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Portesham, Hardy Monument & the Hell Stone: guided walk in Dorset
Climb from Portesham to the Hardy Monument on Black Down, an old Armada beacon site with views over the Channel, find the Neolithic Hell Stone and walk past Bronze Age burial mounds on Bronkham Hill.
- Distance6.6 miles (10.7 km)
- TimeFull day with lunch
- DifficultyModerate
- TypeHalf Day
- StartPortesham village
- PriceFrom £200 (private guided walk)
The terrain
- A steady climb out of the village on field paths and tracks.
- Woodland and heath on Black Down, lovely with bluebells in spring.
- Open ridge walking on grass, with big skies and few trees.
What you'll see
- Hardy Monument. Built for Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, Nelson's flag captain at Trafalgar, not the novelist.
- The Hell Stone. A Neolithic burial chamber of great stone slabs, over 5,000 years old.
- Bronkham Hill. A line of Bronze Age barrows along the ridge.
- Channel views. From Portland round to Lyme Bay on a clear day.
From walkers who've been with us
“The views around Hardy's Monument were spectacular — an inspiring walk, excellent company and a wonderful cause to support. The rain stayed away and the sea views were glorious.”
“A wonderfully organised walk combining beautiful scenery, expert guiding and great company, all while raising money for a fantastic cause. I'm definitely coming again.”
Walk it with a local guide
Every WildBoots walk is led by a qualified Mountain Leader with outdoor first aid training. Book it as a private guided walk for your own group, or join one of our small group walks. Dogs are welcome on most walks.