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Conquer the longest inland trail in England — Monarch’s Way: Part 3

Routes
Long Distance Hikes

Conquer the longest inland trail in England — Monarch’s Way: Part 3

Hiking Collection by Dan Hobson

Conquer the longest inland trail in England — Monarch’s Way: Part 3

15 days

5-7 h/day

367km

5,320m

5,310m

Part three of the Monarch’s Way explores some of the prettiest countryside in Britain and takes you on a breathtaking journey through the ages; from Jurassic to prehistoric, from Bronze Age to present day, whilst continuing the tale of Charles II’s escape after defeat in the Civil War.

From Charmouth on the Jurassic Coast, the Way takes you 228 miles (367 km) along the coastline and through the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); through Somerset, Wiltshire and into the Cranborne Chase AONB; and finally into Hampshire and through the heart of the South Downs National Park.

Along the way, you experience countless breathtaking views, most notably from Golden Cap, the highest point on the South Coast of England. You also explore many Bronze Age and Iron Age hill forts, crumbling castles, weathered churches, grand cathedrals, sleepy villages, vibrant cities, nature reserves, chalk grasslands, vast woodlands, and more.

The Monarch’s Way traces the escape route taken by King Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the final battle of the civil war between the Royalists and Parliamentarians. At 615 miles (990 km) in total, it is the longest inland trail in England.

After Charles’ attempt to flee on a boat from Charmouth had failed, he went on the run once again. After six weeks dodging Cromwell’s armies, Charles finally managed to board a ship from Shoreham and landed in France at Fécamp, near Le Havre, on the morning of 16 October, 1651. Two hours after the ship had set sail, troops arrived in Shoreham to arrest the King.

The trail is waymarked throughout and follows well-maintained paths. The hiking is generally quite leisurely but there are some challenging sections, making it a good choice for all abilities.

In this Collection, we split the route into 15 stages, each averaging 15.2 miles (24.5 km). Of course, you can divide each stage into as many days as you are comfortable with. You can also walk any single stage, or couple of stages, in isolation. Any hikes that are dramatically above average distance have a suggestion on how you can split or tweak them.

Every stage finishes close to accommodation, even if there are only a few options nearby. However, places to stay are not always abundant so it is worth planning in advance and scheduling any rest days accordingly.

To get to the start of the trail, you can catch a train to Axminster, which has direct links to London and connecting services around the country. You would then need either the X51 or X53 bus service to Charmouth. At the end of the trail, Shoreham has excellent public transport links.

For more information about the Monarch’s Way, visit: monarchsway.50megs.com.
For the X51 bus timetable, visit: bustimes.org/services/x51-dorchester-bridport-axminster.
For the X53 bus timetable, visit: bustimes.org/services/x53-weymouth-bridport-axminster.
For train timetables and tickets, visit: thetrainline.com.

Click the links below for more Collections on the Monarch’s Way.

Part 1: komoot.com/collection/911739/conquer-the-longest-inland-trail-in-england-monarchs-way-part-1.
Part 2: komoot.com/collection/914707/conquer-the-longest-inland-trail-in-england-monarchs-way-part-2.

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Monarch's Way

950km

11,920m

11,930m

Last updated: November 28, 2024

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Activities

1. Stage 1: Charmouth to North Chideock — Monarch's Way

22.7km

06:33

590m

510m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Expert

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Collection Stats

Activities

15

Distance

367 km

Duration

99:45 h

Elevation

5,320 m

5,310 m

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