Out and About

Whatever your idea of a perfect holiday, the Isle of Purbeck has something to offer everyone. Plum Tree Cottage is ideally situated for exploring the area, being close to beautiful open countryside and only a 15 minute walk into the centre of Swanage. Below is just a glimpse of what Purbeck has to offer. The links provided will help you find out more, and there are plenty of guide books and maps at Plum Tree Cottage to help you plan your days out.

The surrounding landscape is truly special, and unsurprisingly most of the Isle of Purbeck is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The stunning, Jurassic coastline has been adjudged one of the few World Heritage Sites, and boasts spectacular geological features including Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, Old Harry Rocks, Kimmeridge Bay, the Fossil Forest and Stair Hole. They all play an important part in showing the origin and evolution of the British Isles.

It is not just us humans that enjoy the countryside and coastline of Purbeck - it plays host to a huge variety of flora and fauna, butterflies, marine mammals and birds. One of the best places to see the wildlife is Durlston Country Park. It is a fantastic site of about 260 acres where you can see the natural beauty of the countryside and coastline. More than 30 species of butterflies can be seen regularly at Durlston Country Park, including the Purbeck's very own Lulworth skipper. It is also one of the best places in the country to see dolphins. Durlston Castle is being developed as one of the key visitor centres for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. It is also the home of the famous stone Globe commissioned by one of Swanage's famous sons, George Burt.

Plum Tree Cottage is within easy reach of the South West Coast Path, which you can join at the top of Bell Street. This gives access to the whole of Purbeck's coastline, running from Shell Bay in Studland to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door and beyond to Chesil Beach, Weymouth and the Portland Bill penninsula. You can walk for miles alongside sandy beaches, across cliff tops, past pretty villages and enjoy glorious views of the Jurassic Coast.

The "Priest's Way" is a favourite walk of ours, which follows the route between Swanage and Worth Matravers. The route is so called as it was taken by the priest who served the parishes of both Swanage and Worth up until the 15th century. This walk is easily joined from the top of Bell Street and takes you through the beautiful Purbeck landscape and meadows. At Worth Matravers you'll find the welcome sight of The Square and Compass public house, which offers beautiful views, good beer and a wide variety of ciders. There is not a wide choice of food, but the pasties are excellent (vegetarian pasties are available) and will refuel you for the walk back to Swanage - we usually return via Chapman's Pool and the Coastal path.

Cycling in Purbeck is growing in popularity, and there are cycle route guides available at the cottage. Alternatively you can download the guides in advance from the Purbeck District Council website. The Purbeck Hills do mean that some of the cycling is quite challenging, but with a good set of gears it is very rewarding. Your bicycles can be safely stored at the cottage, and there is a cycle shop in Swanage in case you need any spare parts or repairs.

Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck is the ideal place for a long or short walk with your dogs. The area has many outstanding places to walk and apart from the main beach at Swanage and Studland Beach there are no restrictions on the times of the year that you can walk your dogs.

Restrictions on Beach access with a dog:

Studland Beaches: no dogs on Middle and Knoll Beaches from the end of June to the beginning of September. Dogs allowed on Shell Bay and South Beach all year if on a lead and owners clean up after them and use the bins provided.
Swanage Beach: No Dogs from 1 May to 30 September.
Worbarrow Bay, Kimmeridge Beaches: Dogs are allowed at all times.

We can recommend the following locations for dog walks all year round:

Durlston Country Park [Grid Ref:SZ050800] has many footpaths that are in good condition even in wet weather. Parking is available at the visitors centre and you can walk along the cliff path or the many fields that are at the top of the park. Ballard Down [Grid Ref:SZ022816] has footpaths and bridleways that run along the full length of the ridge way, you can let your dog off the lead as long as it is under close control and keep it on a lead in fields with livestock. On the Studland side it is advisable to keep your dog on a lead at all times as the cliff edge is sometimes only a few feet from the paths and some of the edge is hidden by bushes.
Corfe Common [Grid Ref:SY957809] is ideal for a short walk and has fences all around the perimeter. Horses are often grazing on the common so care should be taken when near them and keep your dog on a lead when approaching the common entrance from the Kingston road as cars and lorries often travel fast along the road.
Wareham Forest [Grid Ref: SY900900] has many miles of tracks that are well signposted for walking. There are some wet areas in the forest that you should take care around but your dog should be ok off the lead as long as it is under close control.

A walk of around 15 minutes from Plum Tree Cottage takes you into the heart of Swanage with its, shops, restaurants, pubs, pier, museum and other attractions. The beach at Swanage, with its sandy shore and clear water has won the prestigious European Blue Flag award on many occasions.

From the Swanage Rail Station you can step back in time and take a steam railway trip through the stunning Purbeck countryside. The train stops at the enchanting village of Corfe, dominated by the ruins of Corfe Castle which are steeped in history. The nearest station to Plum Tree Cottage is Herston Halt, which is about a 10 minute walk away. (When travelling on the train you will need to ask the guard to stop the train at Herston Halt as it is a "request stop".)

The two mile plus stretch of sandy beaches and dunes at Studland are just a short drive away and include the UK's most popular naturist beach for the more adventurous. From Studland you can take the Toll Ferry to Sandbanks and onto the busy towns of Bournemouth and Poole with their associated attractions and nightlife.