On the second day of our trip to Dorset, we drove to Corfe Castle and then to Studland to see Old Harry Rocks and the surrounding countryside and coast. By chance, we realised that our route to Corfe castle would take us past the Cerne Giant, so we decided to stop by en route…
The Cerne Giant
The Cerne Giant is an ancient figure, 60 meters high and 31 meters wide, and is one of the UK’s largest chalk hill figures. Much mystery surrounds the figure- it is not known why or when the figure was carved.
The figure is naked- and is considered a fertility symbol in local folklore. Located on National Trust land, the National Trust re-chalks the figure every 7-10 years- you can read more here on how the figure is looked after.
We viewed the figured from the viewpoint in Cerne Abbas- there is a small car park (free of charge). As we were there during the weekday, it was not busy and we easily found a parking spot, but at the weekend it might be a different story. To find out more about visiting the Cerne Giant and its history. click here.
The Cerne Giant as seen from the viewpoint
Corfe Castle
We arrived in the National Trust car park, and then followed the signs to the castle along a pleasant little footpath, taking around 10-15 minutes. Just to note- the car park is free to National Trust members, otherwise there is a fee to pay. In terms of visiting the castle itself, we booked our slot for the castle in advance online here– but you may also be able to turn up on the day.
Corfe Castle is a 1000 year old castle, and was a Saxon stronghold for King William I (William the Conqueror’s son).
Not only is the history of the castle fascinating, but a visit here also offers incredible views of the surrounding countryside- and if you’re lucky you’ll even see a steam train during your visit… these are run by Swanage Railway and are quite an experience! We have to admit, we didn’t even know about this rail line until our visit here- but having looked it up, it seems you can experience dining on board the steam train, as well as buy tickets for both a cruise around the Jurassic Coast and train tickets… see more here for the various events, to buy tickets and check out the timetable.
The path to the Castle
The Outer Gatehouse
The South-West Gatehouse
Reconstructed arches
Some castle ruins
Some more castle ruins
Back to Corfe Castle, to provide a bit more background to the history- the castle was used by royals and as a prison through the centuries, undergoing various fortifications and besieges. It even managed to survive the Civil War of the 17th Century, but was partially destroyed when Lady Bankes (the Bankes family were sold the castle just before the Civil War) was betrayed by one of her own.
The castle was destroyed shortly after following an Act of Parliament- by being blown up from inside. The castle was then given back to the Bankes family, until the 1980s when it was gifted to the National Trust alongside Kingston Lacy (this was the home of the Bankes family after the destruction of Corfe Castle, located nearby- read more on this here).
We found the visit to Corfe castle incredibly interesting- there are many information boards dotted throughout which outline the history of the castle and explain what the different ruins would have been. There are also many different viewpoints from which to admire both the castle itself and the spectacular surroundings, as you can see from our photos.
Overall, a visit here makes a great day out for the family. As well as the castle itself, there is also a National Trust shop just outside the castle grounds, cute little tea rooms, and a very popular bakery- lots to see and do overall! Worth mentioning that the village square is also very quaint and worth exploring.
After our visit to the castle, we walked back to the car park and then drove off to Old Harry Rocks, located around 15 minutes or so away.
Views from the castle
The steam train as seen from Corfe Castle
Signpost marking the start of the walk (and with signpost to the beach)
The walk towards the viewpoint
The viewpoint
Old Harry Rocks
Located just a 15 minute drive away from Corfe Castle, Old Harry Rocks is an instantly recognisable and impressive rock formations in Studland Bay.
We parked at the South Beach car park (again, free for National Trust members, otherwise a fee applies), then started the circular walk. The walk is just over 5km long and usually takes 1-2 hours, depending on your walking speed, whether you stop for lunch, or have a pint or two at the pub near the car park before even setting off on the walk…
The path was very easy to follow, and there were quite a number of other people walking along as well- so you shouldn’t get lost! There are also some toilets near the start of the walk- but we didn’t see a shop or anything so would advice to bring water and snacks with you. We took a picnic with us for lunch, and found that there were a few benches and places to sit near Old Harry Rocks which offer incredible views of the bay and cliffs- just be careful to not get too close to the cliff edge.
Walking on from Old Harry Rocks we then walked through some grazing fields, up a slight hill and then mostly downhill back towards the start. Overall it was a relatively easy, and not too challenging walk- although we did get caught out by the rain at one point so come prepared for whatever the weather throws at you!
Old Harry Rocks
There is a really useful map here you can follow for this particular walk, and there are of course other options available to make the walk longer, such as continuing on the footpath towards Swanage- or you may wish to just walk from the Studland Bay car park to the viewpoint and back!
Views from Old Harry Rocks towards Swanage
A visit to Corfe castle is definitely a must-do, and if weather (and time) permits- then a trip to Old Harry Rocks is also very much recommended, and perhaps a quick visit to Studland bay….
Views over Studland Bay
To find out more about what else we would recommend in Dorset, check out our main blog post here.
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