Stunning coastal walk from Kimmeridge Bay to Kingston (Dorset)

This walk takes you from Kimmeridge Bay and along some of the most gorgeous coastline in the area. As you reach Kingston, you will have an optional pub lunch stop with a view down to Corfe Castle, before looping back around for even better views along the coastline.

A view along the coastline with the green hill top leading to the cliffs and down to the sea. There is a walking trail running along the grass.

Green grass clifftop next to the sea with purple and yellow flowers on the Kimmeridge Coastal walk. There is a trail running through the flowers.

The walk from Kimmeridge Bay wasn’t planned. I actually had other walks planned for this weekend. Here is what happened.

That morning….

That morning after packing up camp, we wanted to find somewhere with a nice view for breakfast. We knew were we would go. It wasn’t Kimmeridge Bay.

It was a car park with a lovely view.

As it turned out, this particular car park is very popular. It was packed. Not the peaceful countryside view we had hoped for. As we were nearby Kimmeridge Bay, I suggested we go down there. So off we went.

It wasn’t until we were in a queue nearing a gate that we realised you need to pay to go down there (this is car parking payment).

We like to do things for free, however, at this point we were hungry and didn’t want to make a fuss by trying to reverse out of this queue so we sucked it up and payed the £6 fee.

Once down in the car park, it was actually quite nice (although a bit smelly). It’s a large space overlooking the bay. We parked up on the grassy bit, got the chairs out and got cooking the porridge.

Sitting there, looking at the cliffs surrounding the bay, I felt pretty content. I didn’t really want to leave.

Looking through the bushes and yellow flowers to Kimmeridge Bay and a big hill behind that on the coastal walk towards Kingston in Dorset. Clavell tower is on top of the hill.

Then I had an idea. Now that we had paid for parking, we might as well stay for the day. Hang out for a bit and then do a coastal walk from here.

When I suggested this to Ollie, he told me he thought that was my plan all along…

Things to know before visiting Kimmeridge Bay

You have to pay to enter by car. You pay for the day. At the time of writing, car fee is £6. The price goes up as your car gets bigger and becomes a van or trailer. They accept contactless payment. Walking in is free.

There is a public toilet and outdoor shower. Take your own loo roll. At the start of the day the toilet was lovely, clean, and well stocked. After we returned from our walk, there was no loo roll and the place was a bit gross. The shower wasn’t working, but the tap to rinse your feet was.
Take supplies i.e food and drink.
Park on the grass bit. This is one of those places where it’s actually nice to hang out by your car. You know, get your picnic table out and stuff. The grass will be nicer to hang out on. Saying that, the place wasn’t anywhere near full when we were there. Maybe if it’s full, the car park won’t be as nice to hang in.

Logistics for the walk from Kimmeridge

Start/Finish: Kimmeridge Bay car park (Purbeck, Dorset). Post code: BH20 5PF.
Alternate Start: There is a car park (not on Google Maps) which is free parking. As you drive down towards Kimmeridge, before you get to the town (it’s about 2 road turns before) you will pass the car park on the left. It’s just before the campsite. This walking route takes you almost past this car park, so you could easily start from this point. I will give you more details when I describe the Kimmeridge Bay walk below.
How to get there: You need a car to get even close. You can see location on the map I have provided. It’s easier than me describing it. It’s a short drive from Corfe Castle or Swanage.

Distance: 10 miles circular
Time: 3h 40min
Terrain: Dirt, gravel, grass trails. A bit of road.

Elevation: Highest point is 300m. With the ups and downs you will have walked up a total of 536m
Time of year: We did this walk from Kimmeridge during early summer.
Tips: Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. I was OK. Ollie was not…I did warn him.

Amenities: Public toilets, shower, and a restaurant called the ‘Boat at the bay’ at Kimmeridge. The Scott Arms pub at the halfway point in the walk.

Map for the circular walk from Kimmeridge Bay to Kingston

Click on the top box to open in Google Maps.

You can find my more detailed route map for the walk from Kimmeridge Bay on AllTrails.

Route description: walk from Kimmeridge Bay to Kingston

The car park at Kimmeridge Bay is quite large, and there are different ones. Wherever you are though, you should see a big hill to the left with a tower on top. This is Clavell Tower. You need to head towards that.

A green grass filed car park with a view to the sea and a hill with clavell tower on top. There are a few cars parked.

Walk up to Clavell Tower

Starting from the car park, if you head in the direction of the tower on the hill, you should reach the toilet block, where there is path leading to the coastline. You should see a signpost pointing to Chapman’s pool, then a bit further along this path are the steps.

A wooden signpost in front of bushes and trees. The signpost points to Chapmans pool and Lulworth with a picture of a walking man.

A gravel dirt trail leading to steps going up through the bushes. There is a dog on the path.

This was the first of many hills for the day….It was not the hardest one. It was a warm up.

All the flowers

Once we reached the top we were greeted by a mass of beautiful yellow flower bushes. I can’t be sure, but I suspect this is a spring/summer thing.

There is also a lovely view back down to Kimmeridge Bay.

Overgrown grass and, shrubbery and yellow flowers with two people standing.

Looking over the grass and yellow flowers down to Kimmeridge Bay on the coastal walk to Kingston in Dorset. Behind the Bay are green and yellow patchwork like fields.

Clavell Tower behind the yellow flowers. There are hills and fields behind the town.

Walk along the coastline away from Kimmeridge Bay

From here, we took the trail that ran along the coastline.

A walking trail running through the tall grass and yellow flowers leading to the blue sea ahead.

Looking over the grass and yellow and blue flowers to the sea and coastline in the distance.

The whole thing was just super pretty. It was a glorious sunny day and I felt such delight with all the lovely flowers….then the flower bushes took over.

The bee flower bushes

The trail became engulfed by the yellow flowers, and we had to fight our way through. I will tell you, there was a very real possibility of getting stung. The bees. The bees were buzzing all around, so I just kept my head down and powered through and prayed.

A barely visible trail through the tall yellow flowers with hills and cliff coastline ahead in Dorset. — The trail is there on the left.

Once I made my way through, I thought the hard part was over. I survived.

I would later find out that the flower bee bushes would take over again and again.

Continue along the coastal path

The majority of the rest of the walk along the coastline is made up of gentle undulations, some slightly less gentle (but short).

A hill with a bridge leading to it and steps leading up on the edge of the cliff.

Tall grass and a hill with a trail going ip it next to the cliff side leading to the sea.

A man walking on a small dirt trail on the edge of the cliff on the coastal walk from Kimmeridge. The cliff leads down to the sea.

A cliff coastline view leading to the sea in Dorset.

Sail boats out in the blue see on the walk along the coast path from Kimmeridge Bay.

A trail on the edge of a cliff surrounded by yellow and pink flowers on the coastal walk from Kimmeridge Bay.

A man walking along a narrow trail which runs though tall grass and yellow and pink flowers.

A view over the tall grass and along the cliff coastline in Dorset.

Stunning views both ahead and back. More flower bushes of yellow, pink and purple. I have said it before, and I will say it again. It was all just so pretty.

The daddy hill

As we were nearing the end of the coastline section off the walk from Kimmeridge, I could see a giant hill up ahead. I had a look at my map to see whether we had to go up that hill…

An undulating grass clifftop leading to a big hill with the sea on the right.

We did.

I didn’t tell Ollie yet. I decided to wait until the last moment so he would have less time to protest.

When I did eventually tell him, he did protest, but now he had no choice.

The trail gets a little bit naughty here. It decided, just before the hill, to take us further downhill. To maximise the up.

Steps with a wooden handrail leading down through the trees and bushes with a big hill ahead.

The hill isn’t all bad though. It’s just the beginning, middle and end that’s challenging. You do get little breaks though, as the trail levels out for a brief moment before going up again.

Reaching the top

On the way up, when I took my first look back, I was blown away. The view all down the coastline was insane. You could see all the way back to Kimmeridge and Clavell Tower. That made it a little easier getting to the top. The reward I was getting from it.

A view down the green grass landscape and coastline on the walk from Kimmeridge to Kingston,

A stone bench on the hill top looking downhill along the coastline in Dorset. There is a man sitting on the bench.

At the top there is a well placed viewpoint bench. It was in use, so we sat on the grass instead for some snacks.

Looking at Ollie, I noticed he had turned a little red. I tried to get him to put some sunscreen on, but he insisted his redness was from walking up the hill. I had actually tried to get him to wear some at the start but he wouldn’t listen….he would later regret this.

Walk along the top of the valley towards Kingston

From here, we took the trail through the gate to walk with the wall to our right and the valley to the left, meanwhile fantasising about living here.

A man walking towards a wooden gate between tall green grass and a stone wall.

A grass field leading down to a valley with orange and green fields and clusters of trees.

The cows

Oh it wouldn’t be a proper English countryside walk without cows blocking the way. These cows did look super chill though. Although, I didn’t want to push it, and rushed through as quickly as possible.

Lots of cows sitting and standing on the grass.

The woods

Walking along we noticed an obelisk up ahead on the other side of the valley. I can’t find any information about it online, so please tell me if you know.

Grass fields and hills with woodland on the other side.

At the end, we reached the woods. Ollie was getting a little hot and bothered by this point (he was burning, although he still wasn’t admitting it), so he quite enjoyed this cool escape from the sun.

A large path leading through the green leafy woodland.

Walk into Kingston and the Scott Arms pub

The trail took us through a car park (this could be a place to start if you don’t want to park in Kimmeridge) and into Kingston. Walking along the road, we got a view to the left of Corfe Castle way in the distance. I took a photo, but it’s so far away that you can’t really see it in the picture.

It was cool in real life though.

A man looking in a red telephone box with stone and flint houses behind, in Kingston, Dorset. — Here is a photo of Ollie in a red telephone box instead

The Scott Arms is just a little further down this road. To get to it, you take a left just before it, and the entrance is on the right:

A path lined with bright pink flowers leading to a couple of quaint houses in Kingston, Dorset. — Go down this road (off the main road), then for the pub, turn right before that house ahead. Or, to continue on the walking trail, it’s to the left of that house.

Outdoor entrance to the Scott Arms pub in Dorset. — The pub

We actually hadn’t planned to stop in the pub, but the food smell called out to us. So we made an executive decision to stop for refuelling.

It’s a lovely place actually, a lot off outdoor seating with that cool view down to Corfe Castle.

Leaving Kingston to walk back to Kimmeridge Bay

If you don’t want to stop at the pub, it’s ok as the trail runs next to it anyway. When walking along that side road, instead of turning right for the pub, you turn left. See photo below for the path.

A gravel road surrounded by a few bushes and a hedge and a small house next to the road.

After leaving the pub, we followed the lane as it took us past some cute little homes and then through a gate into the woods again.

A gravel track with trees and bushes on the left and brick and flint houses on the right.

In the woods we took a left turn, and a left turn again. This took us through the trees and along to the bigger trail.

A stone gravel trail where it splits in two through the woodland. There is a man walking on the left trail.

Instinct was to turn right onto this big trail. Luckily I checked my map. That is not the way. Instead we went left, then immediate right, to walk along the road and past the car park from earlier.

I hope I haven’t confused you with my description. The Kimmeridge walking route map I provided earlier will guide you if you get confused.

Leaving the woods and out to the open

Out from under the trees, we walked along a long trail with green fields on either side and Corfe Castle visible in the distance to the right. Again, photos don’t do it justice, so I haven’t put one here.

A man walking along a long road lined with fences and tall grass with a field on both sides.

Sheep Pens

A bit further along the long bit of trail, there is the option to continue straight or take a left through Sheep Pens Car park (another possible start for the walk – Not on Google Maps) and into another field.

We thought for a bit about which way to go. Ollie wanted to go left. I let him have this one. If I give him some ‘wins’ I have the advantage going forwards.

A wooden signpost saying sheep pen car park. There is a gate behind it leading to a grass field.

I didn’t know it yet, but I would be glad we took this route….

The ridge and sea view

So, through the gate at Sheep Pens car park, we followed the trail uphill.

A large green field on the other side of the gate and fence. There is a trail running through the field uphill.

We couldn’t see past the hill so weren’t sure what was coming. The closer we got to the top, the bigger the anticipation I had for the grand reveal on the other side.

And then we made it.

Through the gate at the top, we were greeted with a view down the valley from earlier, and across to the sea. We were now the ridge which I had been hoping we would get to walk along.

An undulating landscape of green fields and some trees leading to the sea on the circular walk from Kimmeridge to Kingston in Dorset.

As we were walking away from the coastline earlier on in the day, I could see this trail on the other side of the valley, and hoped we would get to walk along it.

Swyre Head

Through the gate, we turned right to make our way along the ridge, as it gradually curved around, leading us to Swire Head.

A man walking along a grass ridge with the valley just visible to the left.

A man walking across a grass field to a small hill ahead.

It was strange. A hill on top of a hill.

You don’t need to go up to the top of the hill on the hill. The trail is actually in the other direction. But I decided I did need to go up it.

It was a good decision.

Once up the top, I turned around to sit down, and was blown away but the coastline view ahead of me. The view went on and on, to Kimmeridge and Clavell Tower, and beyond. There was a mist settling in, making the view sort of dream like.

A view along the coastline landscape with fields of green and yellow in the Kimmeridge coastal walk.

Walk along the ridge and down to Kimmeridge

Sitting on this hill on the hill, you also get a good view along the ridge, which is the route back to Kimmeridge. To get to it, you go through the gate on the other side of this field.

A field with hills in the diatcue and a few people walking in the field. — I’m sitting on the hill here. The trail is straight ahead through that corner of the wall, with the ridge leading away from it.

A man walking through a metal gate through the stone wall.

The walk along here was very easy and level with the dreamy view ahead to the left the whole way. There are a few gates to walk through, and the trail is a mix of dirt and grass, then turns a bit more to gravel as it goes downhill.

A view across the the fields and hills to the coastline on the Kimmeridge circular walk. The mist is settling across some of the hilly coastline in the distance.

A dirt trail running along the ridge in Dorset.

A gravel dirt track lined with bushes and long grass, and a hilly landscape ahead.

At the road at the bottom, we turned left:

A man walking down a road as it curves around surrounded by bushes and trees.

Then at the next junction, went straight across to go over the stile to the field on the other side of the road. There is a signpost here to guide you down to Kimmeridge.

A wooden signpost on the side of the road, pointing to kimmeridge with a picture of a walking man.

That car park I mentioned in the logistics section is just here. The one you can start this walk from. So, when you reach this road junction, instead of going straight across into the field, turn left, and the car park is just there a few meters down.

Straight down and across this field, there is a small gate which will take you alongside a church and into the village of Kimmeridge.

A grass field going downhill with a trail running through some trees. There are some rooftops of Kimmeridge ahead out of the field.

A path leading along the left of a church and graveyard.

Kimmeridge

We didn’t stay in the village for very long, but it seemed very quaint and lovely.

Following the main road down, there is a restaurant called Clavell’s which looked quite popular. As we had already stopped to eat, we gave this one a miss*

A road with quaint buildings on the left in Kimmeridge village. There are a few trees and pink flowers by the buildings.

A road curbing through Kimmeridge Village. The road is lined with brick and flint houses, with walls and pretty flowers. There is a person cycling on the road.

* The next day at about 7pm Ollie suggested we come here to eat. I told him it’s Sunday evening, so it’s probably closed. He didn’t believe me. He couldn’t understand why a restaurant would be closed on a Sunday evening. I tried to tell him that’s how things are in the countryside.

He still didn’t believe me, or the information we found online saying it was closed. He would only accept this truth if he saw it with his own eyes.

So we came back down, so that he could see it with his own eyes.

Anyway, following the road, there is a trail leading off it to the right, passed the thatched roof house. Through here and another gate, the trail continues on directly across the field, through another gate, and across a bridge of sorts.

An opening between a hedge and stone building. A man is walking through the opening where there is a signpost.

A man walking across the green grass to the gate between the trees and bushes.

Looking through the trees and bushes to a green corn field. There is a man standing in the field. — I am standing on the bridge here.

The long walk back to Kimmeridge Bay

This next bit of the walk was psychologically long. At this point, we had done the bulk of the walk, and now it was just about making our way back to the car park at Kimmeridge Bay. I was very sweaty. Ollie was very burnt.

Taking a left after the bridge thing, the trail went through field after field after field. Whenever we thought it was the last one, we would enter another.

A dirt trail running along the edge of a harvesting g field.

The fields do eventually end, and you will reach a road. At the road, left will get you back to the car park. I didn’t tell Ollie this. I had a feeling that if we took a different route, things would be a bit more scenic.

So instead we took a right.

If you do turn right, the road then curves around to the left, and a bit further along will curve to the right. It is at this point you leave the road to go into to the car parking area (see photo below).

Passed that row of cars, the trail will be to the left.

From here you will walk back along more overgrowth, and along Kimmeridge Bay to reach the car park.

A view to Kimmeridge bay and Clavell tower, with a man walking along a trail lined with yellow flower bushes.

Looking across the sea of Kimmeridge bay and people walking along rock slabs and a hill with Clavell tower on top in the distance.

Final thoughts on the Kimmeridge Bay walk

Loved every minute of it. Even the big hill. I would definitely recommend doing it this way around, walking out of Kimmeridge along the coastline. I think the views work out better this way. Although, both directions would be great. I think that big hill is better tackled from bottom to top. It could be a little slippy going down. Plus, you get the hard work in before the Scott Arms pub stop, then it’s easy for the last stretch home.

More great walks near Kimmeridge

Lulworth to Durdle Door – A classic. Not too long, but there is one big hill. Can get busy.

Lulworth Cove to Mupe Bay – It’s quieter than Durdle Door, but still amazing.

Old Harry Rocks – It’s a solid hike with more great Jurassic Coast views.

Dancing Ledge – It’s a bit of an adventurous one, as you need to scramble down a rock cliff face to get to it. The reward is a dip in a tidle pool.

For more walking ideas, you could check out the Visit Dorset website.