The best gravel rides around Steeple With Tyneham

Perched on the Purbeck Ridgeway, the Swanage Obelisk is a quirky Victorian monument built over a prehistoric burial mound! Stolen from London in 1892 to celebrate fresh water, it was hidden in WWII to confuse enemy planes. Careening down the steep ridge path offers breathtaking, wind-in-your-face Jurassic Coast views

Can see so much up here on a clear day.

If you’re looking for the ultimate "take a breath and just look" spot in Dorset, the ridge of Studland Hill (part of the Purbeck Hills) is hard to beat. It’s one of those views that makes you want to sit on a patch of grass and stay for an hour. As you look south toward Swanage, the town unfolds like a classic British seaside postcard. It’s tucked neatly into a limestone bowl, with the red-tiled roofs and Victorian stone buildings clustering around the curve of the bay. On a clear day, the English Channel is a deep, shifting blue, and the white chalk cliffs of Ballard Down act like a massive natural wall separating you from the town.

top of the downs, Poole on one side, Swanage on the other

Studland Bay features well-maintained gravel paths winding through the Godlingston Heath and dunes. These accessible trails offer stunning coastal views and link the beaches, providing a stable, year-round surface for walkers and cyclists.

The North Dorset Trailway Connection Today, Spetisbury Station is a popular access point for the North Dorset Trailway. Trailhead: The section of the Trailway running from Spetisbury north to Sturminster Newton, largely following the old railway bed, is a well-maintained, traffic-free path for walking, cycling, and riding. Visitor Stop: The former station site makes a perfect place to stop, rest, and picnic while exploring the Trailway, offering fine views over the Stour Valley. It's a wonderful example of local history being preserved and repurposed for community and recreation!

The Spetisbury Station Project Unlike the bridge at Blandford, which remains a preserved structure, the Spetisbury station site is being actively restored by volunteers. The Project: The Spetisbury Station Project Group was formed in 2012 by dedicated volunteers to clear and preserve the abandoned site. What You Can See: While the original station buildings were demolished shortly after the 1956 closure, the project has cleared the site to reveal the foundations of the station buildings, the booking office, and the signal box. Ambience: The site is now a peaceful, landscaped green space featuring picnic areas, benches, and information boards. Volunteers have added replica signage and restored the platforms to recreate the atmosphere of the former country station. Wildlife Haven: The site is also managed to be a haven for local wildlife, with features like a wildlife pond, bat boxes, and specific flower borders.

The Railway and Closure Original Line: Spetisbury Station was located on the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR), which connected Bath to Bournemouth. Opening: It originally opened on November 1, 1860, as part of the Dorset Central Railway's line from Wimborne to Blandford. It initially had a single platform. Double Track: Around 1901, the line was doubled through the station, and a second platform and a signal box were added to handle the increased traffic. Downgrade: Like many rural stations seeking to cut costs, it was downgraded to an unstaffed "halt" in 1934. Passenger Closure: The station closed completely to passengers on September 17, 1956, one of the early closures on the S&D line. Line Closure: Although the station itself was closed, the main S&DJR line through the site continued to operate passenger services until the whole route closed in March 1966. Goods traffic ceased in 1969, and the track was lifted in 1970.