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Hiking the Jurassic Coast: Abbotsbury to Chesil Beach

Kicking off the day:

OK – I’m going to start with a massive spoiler! This is hands down my favourite ever hike in Dorset… It’s got absolutely everything: rolling hills, coastal views, great foodie spots for re-fuelling and it’s absolutely steeped in history.

We took the hour drive from Bournemouth on a sunny May Saturday and parked up with the aim of grabbing some breakfast in a local cafe (Cherries Abbotsbury Farm). We both opted for the full English, it came with a massive wedge of fried toast and all of the ingredients are either home made or locally sourced. 

Even though the village of Abbotsbury is off the beaten track, I’m so pleased that finding an oat latte is now common place, I get just as hangry for coffee as I do food!

Once we’d finished breakfast, we started out on our 13.2km hike, beginning with a short stroll through the village and soon up a public footpath. The hill climb started straight away and lasted for the best part of an hour (we did stop several times to take pictures). The effort to reward ratio was very much at the top end of the reward scale – We soon peeked a viewpoint through the bushes, and from there they only got better.

Panoramic view over the rolling hills of Abbotsbury, Dorset, with St Catherine’s Chapel in the distance and the blue horizon of Chesil Beach beyond.
Perfect panoramic views across Abbotsbury and over towards Portland.
view of Chesil Beach in Dorset, showing a pebble-covered shore with patches of green vegetation. The calm sea stretches out to the horizon under a clear blue sky.
Chesil Beach—stunning, but a true test of endurance! These pebbles had us working hard with every step, but the view made it all worth it.

To the hills:

We continued our walk across the hill top, with stunning sea views over the Isle of Portland to our left and lush green farmland to our right. We were spoilt with snippets of history dotted along the way, from the Iron Age Hill fort Abbotsbury Castle, to beacons and the 14th-century St Catherine’s Chapel. It’s moments like these that make me extremely grateful to have taken up exploring more of my home county.

We soon began our decent and headed towards the tiny village of West Bexington, which had at least two public houses (so be sure to check Trip Advisor). This could be a lovely place to stop, especially if you don’t opt for breakfast at the start. You could also set up a picnic on Chesil Beach if you’d like to keep costs down. There was a little ice cream van but it was closed when we arrived (about 3pm).

Walking along the pebble beach definitely spikes the heart rate, I’d say you’re on this for longer than you’d like, although there is soon a footpath to the left you can take which runs parallel to the beach (which I nearly missed). There’s a tiny bit more of the pebbles before continuing on solid ground. The wildflowers and coastal views are out of this world stunning! Take your time here, especially if it’s a nice day!

The final climb:

Keep walking until you reach Chesil Beach car park, that’s where you’ll find the Chesil Beach Cafe – We stopped here for some cold drinks and an ice cream. There are also toilet facilities here if needed.

There’s one final climb left after Chesil Beach, this time with views over Abbotsbury Swannery (the maze looks super cool) and the unique geographical tombolo below. At the top of the climb is the beautiful St Catherine’s Chapel, built in the 14th-Century by the Abbotsbury Abbey Monks. Not too far from here are the Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens – I really wanted to visit but we didn’t have enough time. There are plenty of shorter walks that I’m sure would be just as stunning, so make sure to do your research on walks, other activities and places to eat. There are other pubs back in Abbotsbury, and a tea room so you won’t be short of choices!

I’ve hiked some incredible locations in Dorset, but this one really takes the biscuit with it’s variety of landscape and views! The first half of the walk was really quiet, we saw around a dozen people – The coastal stretch was definitely busier, though still a relaxed vibe, even though there was a charity hike taking place! We don’t use walking poles yet, though they would come in handy heading up some of the terrain. Apart from the uneven stint on the pebble beach, the ground was relatively solid, with no nasty pot holes or major roots trying to trip us up (apart from a few tree roots in the initial woodland path). 

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been inspired to try this route – be sure to follow me on Instagram and drop me a message.

Location and parking:

📌 what3words: stale.repair.beast OR Postcode: DT3 4JL

🚗 Parking:

  • 3 Rodden Row
  • Opening hours: 24 hours 
  • Cost: £1 per hour, up to £8 for 24 hours 
  • Size of Car Park: Large, though may become full in busier summer months

When to visit:

Spring is ideal to see the wildflowers and lambs. Though pick a clear day to fully experience the views.

Food and drink:

Cherries Abbotsbury Farm – Open Monday – Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Chesil Beach Cafe – Open Tuesday – Sunday (and Bank Holiday Mondays), 9:30am-4:30pm. Outside seating/takeaway.

Try it yourself: