Maiden Castle

This is a fabulous Iron Age fort that has various walking tracks up and around it. Best to keep dogs on a lead nearer the higher ridges as there are sheep grazing. There are lovely views of the surrounding countryside and Dorchester to the north. Come in from the south and visit the gorgeous church in the hamlet of Winterborne Monkton. The church is really worth a visit. Open at the weekend after 9am.

Dramatic Iron Age hillfort, one of the largest of its type in Europe, free to visit and well managed by English Heritage. A reasonably sized free parking area is situated a short distance from the base of the hillfort. The paths are quite clearly marked, though unsurfaced, so take care if visiting after rain. It takes a good 20 minutes to fully explore the site and complete a full circuit of the ramparts. On a clear day, the walk to the top is rewarded with impressive views over Poundbury and the surrounding countryside. Sheep graze the site to control the grass, so dogs must be kept on leads. Information boards around the site explain more about its history and features, though some of these had been damaged by sheep when I visited in April 2025.

This is a really stunning site not just a visit history but also to visit some of the wildlife. I saw a wonderful apex predator bird flying and doing it's thing for some 15 minutes and was just mesmerised. I tried to get some picture of the bird, not sure if anyone can make out what it is from them. This is very calm and peaceful place (can be best to dress for windy conditions though) and I feel incredibly grounded here.

Good for a walk. Amazing views. There is no shop or store so bring your own food and drink. Car park was small. Weekdays it's fine. It's a good place to visit.

Historical place with beautiful countryside views. Well behaved sheeps outside the fence as well

Beautiful and energetic place, lots of historical secrets, it's quite high, and it was challenging for me to walk on the left side of the hill. I definitely recommending main path 😁

One of the best hillforts you will see. As you walk around the edge of it with big drops on one side its easy to see for miles around. There's a pit hidden there with numerous stones used for sling shots. A lovely place to walk. If you take a dog have it on a lead because of the sheep.

Visited October 2025. Small car park with free parking. Quiet, nice walk up the hill. The place is signposted with useful and interesting literature concerning the history of the castle. Be careful, can get slippery in winter/Autumn months even if its not raining, due to condensation. Easy walk. A good 2/3 hours would be more than enough. Also I would recommend getting a picnic while you admire the views of sheep meadows, fileds and the town in the distance.