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Dancing Ledge – St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Swanage

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Dancing Ledge – St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Swanage

Hard

4.8

(19)

147

hikers

Dancing Ledge – St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Swanage

06:45

23.9km

490m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 19, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Dorset National Landscape

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

870 m

Townsend Reserve

Nature Reserve

5.10 km

Dancing Ledge

Highlight • Natural

Sea quarries
Sea quarries like Dancing Ledge, Seacombe and Winspit once played a major role in the Purbeck stone industry. Stone quarried from the cliffs was loaded directly onto ships …

Tip by

8.03 km

Cave Entrance

10.0 km

St Aldhelm's Chapel is one of the oldest churches in England and is a Grade I-listed building. The Norman chapel, situated on the high outcrop of St Aldhelm's Head, was named after the Bishop of Sherbourne who died in 709AD.

Tip by

10.3 km

Bench With a View of the Dorset Coast

Highlight • Viewpoint

Take a seat to catch your breath on one of the benches that probably have some of the best coastal views.

Tip by

11.1 km

View of Chapman's Pool from Emmett's Hill

Highlight • Viewpoint

Bring £2 for the honesty box in the car park. The money goes towards maintaining the toilets.

Tip by

12.5 km

Radar Memorial and Coastal Viewpoint

Highlight • Viewpoint

As a curiosity, you'll notice that the two radar dishes also resemble a large fire basket. This was done as a reference to the practice of lighting beacons to warn of the Spanish Armada.

Tip by

20.6 km

Anvil Point Lighthouse

Highlight • Viewpoint

Anvil Point Lighthouse, situated within Durlston Country Park, was completed in 1881 to warn ships of the hazardous seas nearby. These days, the lighthouse is open for guided tours and can be rented as holiday accommodation.

Tip by

20.9 km

View of Tilly Whim Caves

Highlight • Natural Monument

It is often very windy here and the whipped water crashes against the rocky coast.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

21.3 km

Durlston Castle

Highlight • Viewpoint

Near Durlston Castle there is a hiking trail high above the sea. There are wonderful views of the rocky cliffs.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

23.9 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

18.0 km

3.46 km

2.00 km

245 m

226 m

Surfaces

18.6 km

1.53 km

1.45 km

867 m

854 m

614 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (100 m)

Lowest point (0 m)

Weather

Wednesday 27 May

19°C

16°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Dancing Ledge – St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Swanage

Dancing Ledge

St Aldhelm's Chapel

Bench With a View of the Dorset Coast

View of Chapman's Pool from Emmett's Hill

Radar Memorial and Coastal Viewpoint

Anvil Point Lighthouse

View of Tilly Whim Caves

Durlston Castle

Nearby routes

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