Lewesdon Hill

County – Dorset

Elevation - 271m

Date – 31 July 2022

Distance – 10km

Elevation Climbed 333m

Status – 12th highest Unitary Authority top; 23rd highest historic county top

There's something a bit special about Dorset; the rolling hills, the proximity to the sea, the winding roads and picturebook villages; the Enid Blyton/Thomas Hardy parts of it all.

All this was in full, verdant abundance on a Sunday afternoon as I took a detour en route to Exeter to go Topping. I parked in the village of Broadwindsor (aforementioned picturebook...) and wandered down a winding road (tick!) towards Pilsdon along the Monarch's Way. This is a 1000km footpath which apparently follows the route Charles II took to escape from England following his defeat in the Battle of Worcester (he must have gone the long way round); there's a cottage in Broadwindsor where it's claimed he spent the night.

But I was headed towards the old hillfort of Pilsdon Pen, and its sensational views over the English Channel, Axe Valley and Jurassic Coast. Long considered the highest point in Dorset - and used by sailors as a navigation aid alongside Lewesdon Hill (now known to be the true peak) called the "Cow and Calf", it's a wonderful spot with huge earthworks in situ and the blue Channel shimmering below.

I must have been blown away by it as I then proceeded to get very lost on my way to Lewesdon Hill; even with the GPS going I was confused by a litany of footpaths and wheat fields, and ended up adding several unnecessary km to my journey. Not to worry, it was a beautiful day.

Eventually I found the route up Lewesdon Hill. Unlike Pilsdon it's heavily wooded so there's not much to see from the top not even a trig)

After finding the peak I wandered down the hill through the pretty countryside back to the car.