For abbreviations and colour codes, see the page
Notes on lists of Places to visit in Dorset, Somerset and Devon
| Place | Feature | Map Ref | Postcode | Road miles | Time mins | Dog friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crook Hill | Open access. Wood (NT) | ST 498 065 | 2 | 5 | yes | |
| Ryewater Farm | Nature reserve, SSSI | ST 512 064 | 3 | 6 | yes | |
| Crewkerne | Bincombe Beeches (nature reserve) | ST 443 101 | 5 | 9 | yes | |
| West Coker Fen | Nature reserve (SWT) | ST 503 138 | 6 | 12 | yes | |
| Kingcombe Meadows | Working Farm, Nature reserve and centre (DoWT) | SY 554 991 | 8 | 14 | yes | |
| South Poorton | Nature reserve (DoWT) | ST 5102 9765 | 10 | 18 | yes | |
| Loscombe | Nature Reserve (SSSI, DoWT) | SY 50154 97903 | 9 | 19 | yes | |
| Ilminster | Herne Hill (LNR) | ST 351 139 | 10 | 19 | yes | |
| Chard | (Canal) Reservoir (nature reserve) | ST 338 094 | 11 | 20 | ||
| Hilfield | Hendover Coppice (DoWT) | ST 63433 03810 | 10 | 20 | yes | |
| Barrington Hill | Meadows (SSSI, NNR) | ST 300 170 | BH21 4DZ | 15 | 27 | yes |
| Bickenhall | Boon's Copse (Neroche Forest) (SWT) | ST 281 199 | TA3 5RS | 17 | 29 | yes |
| Buckland St Mary | Dommet Wood (SWT) | ST 278 139 | TA20 3JL | 16 | 29 | yes |
| Trinity Hill | Nature reserve, Wood, old Devon Hedges | SY 304 952 | 16 | 29 | yes | |
| Yarty Moor | Yarty Moor (SWT) | ST 235 159 | 17 | 30 | yes | |
| Bishopswood | Jan Hobbs Nature reserve (SWT) | ST 262 133 | TA20 3QG | 16 | 30 | yes |
| Bishopswood | Bishopswood Meadows (SWT) | ST 252 131 | TA20 3RZ | 17 | 30 | yes |
| Lyme Regis | Axmouth to Lyme Regis undercliff (SSSI, NNR) | SY 336 920 | 17 | 35 | yes | |
| Swell Wood | RSPB Nature reserve | ST 363 236 | 17 | 35 | ||
| Thorncombe Woods | Nature Reserve, Hardy's cottage, Woods | SY 726922 | 21 | 35 | ||
| Bickham Wood | Nature reserve (SWT) | ST 268 084 | TA20 3EB | 18 | 36 | yes |
| Otterhead Lakes | Nature reserve, old disused garden | ST 224 141 TA3 7EE | 19 | 36 | yes | |
| Holway woods | (DoWT) | ST 63418 20211 | 18 | 36 | yes | |
| Biscombe | Brimley Hill Mire (SWT) | ST 175 131 | TA3 7PZ | 22 | 38 | yes |
| Hilfield Hill | Nature reserve | ST 637 040 | DT2 7BE | 12 | 39 | yes |
| Woodland and wild flower meadows. Flat. Narrow entrance to car park. | ||||||
| Dumpton Hill | Nature reserve: The Rough (DoWT) | SY 178 040 | 23 | 40 | yes | |
| Weymouth | Radipole Lake RSPB reserve | SY 675 804 | 26 | 41 | on lead. Pick up | |
| Hawkswood | Wood (DvWT) | SY 200 978 [SY 203 975] | 23 | 43 | yes | |
| Hemyock | Lickham Common (DvWT) | ST 128 122 | 27 | 49 | yes | |
| Wareham | Blue Pool | BH20 5AR | 39 | 59 | ||
| Nature reserve and tearoom: !! acres of woodland, heathland | ||||||
| Hambledon Hill | Hill Fort (NNR) | ST 845 126 | 31 | 1 hrs 1 | yes | |
| Studland Bay | Beach and heathland | BH19 3AQ | 45 | 1 hrs 10 | ||
| Shell Bay, probably the best beach in Dorset!. | ||||||
| Poole | Brownsea Island | BH13 1HP | 45 | 1 hrs 12 | ||
| Satnav is Poole Quay, for the ferry | ||||||
| Bournemouth | Hengistbury Head | SZ 173 908 | BH6 4EN | 54 | 1 hrs 29 | |
| Ferries to Christchurch, Tuckton. Beach, cafe. Well worth a visit. | ||||||
| Place | Feature | Map Ref | Postcode | Road miles | Time mins | Dog friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston Maurward | Animal park and gardens | SY 714 910 | 21 | 33 | gardens | |
| Abbotsbury | Swannery | SY 577 845 | DT3 4JG | 21 | 34 | no |
| Ferne | Animal Sanctuary | ST 275 075 | 14 | 34 | ||
| Lyme Regis | Marine Aquarium | 17 | 35 | |||
| Buckland Newton | Badger Watch Dorset | ST 695 043 | DT2 7BL | 19 | 35 | no |
| Weymouth | Sea Lfe Adventure Park | DT4 7SX | 26 | 41 | ||
| Wareham | Monkey World | BH20 6HH | 30 | 50 | ||
| Longleat | Safari Park | ST 81 43 | BA12 7JS | 45 | 1 hrs 6 | No |
| Place | Feature | Map Ref | Postcode | Road miles | Time mins | Dog friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mosterton | Nightingale Farm (Wood) | ST 451 050 | 2 | 4 | yes | |
| Bracketts Copice | DoWT. SSSI, ancient woodland | ST 51380 07380 | BA22 9QU | 3 | 7 | yes |
| Roundham | Mancombe wood (WT) | ST 427 102 | 4 | 9 | yes | |
| Pucketts Wood | (WT) | ST 467 012 | 6 | 12 | yes | |
| Mancombe Wood | (WT) | ST 427 102 | 5 | 12 | yes | |
| Wayford | Woods, Lake | ST 398064 | 5 | 12 | yes | |
| Evershot | 6½ mile walk, Melbury park | ST 573 045 | 8 | 12 | ||
| Oathill | Higher Bere Chaple Farm Woods (WT) | ST 404 057, 398 059 | 7 | 13 | yes | |
| Adam's Green | Hibbitts Woods (DoWT) | ST 54744 07583 | BA22 9SW | 6 | 14 | yes |
| Lewesdon Hill | Open access, wooded hill fort. Dorset's highest point (NT) | ST 437 014 | 6 | 14 | yes | |
| Highest point in Dorset. An excellent wooded walk, but parking is difficult. | ||||||
| Maiden Newton | R. Frome wet woodland walk | SY 593 979 | 10 | 14 | ||
| Hooke | Hooke Park | SY 524 003 | DT8 3PH | 8 | 15 | |
| A bluebell wood. Nice walks. Some parking at map ref listed. | ||||||
| Hatherstone wood | (WT) | ST 526 127 | 8 | 17 | yes | |
| Hardington Moor | Hatherstone Wood (WT) | ST 526 127 | 8 | 18 | yes | |
| South Poorton | Beningfield Wood (WT) | ST 5180 9784 | 10 | 18 | yes | |
| Little Norton Wood | S. Somerset DC wood | ST 484 158 | 8 | 19 | yes | |
| Frampton | Tibbs Hollow | SY 619 945 | 13 | 21 | yes | |
| Frampton | Harry's Wood and Millennium Green | SY 619 945 | 13 | 21 | ||
| Yeovil | Nine Springs Country Park | ST 555 155 | 11 | 22 | yes | |
| Allington Hill | Wood (WT) | SY 459 933 | DT6 5DD | 11 | 22 | yes |
| Bridport | Allington Hill | SY 457 935 | 12 | 23 | ||
| Wooton Hill | Wood, ancient Devon hedges | SY 3545 9695 | 12 | 26 | yes | |
| Bickenhall | Boon's Copse (Neroche Forest) (SWT) | ST 281 199 | TA3 5RS | 17 | 29 | yes |
| Wooton Fitzpaine | Conegar Hill (WT) | SY 379 955 | 14 | 29 | yes | |
| Buckland St Mary | Dommet Wood (SWT) | ST 278 139 | TA20 3JL | 16 | 29 | yes |
| Castle Neroche | Norman Motte and Bailey, Forest (FC) | ST 273 156 | 17 | 30 | yes | |
| Good woodland walks | ||||||
| Black Down | Hardy monument (NT) | SY 613 875 | DT2 9HY | 19 | 30 | yes |
| Staple Hill | Ruttersleigh woodland (SSSI) | ST 250 165 | 19 | 32 | ||
| Cadbury Castle | Hill fort | ST 628 253 | 23 | 34 | yes | |
| Flat-topped open hill fort with few trees. | ||||||
| Swell Wood | RSPB Nature reserve | ST 363 236 | 17 | 35 | ||
| Thorncombe Woods | Nature Reserve, Hardy's cottage, Woods | SY 726922 | 21 | 35 | ||
| Adcombe Wood | Ancient woodland (WT SSSI) | ST 225 174 | TA3 7DD | 21 | 35 | yes |
| Folke | Folke Wood (old orchard) (WT) | ST 658 134 | 19 | 36 | yes | |
| Bickham Wood | Nature reserve (SWT) | ST 268 084 | TA20 3EB | 18 | 36 | yes |
| Otterhead Lakes | Nature reserve, old disused garden | ST 224 141 TA3 7EE | 19 | 36 | yes | |
| Langdon Hill | Wood (NT) and walk to Golden Cap | SY 413 931 | 13 | 36 | yes | |
| Pine and Larch woodland. Good car park and walk to Golden Cap | ||||||
| Holway woods | (DoWT) | ST 63418 20211 | 18 | 36 | yes | |
| Puddletown Forest | Woodland (pine & mixed), heathland (FC) | SY 74439 92534 | 22 | 37 | yes | |
| Nightingale Farm | Wood | ST 451 050 | 23 | 38 | yes | |
| Offwell | Woods, lake, open access (FC) | SY180 994 | 24 | 39 | yes | |
| Aller and Beer | Woods, ancient (SWT, SSSI) | ST 404 305 | TA10 0RD | 20 | 42 | yes |
| Hawkswood | Wood (DvWT) | SY 200 978 [SY 203 975] | 23 | 43 | yes | |
| Payhembury | Hembury Hill Fort | ST111031 | EX14 3LA | 28 | 50 | |
| Durdle Door | Natural limestone arch | SY 805 804 [SY 811 804 600m] | 32 | 52 | ||
| Badbury Rings | Hill fort, large, wooded. (NT) | ST 964 030 | BH21 4DZ | 39 | 56 | yes |
| Broadclyst | Ashclyst Forest | EX5 3DT | 40 | 1 hrs 8 | ||
| Dancing Ledge | Old coastal quarry. Rock pools and swimming. | SY 998 769 [SY 997 784 1400m] | BH19 3HG | 47 | 1 hrs 14 | yes |
| Place | Feature | Map Ref | Postcode | Road miles | Time mins | Dog friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryewater Farm | Nature reserve, SSSI | ST 512 064 | 3 | 6 | yes | |
| Bracketts Copice | DoWT. SSSI, ancient woodland | ST 51380 07380 | BA22 9QU | 3 | 7 | yes |
| Powerstock | Powerstock common (DoWT, SSSI) | SY 54688 97382 | 10 | 17 | ||
| Hardington Moor | Nature reserve (SSSI, NNR) | ST 515 130 | 8 | 18 | yes | |
| Loscombe | Nature Reserve (SSSI, DoWT) | SY 50154 97903 | 9 | 19 | yes | |
| Lambert's Castle | Hill fort. (SSSI, NT) | SY 370 988 | 10 | 21 | yes | |
| Large car park. One of the nicest hill-forts. Coney's Castle is within walking distance. | ||||||
| Hog Cliff | Chalk downland (SSSI, NNR) | ST 621 976 | 14 | 21 | yes | |
| Barrington Hill | Meadows (SSSI, NNR) | ST 300 170 | BH21 4DZ | 15 | 27 | yes |
| Staple Hill | Ruttersleigh woodland (SSSI) | ST 250 165 | 19 | 32 | ||
| Lyme Regis | Axmouth to Lyme Regis undercliff (SSSI, NNR) | SY 336 920 | 17 | 35 | yes | |
| Adcombe Wood | Ancient woodland (WT SSSI) | ST 225 174 | TA3 7DD | 21 | 35 | yes |
| Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood | Public access. (SSSI) | ST 225 170 | 23 | 40 | yes | |
| Smeatharpe | Southey and Gotley Moors open access (SSSI) | ST 192 110 | 24 | 41 | ||
| Aller Hill | Grassland (SSSI) | ST 408 291 | TA10 0DD | 20 | 42 | yes |
| Aller and Beer | Woods, ancient (SWT, SSSI) | ST 404 305 | TA10 0RD | 20 | 42 | yes |
| Wookey Hole | Ebbor Gorge (SSSI, NNR) | ST 531 476 | 35 | 59 | ||
| Wareham | Blue Pool | BH20 5AR | 39 | 59 | ||
| Nature reserve and tearoom: !! acres of woodland, heathland | ||||||
Document URI: http://westdorset.org/places/nature.html