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Spyway
Towering sea cliffs and grasslands rich in wild flowers
Langton Matravers, near Swanage, Dorset, BH19 3HG
- Car park
Parking charges apply (5am-7pm): Cars: £4 all day. Minibus: £7 for 4 hours, £14 for 8 hours. Free to National Trust members - please scan your card in the machine. Max stay 8 hours. Overnight parking or camping is not permitted.
- Dogs allowed
Access to the car park is via a rough track which may not be suitable for all vehicles and parking is limited. There is level access to Spyway Barn. Access to the cliffs is via steep, uneven and sometimes muddy paths. There is no mobile reception from the coast.
- Steps/uneven terrain
- By road
What 3 words location: ///field.twinkled.plays B3069 to Langton Matravers, then follow Durnford Drove, signposted to Langton House. Continue along single track road on the right to Spyway car park.
Parking: Gravel carpark with limited unmarked spaces. In peak seasons an overflow grass car park is available.
Sat Nav: Postcode BH20 3HG
- By bus
Morebus no.40, Poole to Wareham and Swanage. Alight Langton Matravers High Street/Durnford Drove and follow signs to Langton House. Continue along single track road on the right to Spyway car park.
Planning your visit
Article
Visiting Spyway with your dog
Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome at Spyway all year round. Find out more about where you can go and how you can help care for this protected landscape when visiting with your dog.
Highlights
Dancing Ledge
Centuries of stone quarrying have left their mark in the form of sea quarries like Dancing Ledge, popular for both picnics and adventure sports.
The South West Coast Path
Walk this route for spectacular views of the Jurassic Coast world heritage site as far as Portland, Dorset's southernmost point.
Wildlife spotting
A small colony of puffins nests in the limestone cliffs each spring, while butterflies and rare orchids hide among the rich grassland habitat.
Things to see and do
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Things to do at Spyway
Discover towering sea cliffs, scramble down to Dancing Ledge, stride out on a walk along the South West Coast Path, and walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs.
Article
Spotting puffins at Spyway
The puffin is one of Britain’s best loved birds and if you’re really lucky you might catch a glimpse of them at Spyway, where a small colony return each year.
Top trails
Activity
Walking at Spyway
Discover towering sea cliffs and rolling countryside at Spyway. Stroll along the clifftops or head inland to one of Dorset’s best-loved pubs.
Trail
South Purbeck cliffs walk
Sea views, former quarries and grassland rich in wildlife are some of the highlights on this bracing six-mile circular walk across South Purbeck cliffs.
Trail
Spyway sea saunter
Follow this flat, circular walk across rich grasslands for some dramatic sea views. There's a detour to the striking Dancing Ledge and a chance to see local wildlife.
Places to stay
Weston Farm Campsite
A simple campsite in a meadow just off the South West Coast Path, with walks inland to the Purbeck hills or to Chapman’s Pool on the Jurassic Coast.
Spyway
On a working farm not far from the sea, this cosy and contemporary, dog-friendly cottage has bags of charm and a great garden building.
Boar Mill Cottage
A former bakery, this intriguing and cosy cottage sits close to Corfe Castle with walking trails all around.
Middlebere Farmhouse
A picture-perfect thatch cottage with modern rustic interiors, close to Poole Harbour.
North Cottage
A cosy cottage attached to the larger farmhouse, with views of open heath and woodland.
Seaview
With views over Studland Bay, this former tennis pavilion makes a quirky holiday escape.
Greenlands
At the edge of Poole Harbour, with green fields all around this 1940s cottage has views to Brownsea Island.
Groom's Cottage
In the shadow of Corfe Castle, this former groom’s cottage is a quirky retreat in a historic village.
Upcoming events
Sorry, there are no upcoming events at this place
About Spyway
A distinctive limestone landscape on the South Coast where sea birds soar and rare orchids hide among rich grasslands.
Centuries of stone quarrying have left their mark in the form of sea quarries like Dancing Ledge, popular for both picnics and adventure sports.
Footpaths and bridleways criss-cross farmland marked out with traditional dry stone walls.
The South West Coast Path affords spectacular views of the Jurassic Coast world heritage site as far as Portland.
Latest news
News
Ragwort - a feast for pollinators
Ragwort is a UK native plant and its golden daisy-like flowers bloom all summer in gardens, verges, grassland and meadows. It provides food for many insects. So why does ragwort get so much bad press?
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Last piece of coastal jigsaw now under our care
Thanks to generous donations, we have managed to acquire a strip of coastal grassland in Purbeck, with the aim of restoring nature and improving access for walkers.
News
Decline of puffin colony still perplexes
Despite extensive footage from remote cameras last year, the reason for the decline of the puffin colony near the National Trust’s Dancing Ledge in Purbeck remains a mystery.
News
Bever fever hits Purbeck
Two pairs of beavers have been released into the wild at Little Sea, Studland, under licence from the government. It was the first licence of its kind to be issued in England
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Amplifying nature’s chorus in Purbeck
We have launched an exciting project to amplify nature's chorus across Purbeck. The National Trust is restoring areas of wood pasture, a prime habitat for our much-loved songbirds.
News
Farming for nature in Purbeck
With major changes to government subsidies for farmers, the National Trust in Purbeck is supporting its tenants to ensure they can run financially sustainable businesses while also helping restore nature.
News
Glowing report for Weston Farm
Few things are more magical than the sight of glow-worms lighting up our hedgerows on summer evenings. And thanks to the help of volunteers, we can see that numbers of these enigmatic creatures are growing in some areas of Purbeck.
News
Butterflies soar at Studland
One dazzling, one deliberately drab…populations of two very different species of butterfly have soared on our heathland in Studland.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Spyway.