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 | Bluebell Photographs (2009 Season)

PILSDON PEN

Pilsdon Pen is one of a number of impressive iron aged hill forts in west Dorset and can easily be accessed from the B3164.

• Location: Latitude: 50.804796N Longitude: 2.83311W
• Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 116 (ISBN 0-319-23536-X) Scale: 1:25 000
• Grid Reference: SY414009
• Walk Distance: Less than 2km (Allow an hour)
• Rating: Moderate (Initial steep climb from car park)
• When to Go: Summertime

INFORMATION

This Iron age hill fortress is managed by the National Trust. There is a small car park on the B3164 at the base of the southern end of the pen. As always don't leave anything in your car that you don't want to be stolen.

From the car park you need to carefully cross the road an follow the path up the hil to the triangulation point. At 277 metres this point affords great views in almost every direction. There is an information panel which details some of the pens's history and wildlife. You can follow the ramparts around in a circular loop around this rather amazing fortress.

THINGS TO DO

Pilsdon Pen is popular with picnic groups and dog walkers. Dog should be kept under close control during the lambing season or when there are animals grazing. The other activity that seems popular is the flying of radio controlled planes and gliders. Pilsdon Pen is also on the route of two long distance walks: The Wessex Ridgeway and The Jubilee Trail.

WILDLIFE

Pilsdon Pen once housed a medieval rabbit warren, the outlines of which can still be seen from the air. Rabbits are everywhere and the rabbits attract the buzzards. Foxes may also be encountered.

PHOTOGRAPHY

There are great views in almost every direction from the top of Pilsdon Pen - no wonder it was such a great site for a fort. Given the right conditions you may be able to experiment with some landscape photography.  

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT NEAR BY

Shave Cross is signposted from the Pilsdon Pen car park. Marshwood is not far up the road too the west whilst the village of Broadwindsor is just up the B3164 to the west. 

Other walks include: Introduction | Coney's Castle | Champernhayes Woods | Lambert's Castle | Langdon Wood and Golden Cap | Morcombelake to Charmouth | Pilsdon Pen | Bluebell Photographs (2009 Season)

LINKS

• The National Trust - Pilsdon Pen is managed by the National Trust.
• The Met Office - Check out the weather for Pilsdon Pen.
• Wiki Article on Pilsdon Pen

MAP

To get directions to and from Pilsdon Pen 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: Rebekah and Tim's Wedding (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 1 (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 2 (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 3 (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 4 (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 5 (2010) | Lands End to John o Groats 6 (2010) | Bluebells and Family Fun (2010) | The Big Paddle (2010) | Spring (2010) | Thailand 2 (2010) | Thailand 1 (2010) | Fishpond in Winter (2010) | Tolhurst Family Christmas Celebrations (2009) | The Plough Inn | GWH Christmas Party Photographs (2009) | November in England (2009) | Tolhurst Family Photographs (October 2009) | Cirencester | Cannington Viaduct | Emily Roy's Birthday Weekend | Bristol Balloon Fiesta (2009) | Inverness (2009) | Trans-Scotland Canoe Trip (2009) | Fort William (2009) | Edinburgh (2009) | Tolhurst Family Photographs (January-June 2009) | World Nettle Eating Championship (2009) | David and Yvonne's Wedding (2009) | David's Stag Weekend (Porthcawl) (2009) | Plymouth, Saltash and Truro (2009) | Bluebell Woods (2009) | Fishpond Bottom | Swindon (2008-2009) | Gloucester | Bath Spa | Dorset's Jurassic Coast | Avebury | Stonehenge | Marrakesh (2008) | Bristol (2008) | Candles on the Cobb (2008) | Weymouth and Portland (2008) | Tolhurst Family Photographs (September-December 2008) | Tolhurst Family Photographs (June-August 2008) | My Australian Family | Joe Dryburgh | Canberra (2008) | Goosepond's Croc Photographs (2008) | Tipi Photographs (2007) | Whale and Dolphin Photographs (2007) | Tully River Rafting (2007) | Lundy Island Photographs (2006) | Percy Island Island Photographs (2005) | Sarina Beach Photographs (2005) | Boating Accident (2005) | East Coast Australia Kayaking Photographs (2004) | Trekking in the Wet Tropics Photographs (2004) | Sydney Photographs (2004-2008) | Clowning Around Photographs (2004-2009) | My Canine Friends (2001-2009) | Bird Photographs (2001-2009) | My Music | Making News