Agglestone & Old Harry Rocks from Studland

Jurassic Coast Walk

Maps

Walk Route Description

This walk from Studland explores the area west of the village with the route including the Agglestone and a section of Dorset's Jurassic Coast. The walk follows well-trodden paths and provides an excellent introduction to the area.

The start is the South Beach car park at Studland (grid ref. SZ037825). After parking exit the car park and turn left. Almost immediately turn left onto a path signed to the church. Continue through the gate and churchyard. Keep the church on your right and continue ahead to reach School Lane. Turn right and continue to a crossroads. Go straight across into Heath Green Road. After 200 metres turn right onto a signed bridleway to Godlingston Heath.

Ignore side paths and keep to the main path, which narrows to reach a path junction where you turn right. Continue to a track and turn left. Continue onto Godlingston Heath. Cross a footbridge and turn left towards Agglestone. At the next fork, bear left and continue into open country. You can soon the Agglestone ahead and this is the next objective. Bear left at the next fork and head for the large sandstone rock.

Pass the rock and keep ahead, cross a path junction, and continue through two gates to meet a wider track. Go right here and shortly after bear right at a fork. Cross the golf course to reach Studland Road (grid ref. SZ017819). Cross the road and bear left to cross a tile on the right. Cross another fairway and head for the trees where a marker post indicates the path. Continue through the trees and drop left down to a stile. Bear right across bracken and grass to reach a stile and a road (grid ref. SZ018815).

Turn left along the road for 300 metres. Just after a small parking area on the left, cross the road onto a signed bridleway (sign in the trees on the left). The track climbs onto Ballard Down before bearing left to reach an obelisk. Continue ahead past the obelisk enjoying views to Swanage and Poole and as you make progress to the Isle of Wight. Continue ahead along the broad ridge to reach the OS trig point. Just after bear right to a gate and continue to join the South West Coast Path.

Follow the coast path (sea on your right) and continue around Ballard Point following a clear path north-east down to Handfast Point where you will see the Pinnacles and Old Harry Rocks. The path swings to the left, passes through trees and soon joins a tarmac track. Continue ahead to reach Watery Lane. Turn right past the toilets on your right and past the Bankes Arms back to the car park which is on your left.

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