Old Harry Rocks — Local services in England

Old Harry Rocks are a pair of chalk stacks close to Handfast Point about 2 miles north east of Swanage and 1 miles east of Studland. Old Harry lies at the eastern edge of the Isle of Purbeck and is the start of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The headland is a part of Ballard Down which is owned by the National Trust. A bridleway along the cliff edge between Studland and Swanage gives stunning views of Old Harry and the surrounding area. On a clear day you can see east towards Dorchester and west to the Isle of Wight and Christchurch. A National Trust car park next to the Bankes Arms Country Inn in Studland makes a good starting point for walkers and cyclists wanting to visit Old Harry Rocks. Old Harry Rocks were created through thousands of years of erosion by the sea and were originally a part of the chalk ridge-line that runs across the south coast joining up with the Needles on the Isle of Wight. The chalk ridge was formed approximately 65 million years ago when the area was under a shallow sea. Calcium deposits from sea creatures dying and falling to the sea bed slowly built up over millions of years to create the chalk ridge and plate tectonics brought the chalk up above the sea level before the last ice age. Rising sea levels at the end of the last ice age combined with erosion channelled out the chalk ridge creating the Solent and Old Harry in the process. The chalk stacks and surrounding cliffs are constantly eroding with regular cliff falls along the coastline between Studland and Swanage. The small stack next to old Harry is often referred to as Old Harry’s Wife. Old Harry’s original wife fell into the sea in 1896 but erosion has since formed a new small stack which has become known as Old Harry’s Wife. The outcrop of land next to Old Harry is known as No Man’s Land. The name Old Harry is believed to refer to the devil who legend says once had a sleep...

Unique chalk cliff formation. An iconic location along the Jurassic coast, few miles away from Durdle door. Isle of wight and it’s needles park can be seen straight ahead from the pointed corner. If accessing via public transport, take 50 breezer from Bournemouth bus stand A. Get down at Heathland house and follow map directions. There is a direction board at the junction close to bus stop. Google map will show getting off point as Beach road. But if you get down at the next stop, access is easier. From there, after walking few hundreds of meters along the paved by road, start of the foot path can be found. Toilets are available here. 1 mile walk to old harry rocks. Bus has to cross the shell bay on a ferry. Just a 5 min crossing on a chain ferry but for the entire process it takes about 20 mins. So bus takes about 1 hr 15 mins from Bournemouth. Please note that It takes more time for ferry if there is a long queue if returning in the afternoon, may be 2 hrs to reach Bournemouth. Buses are there every half an hour all day till evening. They are double deckers with open upper floor. If accessing by car, need to turn at beach road. There is a car park with a coffee shop and toilets. Foot path from the car park joins the same 1 mile foot path. Only a few places are there around Bournemouth station to eat and drink. On sundays after 5.00 pm almost all the coffee shops in the station and around, and ASDA near the station are closed. There are two vending machines on platforms. There is a paid (25p per 500ml) water dispenser just outside...

Old Harry Rocks on the Isle of Purbeck is the legendary local landmark. Start your visit by crossing the entrance to Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks' Ferry. Park the car or bike in the National Trust car park by the western ferry terminal then walk the beach south on Shell Bay to the view of Bournemouth and Poole in the east, the Isle of Wight in the south, and Old Harry Rocks in the west.

It is your choice to return to the car park directly or walk west as far as the nudist beach before turning your gaze and direction north to cross the dunes to the main road leading back east to your car. It is a fantastic loop full of biome variety. The strange men popping up and down in the dunes are nothing more than an amusing hysterical distraction from the fundamental beauty of the place.

Follow the signs for Studland and park besides the pub. If you get to the Swanage turn off you have gone too far. It is then 1 mins walk to the top. Listen for skylarks they are common here. The wild flower meadows contain rare British orchids.

If you are not in love with everything at this point then you are a hardened dead soul. This is a...