WALKS IN DORSET

Walks in Dorset: Introduction | Coney's Castle | Champernhayes Woods | Lambert's Castle | Langdon Wood and Golden Cap | Morcombelake to Charmouth | Pilsdon Pen

Coney's Castle

Coney's Castle is one of a number of impressive iron aged hill forts in west dorset and can easily be accessed from either the A35 or B3165.

• Location: Latitude: 50.773666N Longitude: 2.891996W
• Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 116 (ISBN 0-319-23536-X) Scale: 1:25 000
• Grid Reference: SY373977
• Walk Distance: Less than 500m (Allow half and hour)
• Rating: Easy
• When to Go: Late April/Early May (for the Bluebells); Otherwise any summers day

INFORMATION

This Iron age hill fortress is managed by the National Trust. There is a small car park to the Northern end of the fort just off Long Lane. As always don't leave anything in your car that you don't want to be stolen. The car park contains an information panel which details some of the castle's history and wildlife.

From the car park you can walk around either the rampart or inside the ditch which are both beautiful at the end of April/beginning of May when the bluebells are out. Once you come to the other end (south) of the fort you can walk back to where you started by continuing the loop either by walking back over the grassy top or by crossing the road and walking along the western edge of the fort which affords spectacular views across to Champernhayes woods.

THINGS TO DO

Coney's castle is a great place to have a picnic during the summer months. I would recommend the field on the western side of the road (the opposite side to the car park).

WILDLIFE

The resident wildlife includes Birds of Prey, Deer, Foxes, and also Badgers. Badgers and Foxes are often best viewed in the late evening or early morning. There is an active Badger set at the bottom of the western ramparts.

GEOCACHING

There is a Geocache located at Coney's Castle. You will need a GPS and to log on to the geocaching website for the clues and location.

PHOTOGRAPHY

You can get some great photographs of the Bluebells in late April and Early May. You are best advised to bring a tripod. You may also get some great photographs of the sun setting from the western side of the fort and some early morning landscapes looking east over the Marshwood Vale.

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT NEAR BY

Lambert's castle hill fort lies just to the North of Coney's Castle. You could even try walking over the top of Lambert's Castle and into Marshwood village to visit the Bottle Inn. Champernhayes woods are only a short walk or drive away.

Other walks include: Introduction | Coney's Castle | Champernhayes Woods | Lambert's Castle | Langdon Wood and Golden Cap | Morcombelake to Charmouth | Pilsdon Pen

LINKS

• The National Trust - Coney's Castle is managed by the National Trust.
• The Met Office - Check out the weather for Coney's Castle.
• Wiki Article on Coney's Castle

MAP

To get directions to and from Coney's Castle car park please click on the icon and follow the instructions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This page was written by Jonathan Tolhurst while job hunting in the summer of 2008. The page was last updated in August 2008.

If you would like to contribute further information regarding this or any other walk please contact me for further information. If you like my work you might like my CV.

You are free to use any photograph on this page for non commercial purposes as long as you acknowledge the photographer. Please contact me if you would like to use my photographs for commercial use.

ENGLAND 2008 PHOTOGRAPHS

Quick links to all my recent photographs: Shave Cross Inn | Lyme Regis | Week Ending 30 June 2008 | Tolhurst Family Photographs | Week Ending 06 July 2008 | Week Ending 13 July 2008 | Bristol | Cinderford and Kingsland | Week Ending 20 July 2008 | Week Ending 27 July 2008 | Loughborough | Week Ending 03 August 2008 | Weymouth | Week Ending 10 August 2008 | Basingstoke | Week Ending 17 August 2008 | Exeter | Week Ending 24 August 2008 | Candles on the Cobb | Week Ending 31 August 2008 | Tolhurst Family Portraits 1 | Tolhurst Family Portraits 2 | Week Ending 07 September 2008 | Fishpond | Week Ending 14 September 2008 | Clifton | Churches in Bristol | SS Great Britain and Bristol Waterfront | Week Ending 21 September 2008 | West Bay and Charmouth | Colmer's Hill and Bridport | Week Ending 28 September 2008 | Portland Bill | Church Ope Cove | Week Ending 05 October 2008 | Marrakesh (1) | Marrakesh (2) | Week Ending 12 October 2008 | Random Objects | Week Ending 19 October 2008 | Stonehenge | Week Ending 26 October 2008 | Avebury | Week Ending 2 November 2008 | Week Ending 9 November 2008 | Week Ending 16 November 2008 | Holly's 5th Birthday | Week Ending 23 November 2008 | Week Ending 21 December 2008 | Week Ending 28 December 2008 | London Portraits