Dorset

A nature walk at West Bexington

With heather and shrubs in the foreground, looking east, over fields and hedges and the sea beyond the clifftops, to Golden Cap, with Chesil Beach and Portland in the distance — Looking east towards Golden Cap, with Chesil Beach and Portland | © National Trust Images/David Noton

Take this circular route through the fields and along the Jurassic Coast. Along the way, discover an area rich in wildlife and history, watch the waves crashing on the shingle bank of Chesil Beach, and admire the sweeping view east and west from Lime Kiln hill.

Near to

Hive Beach

Start point

West Bexington Beach car park, Beach Road, Puncknowle, West Bexington, Dorset DT2 9DG. Grid ref: SY530864.

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 2.5 (km: 4)

Duration 50 mins

Dog friendly***

*Generally easy with one long ascent. Walking boots advised. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome on leads and under control. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Address
West Bexington Beach car park, Beach Road, Puncknowle, West Bexington, Dorset DT2 9DG. Grid ref: SY530864.
Directions via Google Maps
On foot
The South West Coast Path runs the length of the Jurassic Caast and passes through car park at start of walk.
South West Coast Path
By bus
Number X53, Bridport-Dorchester-Weymouth. Alight at the Bull Inn at Swyre and walk about 1 mile (1.6km), or request a stop along B3157 at Tulks Hill and join the walk from there.
Cycling
National Cycle Network route 2 passes a few miles away.
Sustrans
By road
Take B3157, Bridport to Abbotsbury, and follow to West Bexington.
Total stages: 6
Total stages: 6
Start point
West Bexington Beach car park, Beach Road, Puncknowle, West Bexington, Dorset DT2 9DG. Grid ref: SY530864.
Stage 1
From the car park take the South West Coast Path to the left (east) and follow it onto Chesil beach.
Chesil Beach
On the beach look out for wild carrot and wild parsnips. Sea kale also grows here, edible in spring. Pebbly, shingly Chesil Beach stretches for 18 miles (29km) between West Bay and Portland. Pebble sizes vary from fist-sized, near Portland, to pea-sized at West Bay, near Bridport. For much of its length Chesil Beach is separated from the mainland by the salt water Fleet Lagoon, home to fish, sea anemones and sea grasses, as well as the famous Abbotsbury Swannery.
Stage 2
Continue along the beach on the coast path and, after the field with the large house in it, turn left and through a gate into the next field. Carry on straight up the field and through a couple of field gates.
Stage 3
Pass Labour in Vain farm, which has a building dating from the 1860s. Continue straight on past the farm (on your right) and through the next field gate. Walk across the field, heading for the isolated stone barn you can see at the top of the field.
Look out for the yellowhammer | © National Trust Images/Derek Hatton
Stage 4
Turn left after the barn and follow the track across the field to the top of Tulks Hill.
Stage 5
Continue west along the path to the site of a limekiln on your left. Carry on past the lime kiln and follow the path along the top of the hill and to a field gate in the corner of the field. From here you can see the sweeping view of Lyme Bay. Turn left down an old trackway and follow Donkey Lane down into West Bexington.
Stage 6
Return to the car park on the track through West Bexington.
End point
West Bexington Beach car park, Beach Road, Puncknowle, West Bexington, Dorset DT2 9DG. Grid ref: SY530864.
Trail map
Map route for West Bexington nature walk | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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A rear view of a walker on the South West Coast Path, with views along the Jurassic Coast, runs through Burton Bradstock

Trail

Hive Beach coast path walk

Take in panoramic views from Golden Cap in the west, the highest point on the south coast, to Chesil Beach leading to Portland Bill, with abundant wild flowers.