Roaming the ramparts of Dorset's hillforts — National Trust

A 1.5-mile walk (2.4 km) around a sprawling Iron Age hillfort is one of the most Dorset things you can do as this beautiful county is brimming with ancient history. Hambledon Hill, in Child Okeford, is one of Dorset’s most amazing examples of defensive earthworks and this route leads you through them… read more

This is a 4.4-mile (7 km) adventure taking in two neighbouring Iron Age hillforts and some glorious panoramas over the undulating patchwork landscape down to the sea. The starting point is the National Trust’s Lambert’s Castle car park and while this route is hilly by definition, the gradients are usually… read more

This short and sweet walk is a mile (1.6 km) long and leads you on an exploration of Lambert’s Castle Hill, the site of a former Iron Age hillfort. You start from the National Trust’s Lambert’s Castle car park.



1: From the car park, follow the trail leading south east over the hill.

2: Take the north… read more

This gentle 4-mile (6.6 km) walk takes you to the top of Pilsdon Pen, a hillfort with thousands of years of history. Excavations have found over 100 hut circle remains here and there are Bronze Age burial mounds as well, long predating the hillfort itself.



Thanks to its height and isolation, the summit… read more

This hike takes you from the pretty Dorset village of Askerswell up to the summit of Eggardon Hill. One of the county's many hillforts, the hill offers epic views of the Jurassic Coast as well as across Dorset in every direction.



While you can park in a lay-by at the foot of the summit path, this trail… read more

This lovely 7.5-mile (12.2 km) hike has two distinct landscapes: the ancient Badbury Rings hillfort and the beautiful River Stour. A gentle walk, there’s only mild elevation gain and nothing steep. Most of the hike uses quiet lanes with a couple of footpaths thrown into the mix.



You can easily walk this… read more

This fantastic 3-mile (4.8 km) walk takes you on a Tour of one of the country’s most iconic chalk hill figures set into Dorset’s gorgeous countryside. You see the Cerne Abbas giant as well as some of the village’s oldest spots. The starting point is the car park immediately above the village, which itself… read more

This 6-mile (10 km) hike takes in two of Dorset’s hillforts which are, handily, neighbours. The two are quite different, with Pilsdon Pen being largely exposed and Lewesdon Hill being largely forested. From both, you can enjoy outstanding views in clear weather.



1. Begin at the Lob Gate car park immediately… read more

Hod and Hambledon Hills are equally impressive neighbours. Both hillforts just a stone’s throw from each other, they make the perfect day’s hike. Both offer excellent views across Dorset’s pretty, undulating landscapes and have well-preserved ramparts to explore, making them ideal for family walks, too… read more