s outstanding environment where visitors are welcome to enjoy the wildlife, landscape and traditional delights of the seaside.

This ramble takes in a fine cliff top walk, a large stretch of open downland, some of it belonging to the National Trust, and part of the Studland Heath National Nature Reserve, finishing with a walk along the beach at Studland.

There are three large National car parks in Studland, and we suggest you try the middle one, near the Manor House. If it is full, you can start from the Knoll car park, which is much bigger. Access to the area is by ferry and the toll road from Poole which costs £1.60 return for the car and driver and 28 pence per passenger or via Wareham and Corfe Castle.

Leaving Manor House car park, walk towards the village and turn left, passing the Manor House Hotel on your left. Continue ahead, ignoring the turning to the right, until the road begins to drop down towards the Bankes Arms and another car park. Just before this, a footpath on the right leads tot he Church of St Nicholas, a magnificent early Norman building on Saxon foundations, with a very unusual square building and a very unusual square tower with a "saddle" roof.

It appears that the builders refused to build a high tower because the foundations were not considered firm enough. Remnants of the earlier Saxon church can be seen outside on the Eastern end of the north wall, where the "rubble" is quite different from the rest of the structure. Look up at the carved heads under the eaves of the roof on both sides of the church. Inside, the Norman architecture is quite breathtaking, particularly the carved arches supporting the tower at the apse.

Leave the church and go down the lane past the Church Hall to the cross at the bottom. This marks the spot where Christian worship took place before the building of the original Saxon church by St Aldhelm.

From the cross, take the road signed "To the Beach" and follow it to the bottom of the hill. A track leads off to the right of the public conveniences, and should be followed to the "Old Harry Rocks". Follow the clifftop path round the point, keeping close tot he fence on your right. The path is very close to the cliff edge in places, so take great care, particularly in windy weather, especially with children.

Many sea birds including cormorants and a wide range of butterflies may be seen along here. After about a mile the path turns right, rounding Ballard Point, and continues to the top of the hill where there are some tumuli.

Boundary Stones

From here, continue ahead to the gate leading into the Trust land of Ballard Down. Follow the waymark signs keeping the fence on your right. A number of old boundary stones seen along the route, are thought to mark the boundary of the Manor of Studland. At the next gate, there is a small gate on the right leading to a footpath to Studland, and through this gate is a stone block forming a seat, and inscribed "Rest and be Thankful", with on one end the initials "D. J." and the date 1852. This is the highest point on Studland Hill, with wonderful views in all directions including Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island, Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight and Durlston Head beyond Swanage.

If the weather is very windy, the clifftop walk can be omitted and the route joined at this point by following the bridleway to Swanage sign at the cross in Studland village. This will shorten the walk by about three miles.

Continue along the downland path, through another gate, and with the fence now on your left you will see, just before the obelisk, a stone marked with the strange inscription "465 66 S.W. Act 1883".

There is another by the obelisk, which commemorates the introduction of pure water to Swanage in 1883. The obelisk was taken down in 1941 as it was a landmark useful to enemy aircraft. When re-erected after the war the lowest section was cracked, so it was not used and it now stands alongside the main structure.

From here the path descends to the right to the road. Cross over and walk to the left along the wide grass verge to a stile on the right. This leads to a track uphill bearing right to another stile, thence through a wood to emerge onto the golf course.

Keeping to the left of the green, go straight ahead following the line of a gulley, to the hedge at the far side, then follow the hedge to the right until you reach a stile leading out onto a road.

Cross over to the footpath opposite, which is signed by small stone markers "To the Agglestone". Follow these across the golf course and onto Godlingston Heath, with extensive views over the Poole Harbour area and beyond. Keep to the path, because this is a Nature Reserve, and is also rather boggy in places.

The Agglestone itself is a huge sandstone boulder, 18ft high, 80ft round and weighs about 400 tons, and is the only remnant of the sandstone layer which used to cover this area.

From the stone, keep to the narrow track down the hillside, which can be very wet after heavy rain. Turn right where the track meets a broader bridleway and follow this until it crosses the stream. The path passes between some cottages to a driveway on the left, then to a field with a blue waymark. Go across the field, around the corner of the hedge ahead, then along the hedge to the gate by the road. Follow the road to the left for about 300 yards until you see the Knoll car park sign. Enter the car park on the right of the road and into Studland Heath National Nature Reserve.

This reserve has two interesting Nature Trails (booklets are available from the N.T. shop at the car park or from the tourist information centres in Swanage and Poole) and extends northwards to Shell Bay, on the east of the Toll road. The lake known as Little Sea was formed by growth of the dunes, which isolated it from the sea.

The newest line of dunes along the shore of Studland Bay has been formed within the past 50 years, and successive strips of duneland with characteristic vegetation, may be clearly seen.

All six native British reptiles, including adders, live here. Roe deer and foxes live in the woods, but you are unlikely to see them. The tiny sundew may be seen in the boggy areas of the heath, also the butterwort and bladderwort, all strange plants which survive by catching and ingesting flying insects. The sand dunes are very vulnerable to erosion, so it is essential to heed the notices about keeping to the paths.

After spending some time in the Nature Reserve, and perhaps following one or other of the Nature Trails, walk down to the beach and turn right, following the shore line and so back to Manor House car park.