Walk The Trail

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Route: From Lyme Regis to Poole

Overview

The Jurassic Coast, a truly stunning coastline from east Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth's history.

Rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods - rich with fossils - offer everyone the chance to walk through time and if you are lucky, pocket a piece of it!

Walking along the Jurassic Coast, you may spot dolphins dancing in the waves; basking sharks and hundreds of different types of birds that have made this place their home.

The beauty of the area is no secret - people have been visiting this part of the country for centuries.

This has led to a wide range of holiday and visitor opportunities, with the World Heritage Coast providing something for everyone.

This walk is challenging due to the terrain but with stunning scenery throughout and locations such as Golden Cap, the natural arch at Durdle Door, the Cove and Limestone Folding at Lulworth and magnificent Chesil Beach, the rewards will be many.

IMPORTANT - This walk crosses Lulworth Firing Range which is not open all year. Please click here for the current opening times. If you are booking this holiday online, please make sure the range is open or we can arrange a taxi to take you around the range. Alternatively you may walk up to Corfe Castle to link up with a trail to join the Coast Path on the other side of the Firing Range.

Walk the Trail offers 2 itineraries along this route to cater for all levels of walker. If, you feel that you'd like something different, just ask.

INCLUDED

All our holiday packages include:

Overnight accommodation staying at carefully selected B&Bs, Inns and Hotels
A detailed holiday pack
Luggage transfers
Transport from path to accommodations if necessary
Maps
Guidebook
Emergency support.

NOT INCLUDED

Our holiday packages do not include:

Transport to and from the start and end of the holiday, unless stated. We can help you with your options.
Packed Lunches and Evening Meals
Travel Insurance

ROUTE PROFILE

Recommended dates to walk this route

This walk can be done all year round but the weather in the winter months may make the walk a little more difficult.

Important: This walk crosses the army firing range at Lulworth which has varying open times when walkers may pass by. However, if 'closed' we can arrange a taxi to take you around this area.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Itinerary & Costs

The Jurassic Coast is a truly stunning coastline from east Devon to Dorset, with rocks dating back 185 million years! This popular Lyme Regis to Poole itinerary with a daily average of 12 miles / 19km is challenging due to the terrain but with stunning scenery throughout and locations such as Golden Cap, the natural arch at Durdle Door, the Cove and Limestone Folding at Lulworth and magnificent Chesil Beach, the rewards will be many.

Important: This walk crosses the army firing range at Lulworth which has varying open times when walkers may pass by. However, if 'closed' we can arrange a taxi to take you around this area.

Itinerary: Number in group:

The Daily Itinerary

Click on a day for further information.

Day 1: Arrive

Lyme Regis

Day 2:

Lyme Regis to West Bay

Distance: 11 miles Difficulty: Moderate

Day 3:

West Bay to Abbotsbury

Distance: 9.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate

Day 4:

Abbotsbury to Weymouth

Distance: 14 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Day 5:

Weymouth to Lulworth

Distance: 11 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

- Day 6:

Lulworth to Worth Matravers via Chapmans Pool (2024 Houns-tout diversion)

Distance: 15.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate

Lulworth Range is only open on certain dates to allow walkers to pass through. It includes most weekends, and public holidays. click here to check your dates
Due to a lack of accommodation in Worth Matravers, it may be necessary to accommodate you elsewhere and include transfers to and from the accommodation.

- Day 7:

Worth Matravers to Poole (via Chapman's Pool)

Distance: 17.5 miles Difficulty: Strenuous/Moderate

A lot of our walkers are choosing not to walk into Poole, but instead, along the promenade into Bournemouth. It's approximately the same distance, and Bournemouth has excellent public transport links for onward travel.

Day 8: Depart

Poole

What's Included

Accommodation for the length of your holiday including the night before you start walking and the evening after your final day's walking in good quality B&Bs, Inns and small hotels. This will be en-suite wherever possible.
Breakfast - This may be a full cooked or continental option depending on accommodation. Evening meals can be arranged with certain accommodations for an additional charge.
A Personalised Holiday Pack containing maps and addresses for accommodations, pick up points and daily mileage information.
Luggage transfers between each accommodation. 1 bag per person up to 20 kilograms. Additional bags can be added upon request.
Phone line support between the hours of 0900-1900, 7 days a week for the length of your holiday.
If required, path to accommodation or round river transfers (free of charge)
We now offer all our routes on the AllTrails App. Use one of the most popular route apps for turn by turn voice navigation, the ability to use offline, and sync with Garmin and Wahoo products.

Optional Extras

The following items are optional and can be removed to reduce the cost of your holiday.

A comprehensive guide book for the area in which you are walking. This will detail important information about each town and village you visit.
Map(s) for the area you are walking, specifically designed for walkers.
Your holiday pack posted to your home address. Unticking this box, indicates that you would prefer to print the pack yourself.

Not Quite Right?
Try our Tailor Made Service here »

Important Information

Important: This walk crosses the army firing range at Lulworth which has varying open times when walkers may pass by. However, if 'closed' we can arrange a taxi to take you around this area.

Reviews

Doug & Tony, From Vancouver

We wish to thank you for your efforts. The tour was perfectly organised for us, the miles walked each day being just right for two "oldies". All of the B&Bs chosen for us were exceptional: lovely rooms, very good breakfasts, and charming hosts. We couldn't have asked for better. We will have no hesitation in recommending Walk the Trail to our friends. With very best wishes to you all.

Cheryl from Vermont, USA

I'm home from my trip and wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it! It was wonderful to have the elves take my luggage every day and to have it show up at the next place. It was a fairly rainy week but the scenery was magnificent and I truly enjoyed the walking. Thank you for all your arrangements --- people at the B&B's were all friendly and kind. I'll go back again someday! Thank you all!

Kate from Canada

I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful two-and-a-half weeks. All of the bed and breakfasts I stayed in were friendly, comfortable and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Every day when I arrived my bag was there, like a faithful dog. All in all an excellent trip. As an aside, I would also like to say that, as a female walking alone on the SWCP I had no problems at all and always felt perfectly safe.

Kathleen from Germany

It was an unique, fantastic and unforgettable experience with hurting feet and legs in the beginning and total fitness in the end ;-). I met interesting people and saw great landscapes. I experienced the coldest spring after over 60 years but with the right clothes - everything was under control ;-). I`d like to make you a compliment for your organization, fast answers and friendliness! The luggage transfer worked really well. Almost all B&B were lovely and the people very friendly.

Julia from Germany

We are back home from our walking holiday, what a marvellous experience! Thank you for your great organisation, everything worked without any problems. It was great to arrive at the accommodation and find our luggage already there, often even in our room. All the best, we will definitely be recommending your business!

Julie from Australia

We are now home from our travels and have had time to reflect. What a fabulous holiday. Thank you very much for planning our South West coast walk. It all went very well, the B&Bs were superb, we have no complaints at all. Thanks for organising a memorable walk.

Peter from Sussex

As far as our experience with Walk the Trail was concerned you were always very helpful, you gave good advice and put together an excellent programme that included some very good accommodation along the way. We all thought the holiday was brilliant value for money and, finally, we were all delighted to see our bags had turned up at the end of each walking day without the slightest problem!! All in all we would rate the Walk the Trail experience 10 out of 10. Well done and thank you.

Joan from Australia

Would recommend your organisation to anyone, and will do so. Can't thank you enough for a trouble free adventure.

Roland & Andrea

Thank you very much for our perfectly organised walking holiday. Our baggage was always there when we arrived and all the accommodations were great.

Sasha From Cornwall

Jess (my dog) and I are back after the most wonderful experience! Thank-you all for making it so wonderful, all the B&Bs were comfortable and welcoming and all were brilliant. All in all it was brilliant and very dog friendly. Thank you again and the very best luck for the future with your wonderful company.

Carleen

There is no doubt I loved the walk, arduous at times, but wonderful scenery and always very friendly people. Certainly, I will recommend your company, especially for the convenience and your professionalism (good documents etc.). Cheers.

Trusted Customer

Excellent service | Always friendly and cheerful, no queries too big or too small, very knowledgeable. Always on hand and would highly recommend their services.

Bill Beddows

Once again,very professional, helpful

Jane Thompson

Excellent service!! Great care and attention was given to preparing our holiday. Nothing was too much trouble.

Susan Blandford, UK

Will use again for sure | Booking was easy , everything is arranged for you , everything went brilliantly, places we stayed were great , bags transferred no problem , all the info about the trip was well laid out , also maps were provided , will use walk the trail again for sure

John G.

Every time that I communicated with them they were prompt and clear in their communication. I find I often have to ask 2 or 3 times to get my questions answered fully and with the team at Walk the Trail that wasn't the case.

David Salter

Bespoke walking on South Coast | 4th holiday arranged by Walk the Trail speaks for itself. All of the accommodation was lovely and so were their owners.

Martin & Pauline, UK

Superb. With their expertise we couldn't do these trips without them! | We started the SWCP with Walk the Trail in May 2018 and this was our seventh trip with them. This trip was arranged when the country was in Covid travel restrictions, with the vast majority of people wanting to holiday in the UK and increasing cost of accommodation. The bill from WtT was in line with previous trips and with the same high standard of B&B and Hotels. They are worth every penny taking all the stress out of organising our trips through their expertise in knitting everything together. As always everything ran smoothly, as mapped out in the detailed itinerary; accommodation, transfer of luggage and taxis. They even assisted in our travel from home to the holiday as travelling between Teignmouth and Weymouth by public transport was a particular problem in getting back to our car. Having dealt with the Company for several years now we have built up a friendly relationship and always enjoy the comical banter from Linda. We can't thank them enough for what they do, they make it so easy so we can just enjoy the walking.

David Firth

Everything went smoothly, baggage transfer and pick ups. Accommodation was perfect and I loved the holiday

Trusted Customer

Friendly efficient service from start to finish. Good accommodation and they valued feedback about one B and B.

Trusted Customer

Very good communication pre holiday providing comprehensive information about our walking route.

Tim Roberts

Great final week on SWCP made possible by Walk the Trail | Great planning go if our walk. V helpful in dealing with all our questions and the luggage transfer worked perfectly

Christophe, France

These have been my best holiday in years. Everything was perfectly organized. I am sure I will be back in the future.

Peter Underwood

Everything was done well, you can congratulate yourselves.

Martin Johnson

Walk the Trail do the hard bit, all we have to do is walk and enjoy! | This booking covered the last section of the South West Costal Path and was far from straight forward. We had the Firing Ranges which are only open for walkers at certain times of the week, the mileage we needed to cover on the path would not have taken us a full week and, to some extent, involved consideration in planning the penultimate leg. It was a case of planning the two sections in tandem. With the expert help of Walk the Trail and a few suggestions from us, we arrived at a perfect arrangement. As a final treat, Walk the Trail have said they 'want to make sure we get you somewhere rather amazing for you to celebrate the completion of the Path'. This won't be the end of our association with WtT as we intend to do it all again. It's a beautiful well signposted path, ever changing scenery and landscape. With well over 600 miles it's not something one could ever get bored with!

Phil Maude

This was well organised especially as i changed the itinerary at one point and WTT moved my accommodation as they became aware of a poor location. Very good.

Trusted Customer

Really well organised with no problems. All the accommodation and transfers were great and parking the car at Weymouth was free as the Hotel gave us a permit. Yes I would recommend this holiday.

Peter Wilson

Lovely Walk | Everything was handled smoothly & prompt.

Trusted Customer

Excellent organisation | Excellent organisation of baggage collection, taxi services where required and accommodation. Our only niggle: We would have liked written instructions as to how to find the B&Be rather than a Google map. Also: One hotel in particular was excellent but not geared up for walkers.