Corfe Castle village is a great place to explore history and wildlife of Dorset. There are good facilities in the village – parking, bus service, cafes, shops and toilets. From Corfe Castle you can catch the steam train to Swanage or stop at Purbeck Park to hire bicycles and explore Purbeck on two wheels.
Corfe Castle has all you could possible want from a visit to the Dorset countryside! The enigmatic Castle ruins sit up high above the village and can be seen from all around. The It towers over the quaint village, with traditional cottages and complete with tea rooms. The village sits on the edge of Corfe Common which is great for a peaceful walk, teeming with wildlife. Corfe Castle is also a good starting point to explore the Purbeck area by foot, bus, steam train or bicycle!
Explore the Castle: You will see the ruins of the medieval castle as you approach the Corfe Castle – it sits on a small hill overlooking the village. The Castle will give you an insight into 1000 years of Dorset history, though please note there is a fee to enter the Castle ruins but free to National Trust members. You can still enjoy the Castle without going in though – there is a well surfaced path from the National Trust car park and bus stop round the back of the Castle which gives really good views of the Castle itself. Pop into the Castle View Visitor Centre for a visitor map, toilets and small cafe for hot drinks.
Walking: Corfe Common is easily accessible from the village. Its open, unimproved grassland is home to a variety of wildlife including the endangered electric blue southern damselfly, with great views of the Castle as a backdrop. You can download the walk from the National Trust website. Or for a more strenuous walk, head up to the Purbeck ridge for fantastic views across Purbeck. Walk as far as Swanage and catch the steam train or bus back, or turnaround whenever you want, for excellent views of Corfe Castle on the way back.
Steam train: Catch the steam train to Swanage, from Corfe Castle. The heritage line has stations at Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross as well as a halt at Herston, on the outskirts of Swanage. There are refreshment buffets at Norden and Swanage stations with picnic tables at most of the stations so you can soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a picnic.
Cycling: If you want to explore the local countryside on two wheels, stop off at Purbeck Park near Corfe Castle to hire a bike. Cyclexperience have a bike hire hub here (seasonal) and a free route app to make navigating the local trails easy, both on and off road. Cycle to the beaches at Studland, the market town of Wareham, the RSPB Nature Reserve at Arne or up and over the hills for panoramic views of Purbeck. Mountain bikes or modern electric bikes available.
Explore the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve: Purbeck is often referred to as the wildlife capital of England and was the first landscape-scale National Nature Reserve in England. The lowland heathland, saltmarshes and coast are all wonderful places for wildlife and you can explore these from Corfe Castle, which sits on the northern edge of the National Nature Reserve. Find out more about the wildlife and great places to explore on the Purbeck Heaths website.
Corfe Castle can get very busy in the summer and at weekends so here are some options for getting there:
