Stonebarrow walk on the Golden Cap Estate
The Golden Cap Estate is made up of rolling hills, pastoral fields, sunken lanes, ancient hedgerows and dramatic coastline. The whole estate lies within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This walk includes a section of the South West Coast Path along the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
Map
Elevation
Start:
Stonebarrow car park, grid ref: SY382933
1
The Stonebarrow shop and information centre is housed within an old radar station. From the shop, turn left and head for the clump of pine trees at the end of the car park.
2
Turn right before the trees and follow the fingerposts for Westhay Farm, passing by Monument Copse. The grassland on Stonebarrow is home to lots of butterflies like the small bordered fritillary and the common blue.
Medieval Stonebarrow
Westhay Farm was once part of a settlement dating back to the medieval period. The term 'Hay' is common in West Dorset and means an enclosure. In this area, the patchwork pattern of fields has been preserved and the traditional methods of farming have encouraged a plethora of wildlife including butterflies and many varieties of orchid.
3
From here you can take a short detour into Monument Copse which marks the spot where local squire Robert Hilliard died in 1876. Continue through the hay meadows to Westhay Farm, given to us in 1961. This was the first land obtained by the National Trust in the area now known as the Golden Cap Estate.
4
Turn right and head uphill to the next set of fingerposts, then turn left along the smugglers path. The next fingerpost should be signed Charmouth. Turn right and go up a few steps, then turn left and go up some more steps.
Ancient trackways
At the end of the 19th century, the main route from London to Exeter crossed the parishes of Chideock, Stanton St Gabriel and Charmouth. The sloping, unstable geology of Stonebarrow hill created difficulties for road builders, forcing them to try three different routes between Morecombelake and Charmouth.
5
At the top of the steps, turn left for Charmouth and walk to Cains Folly. There was once a Second World War radar station here.
The old radar station
The old radar station, made of concrete and brick, was built by the Ministry of Defence in the 1950s as part of the Cold War defences. It's now used as a bunkhouse for our working holiday groups. It enjoys a fantastic elevated position on Stonebarrow hill with magnificent views across Lyme Bay, including Golden Cap, Chesil Beach and Portland Bill. The ruins of a Second World War radar station that collapsed during a landslide in the 1970s can be found nearby.
6
Continue up the hill and turn right before the kissing gate, through the squeeze and follow the marker back to the Stonebarrow car park.
End:
Stonebarrow car park, grid ref: SY382933
