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United Kingdom

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South West England

Dorset

Purbeck

Langton Matravers

Dancing Ledge

Discover

Places to see

United Kingdom

England

South West England

Dorset

Purbeck

Langton Matravers

Dancing Ledge

Recommended by 200 hikers out of 202

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Dorset National Landscape

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Location: Langton Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Dancing Ledge

4.8

(44)

294

hikers

1. Chapmans Pool & St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Worth Matravers — Dorset

15.3km

04:18

310m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Intermediate

4.7

(23)

266

hikers

2. Durlston Castle, Anvil Point & Dancing Ledge loop from Swanage — Isle of Purbeck

14.3km

03:56

220m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Intermediate

5.0

(8)

hikers

3. Durlston Head, St Aldhelm's Head & Corfe Castle loop from Swanage — Isle of Purbeck

30.5km

08:26

530m

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

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Tips

Włóczykij- Snufkin

July 13, 2019

It's a good place to spend day out. No network cover, only you and pure nature.

Mike Cree

March 22, 2024

Dancing Ledge is part of the Jurassic Coast near Langton Matravers in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England. Dancing Ledge is a flat area of rock at the base of a small cliff. A little scrambling is required for access. It is signposted on the South West Coast Path a few kilometres west of Swanage. Dancing Ledge is so called because at certain stages of the tide when the waves wash over the horizontal surface, the surface undulations cause the water to bob about making the ledge appear to dance.

A swimming pool was blasted into the rock for the use of local preparatory schools, particularly Durnford School sometime near the beginning of the twentieth century. The last surviving school (The Old Malthouse in Langton Matravers, which closed in 2007) and one of the schools for which the pool was originally created recently arranged for debris, including several large rocks, to be removed, making swimming possible once again. The sea itself is not suitable for swimming, as there is no shoreline, simply a rock shelf under which people have been pulled by the current to their deaths.

The cliffs above the ledge are a popular climbing location, with a small cliff close to the sea, and a larger limestone cliff set back above this. It is also a popular spot for tombstoning.

As the rocks are in constant contact with water, they are very slippy, and the ground next to the pool is moss ridden. I didn't venture down to the pool, but my friend did and had an early morning dip. Next time i;ll go down.

Tom

October 10, 2021

Amazing rock pool for a swim

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Informations

Elevation 10 m

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Monday 22 September

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Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

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Take Me There

Location: Langton Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom

Dancing Ledge

1. Chapmans Pool & St Aldhelm's Chapel loop from Worth Matravers — Dorset

2. Durlston Castle, Anvil Point & Dancing Ledge loop from Swanage — Isle of Purbeck

3. Durlston Head, St Aldhelm's Head & Corfe Castle loop from Swanage — Isle of Purbeck

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