Classic Jurassic

Enjoy this challenging but scenic Jurassic Coast walk visiting Ringstead Bay and the mysterious Burning Cliff

- Edward Griffiths

At 468ft above sea level, South Down affords some of the best views in Dorset and, from this vantage point, we begin this particularly scenic walk along the world-famous Jurassic Coast. We visit Ringstead Bay where Jurassic limestones form the cliffs that plunge steeply to boulder-strewn beaches. We walk along its pebble beach to admire this spectacular geology close-up before climbing steep steps 160ft up a massive slumped landslip formed by recurring landslides over many centuries. We also visit St Catherine by the Sea Church above Burning Cliff where another landslip caused oil and gas in the Kimmeridge Clay to spontaneously combust in 1826 and remain smouldering for three years, hence the name. Then we follow the South West Coast Path along cliff-tops to the Cretaceous chalk high spot of White Nothe with its tempting but treacherous Smugglers Path to the beach 540ft below.

THE WALK