Walking In Dorset | The Outdoor Store

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Great Ways to Keep Fit Outdoors

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Winter Walking in Dorset

It’s ‘New Year - New You’ time again as fitness gurus update us on the latest trends for keeping fit and celebrities launch their latest endorsed exercise regimes. TV based plans such as Nintendo’s Wii Fit or a range of fitness DVDs are great for indoor exercise, but don’t let the cold weather keep you inside this winter.

There are many great, low cost, ideas for keeping fit outdoors, that all the family can enjoy.

Outdoor Fun in West Dorset

West Dorset has an abundance of stunning walking routes, with a network of countryside footpaths and bridleways and coastal walks along the Jurassic Coast. Always try to walk briskly whenever you can - even short bursts of activity are effective. Winter is also a great time to take your dog on the beach, with many of the summertime restrictions lifted. For the more energetic these same routes offer great choice and variety for your jogging routine. So get your walking boots or runners on because with so much accessible countryside on our doorstep it really is easy to go running and walking this winter.

Geocaching in Dorset

Looking for something different? Geocaching, is the new fun intensive walking activity that is sweeping the nation.

Essentially a technological scavenger hunt, all you need to participate is a hand-held GPS device, and some good outdoor clothing.

Here’s how it works: people hide objects almost anywhere you could imagine (the caches), and list them online identifying their location only by latitude and longitude co-ordinates. Geocachers, as members of these online groups, select caches to find based on general location and difficulty of the search. Caches are inexpensive, fun and quirky.

When you find a cache, you leave something else for the next person. To learn more, go to www.geocaching.com.

If you like to cover a lot of ground then consider a combination of Geocaching with a Winter Bike Ride. Dust off your bike, wrap up warm and spend a couple of hours exploring the beautiful Dorset countryside. With specific cache targets to aim for exercise becomes fun, and far less monotonous than treadmills or repetitive TV based regimes.

Fossil Hunting in Dorset

For a slightly more gentile exercise idea, why not take the family fossil huntingalong Dorset’s Jurassic coast, where the winter months generally offer the best chance for new and exciting finds. Mud flows and cliff falls will have exposed fresh material for enthusiasts to explore. It’s surprising how much energy you will burn up scrambling along the rocks searching for the next big find.

With regular exercise your body shape and muscle will become more toned and you will burn calories quicker. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins – known as feel-good hormones. Endorphins give you a natural high, so exercise will not only make you look great, but can help take away those New Year Winter blues.

Wrap up warm - See you out there!!

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Tags: Fossil Hunting in Dorset, Geocaching in Dorset, jurassic coast, walking in dorset, winter walking in dorset
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Walking the Dorset Coastal Path

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Dorset Coast Path

We often get asked in the shop about the best walks in Dorset. We have our personal favourites in and around Weymouth, but if you are looking for a route that will take in some of the most beautiful sites in Dorset then you can’t beat the Dorset Coastal Path. Follow the route over two or three days and it makes the perfect Dorset Walking holiday.

The Dorset Coastal Path is just as good for short walks and gentle strolls as it is for long-distance hiking. Start out at Hengistbury Head and head West towards Bournemouth along the beach front. Spend a couple of hours on the award winning beach at Sandbanks then it is over on the Sanbanks Ferry to the Isle of Purbeck.

Follow the route around Shell Bay to one of the most stunning viewpoints at Old Harry Rock looking back towards Poole and Bournemouth. On a sunny day the contrast between the blue sky and the sea is simply stunning. Take in Nine Barrow Down and walk downhill into Swanage, where you can enjoy a spot of shopping of grab a cream tea and a sandwich.

Th rugged coastline from Swanage around to Kimmeridge can be a little testing at time and provides a good workout for most walkers. Blink a few times anmd you might be mistaken for being in Cornwall as you walk from St Adhelms Head and on towards Kimmeridge. Walk back in time along this section of the Jurassic Coast and see the geology and fossilised forest that confirm the coastline’s status as a World Heritage Site.

From Kimmeridge it is on towards one of the most famous sections of the Dorset Coastal Path and Lulworth Cove. Some of the areas around Lulworth are restricted for the Military base nearby, so check for access on the day. Relax down by the sea in this horseshoe shaped bay or if you are feeling energetic then why not try the walk up over the hill to visit Durdle Door.

Not too far now to Weymouth, but still some stunning walking to take in. Ringstead Bay is one of Dorset’s best kept secrets - not too crowded but has a quaint “Swallows and Amazons” feel to it with the local resident houses and small shop. Stop off for a well earned beer at the Smugglers Inn in Osmington Mills and you should be able to see Wymouth and Portland just off in the distance.

Pretty much all downhill now into Overcombe where you can pick up the path right along the seafront and along the Esplanade into Weymouth (drop in the shop if you are short on supplies or need a local map).

You can’t leave Portland out if you are following the Coast Path’s full route, but the walk up to the top is pretty strenuous. The view out at Portland Bill is absolutely breathtaking. Follow the route along Chesil Beach, a natural sea barrier that is home to Abbotsbury Swannery and the Sub-tropical Gardens. On towards Bridport and you take in Burton Bradstock and West Bay.

Another fossil-lovers place to check out is Charmouth. Visit the Heritage Centre and see how fossils are created and pick up a few souvenirs. The final destination along the Dorset Coastal Path is Lyme Regis. A great seaside town that is famous for The French Lieutenant’s Woman and the spot where Meryl Streep stood on the Cobb.

Dorset Coastal Path Mileage Statistics:

Sandbanks - Swanage - 8 Miles - Moderate Walking
Swanage - Kimmerdige - 13 Miles - Moderate and Severe Walking
Kimmeridge - Weymouth - 19 Miles - Moderate and Severe Walking
Weymouth - Abbotsbury - 14 miles - Easy
Abbotsbury - West Bay - 9 Miles - Moderate
West Bay - Lyme Regis - 10 Miles - Moderate to Strenuous

The South West Coastal Path Calculator is a great little tool that will actually calculate the mileage of your route. Simply enter your start and end points and it does the rest. Poole Harbour to Weymouth Ferrybridge is 56 miles - so plenty of time to enjoy the Dorset views.

Don’t forget with a full range of outdoor clothing and walking boots in The Outdoor Store as well as OS Maps and other walking and camping equipment. Our staff are all Weymouth locals so if you are looking for a bit of local knowledge then pop in the shop and we will be happy to help out.