Charmouth loop walk — National Trust coastal walks in West Dorset

This 3.4-mile (5.4 km) walk takes in Stonebarrow Hill, Charmouth’s beautiful beach and leads you on a full loop of this fossil-hunting paradise. With some hills but nothing too challenging, it’s a perfect short hike for the whole family.

1) Start at the westerly Stonebarrow car park (NT) and head downhill on Stonebarrow Lane and it turns into a road aptly namely The Street. Follow it a short way before cutting north into the holiday park on a footpath.

2) Walk through the holiday park and turn left onto a footpath just before the A35. Follow it east, as it crosses through fields and gently turns south west.

3) Turn left onto Axminster Road before taking a right down Higher Sea Lane. Keep walking south until it begins curving around to the west, which is your cue to take a left hand footpath which leads you to the beach. Just in time for an ice cream.

4) Cross the River Char using the footbridge and take the coastal path up Stonebarrow Hill. At the top, take the left hand footpath and follow it back to the car park you started from.