Walk 3 - Ballard Down

More of a climb, but spectacular views in all directions once you’re there: you can either return directly to the village, or go along the ridge to the Obelisk: about 70 minutes out, 35 minutes back by the direct route, or 60 via the obelisk
(or catch a bus).

Local Walks
Agglestone
Old Harry Rocks
Ballard Down
Swanage
Little Sea
Fishing Barrow
Rempstone Forest
Ower Quay
Corfe Castle

The pleasantest route to Ballard Down is via Handfast Point, as described in Walk 2. From Old Nick’s Ground, continue to the right along the clifftop path. To your left, gulls and cormorants, and more chalk pinnacles; to your right, skylarks sing far overhead. In the summer, there is a good chance of seeing butterflies here: painted ladies, red admirals and peacocks.

Go on until you reach Ballard Point, and Swanage comes into sight: from this distance an enchanting view on a clear summer’s day. Continue along the path as it veers upwards and slightly to the right to a group of tumuli and an Ordnance Survey triangulation point.

In fact you could have reached the same point slightly more directly, but more tediously, by taking the path that forks to the right and climbs fairly steeply just after the gate that you can see conspicuously ahead of you as you ascend the path beyond Old Nick’s Ground. Either way, you now have spectacular views in every direction: east to the Isle of Wight, south to Swanage, west to Wareham, and north to Studland and beyond that to Sandbanks, Poole and Bournemouth.

The path continues along the entire length of Ballard Down - a delightful walk on springy downland turf. About half a mile on is a sort of cross-roads, with a path to Swanage branching half left, and another back to Studland diagonally back to the right across the fence, next to a rather splendid stone seat. If you decide to return now, follow this path steeply down to the Glebeland Estate, an immaculate oasis of suburbia that you see straight ahead of you: the path joins a small but richly hedged road that turns to the left, and skirts the estate. After passing a farm on the left, it arrives at a junction with a stone cross, of which the base is Saxon. Carry on upwards and half left, and you will join the main Studland road.

If on the other hand you want to see more of Ballard Down, continue along the ridge path another mile or so and you will reach the Obelisk - originally a gas lamp standard from the City of London! - set up in 1892 to mark the provision of Swanage’s first municipal water supply. From here there is a steep path down to the right that leads to the Swanage-Studland road. Walking back along the road to Studland from here is tiresome and hazardous, but a bus passes at approximately half past the hour on weekdays (ten minutes to each hour on Sundays and public holidays), that can be flagged down and will deposit you outside Knoll House in eight minutes; alternatively, summon a taxi.

Conversely, this obelisk path provides a good way of getting to Ballard Down, if you take a bus from K.H; though steep, it’s over relatively quickly and the return walk is then sheer bliss.