- Difficulty
- Easy
Easy
- Start
- Abbotsbury
- Finish
- Ferrybridge (Weymouth)
- Length
- 11.3 miles (18.2 km)
- Summary
The South West Coast Path climbs inland slightly from the historic village of Abbotsbury, passing woodland and open, rolling fields until dropping to follow the West Dorset Heritage Coast along the shores of the Fleet Lagoon to Ferry Bridge. This section of the Jurassic Coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the views of Chesil Beach and the Fleet are truly unique. Stories of a past of smuggling and wrecking add another level to the rich history of the area, and a reference to this is seen in the Moonfleet Manor Hotel (a good spot for refreshments) named after
J.M. Falkner’s novel Moonfleet in which he describes a lake of brackish water full of “sea-fowl, herons, and oysters ... shut off from the open Channel by a monstrous great beach or dike of pebbles”. Continue on a peaceful walk along the edge of the Fleet, passing a couple of areas of MOD land, until finally reaching urban landscapes on the edge of Weymouth and Ferry Bridge, which marks the beginning of the route across to the rugged Isle of Portland.
- Public Transport
The nearest train station is Weymouth. There is also a mainline train station in the cathedral city of Exeter. The Jurassic Coast X53 runs from Exeter to Abbotsbury and continues on to Langton Herring, Chickerell, Charlestown and Weymouth. For timetable information, zoom in on the interactive map and click on the train station and bus stop symbols, visit Traveline or phone 0871 200 22 33.
- Nearest car park
Abbotsbury and Ferrybridge.
- Nearest toilets
Abbotsbury and Ferrybridge.
- Nearest refreshments
There are pubs inland at Langton Herring and at the end of the journey at Ferrybridge. Just beyond Gore Cove is The Moonfleet Manor Hotel and Restaurant which offers refreshments and you may also find facilities at the holiday centre at Lynch Cove. There are many other shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs in and around Weymouth.
