Ballard Down

#1842 among destinations in the United Kingdom

Nature, Natural attraction, Hill

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Facts and practical information

Ballard Down is an area of chalk downland on the Purbeck Hills in the English county of Dorset. The hills meet the English Channel here, and Ballard Down forms a headland, Ballard Point, between Studland Bay to the north and Swanage Bay to the south. The chalk here forms part of a system of chalk downlands in southern England, and once formed a continuous ridge between what is now west Dorset and the present day Isle of Wight. Old Harry Rocks, just offshore from the dip slope of the down, and The Needles on the westernmost tip of the Isle of Wight, are remnants of this ridge. The scarp slope of the down faces south, over Swanage, meeting the sea as Ballard Cliff. ()

Elevation: 531 ftProminence: 213 ftCoordinates: 50°37'53"N, 1°57'49"W

Location

EnglandUnited Kingdom

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Day trips

Ballard Down – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Old Harry Rocks, Tilly Whim Caves, Swanage Town Hall, Fort Henry, Dorset.

1.9 miNE
Unique rock formation along coast
Old Harry Rocks, Swanage
49 min walk • Old Harry Rocks are three chalk formations, including a stack and a stump, located at Handfast Point, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, southern England. They mark the most eastern point of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2.7 miS
Nature, Natural attraction, Cave
Tilly Whim Caves
69 min walk • Tilly Whim Caves, situated on the picturesque Dorset coast in the United Kingdom, offer visitors a glimpse into the region's rich geological and historical tapestry. These caves, now a popular tourist attraction, were originally part of a limestone quarry dating back...
1.6 miS
City hall
Swanage Town Hall, Swanage
41 min walk • Swanage Town Hall is a municipal building on Swanage High Street in Dorset. Constructed by the local building contractor George Burt in 1882–83, it reused materials salvaged from demolition works in London. The façade was rescued from London's 17th-century Mercers' Hall and the external clock is dated to 1826.
1.2 miNE
Museum
Fort Henry, Dorset
30 min walk • Fort Henry is a Grade II listed World War Two observation bunker overlooking Studland Bay, in Dorset. It was built in 1943 to defend the bay from possible German invasion along with other beach defences such as gun emplacements, Type 25 pill boxes and concrete Dragon’s Teeth anti-tank obstacles.
2.5 miS
Forts and castles
Durlston Castle
65 min walk • Durlston Castle stands within Durlston Country Park, a 1.13 square-kilometre country park and nature reserve stretching along the coastline south of Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.
1.8 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Cave
Parson's Barn
46 min walk • Parson's Barn is a large sea-level cavern below the Ballard Point cliffs, between Studland and Swanage bays in the English Channel.
2.7 miS
Lighthouse
Anvil Point
70 min walk • Anvil Point is part of the Jurassic Coast on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England. It is within the grounds of Durlston Country Park and is about 3 kilometres from Swanage town centre. Anvil Point Lighthouse is located on the point.
2.5 miS
Park
Durlston Country Park
64 min walk • Durlston Country Park is a 320-acre country park and nature reserve stretching along the coast of the Isle of Purbeck on the outskirts of Swanage in Dorset, England.
3.8 miN
Hiking trail, Hiking
Bournemouth Coast Path, Bournemouth
96 min walk • The Bournemouth Coast Path is a 20-mile-long footpath through Dorset and Hampshire, England from Sandbanks to Milford-on-Sea. The path follows the coastline and goes through Bournemouth, Boscombe, Southbourne, Hengistbury Head, Mudeford and Highcliffe.
1.6 miS
Piers and boardwalks
Swanage Pier, Swanage
42 min walk • Swanage Pier is a Victorian pier which extends into the southern end of Swanage Bay near the town of Swanage, in the south-east of Dorset. It was built in 1895 for passenger ship services.
2.7 miS
Lighthouse, Vernacular architecture
Anvil Point Lighthouse
70 min walk • The Anvil Point Lighthouse is a fully-automated lighthouse located at Durlston Country Park near Swanage in Dorset, England. It is owned by Trinity House and currently operated as two holiday cottages.