|
Car parking is available on the left side of the road before it starts its descent into Kimmeridge village. The area is cut into the rocks and provides space for about 20'ish cars. (Grid Ref 918800) |
|
|
From the car park, turn left and proceed down the
road. Avoiding the turn off left at the tight right hand bend,
continuing down to the small village high street. At the end of the small row of
cottages opposite the thatched Post Office/Cafe, take the footpath off
right. (Signposted for Kimmeridge Bay and the Sea.) |
 |
| The
easy-to-follow path passes through fields to join a metalled road.
Turn right and continue a short distance to where the road goes right
along the cliff . Here, the South West Coast Path is joined. (photo: View across Kimmeridge Bay to Clavel Tower.) |
 |
| Turn left and follow the signed path along the cliffs of
Kimmeridge Bay. The path passes some cottages on the left and through
a grass parking area. Near the end of the car park, turn right dropping down a
narrow path, signposted to The Quay. Almost level with the Quay,
take the steep path on the left that climbs up to Clavel Tower.
(signposted) (Caution is required along the cliff path as there is
serious erosion of the cliff into the sea) (photo: View west across Kimmeridge Bay.) |
 |
| (photo: Looking back along the South West Coast Path to Clavel Tower) |  |
| Continue past Clavel Tower, following the South West Coast
path along the cliff top. The path is fenced on the left, with
rather nasty drops to the sea/rocks on the right. No possibility of
getting lost here! The path is undulating as it tracks the cliff
top. Ignore the stile leading up to Swyre Head just past Rope Lake
Head. Soon, inland, can be seen the prominent Obelisk at the head of
a valley. (photo: Now where did this train use to travel to .........?) |
 |
| (photo: Looking ahead along the path with St Alban's Head in the distance) |  |
| The path soon drops low to reach a small
waterfall into the sea. Cross the bridge and continue up a steep
side to the top of Houns-tout Cliff. On a clear day there is
excellent views from the top east to St Alban's Head, and west back down
the route. (photo: Waterfall cascading into the sea) |
 |
| From the top of the cliff, take the footpath
inland heading north. The path follows a dry-stone wall to reach a
gate at the entrance to Keeper's Lodge wood. (photo: Looking west across the valley to Swyre Head) |
 |
| Pass through the gate and follow the wide
track. Tracks lead off but all have large green signs warning of
Private Land. Soon the track becomes three, with a fingerpost
indicating the right track and footpath to Kingston. Follow this
track until the metalled road just before Kingston village. Turn
left and follow the road for just under a mile until a small parking area
on the left. (photo: Looking back across to the high point of Houns-tout Cliff.) |
 |
| Go through the stone gate pillars at the
parking area, through a metal gate, to join a track heading southwest
towards Swyre Head. The wide track climbs gently to the viewing
mound of Swyre Head. From the view point, head northwest to a gate
in the wall. (photo: The Obelisk seen earlier from the coastal path.) |
 |
| Pass through the gate and follow the track
along the edge of fields as it tracks over Smedmore Hill. The track
soon starts to drop to meet a road. Turn left at the road, then
straight left to reach the car park ...... and the start of the walk.. (photo: Kimmeridge Bay and Clavel Tower from Smedmore Hill.) |
 |