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List of hills of Dorset facts for kids

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This is a list of hills in Dorset. Many of these hills are important historical, archaeological and nature conservation sites, as well as popular hiking and tourist destinations in the county of Dorset in southern England.

Colour key

Class Prominence
Marilyns 150 – 599 m
HuMPs 100 – 149 m
TuMPs 30 – 99 m
Unclassified 0 – 29 m

The table is colour-coded based on the classification or "listing" of the hill. The two types that occur in Dorset are Marilyns, HuMPs and TuMPs, listings based on topographical prominence. "Prominence" correlates strongly with the subjective significance of a summit. Peaks with low prominences are either subsidiary tops of a higher summit or relatively insignificant independent summits. Peaks with high prominences tend to be the highest points around and likely to have extraordinary views. A Marilyn is a hill with a prominence of at least 150 metres or about 500 feet. A "HuMP" (the acronym comes from "Hundred Metre Prominence) is a hill with a prominence of at least 100 but less than 150 metres. In this table Marilyns are in beige and HuMPs in lilac. The term "sub-Marilyn" or "sub-HuMP" is used, e.g. in the online Database of British and Irish Hills to indicate hills that fall just below the threshold. To qualify for inclusion, hills must either be 200 metres or higher with a prominence of at least 30 metres, below 200 metres with a prominence of at least 90 metres (the threshold for a sub-HuMP) or be in some other way notable. For further information see the Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles and the individual articles on Marilyns, HuMPs and TuMPs. By way of contrast, see also the article listing Tumps (a traditional term meaning a hillock, mound, barrow or tumulus).

The county top (i.e. highest point) of Poole unitary authority is not strictly in the county of Dorset, but is included for interest because it falls within Dorset's historic county boundary.

List of hills

Hill Height (m) Prom. (m) Grid ref. Class Parent Range/Region Remarks Image
Lewesdon Hill 279 185 ST437012 Marilyn Staple Hill, Somerset Marshwood & Powerstock Vales Dorset's county top.

One of Dorset's 4 Marilyns.
Iron Age hill fort.

Track to Stoke Knapp Farm from Chart Knolle - geograph.org.uk - 1232636.jpg
Pilsdon Pen 277 83 ST413011 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Marshwood & Powerstock Vales Dorset's second highest summit.

For many years thought to be Dorset's highest point.
Iron Age hill fort.

Pilsdon.jpg
Bulbarrow Hill 274 141 ST777055 HuMP,

sub-Marilyn

Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Rawlsbury Camp, Iron Age hill fort.

Paragliding site.

Bulbarrow Hill and Balmers Coombe Bottom - geograph.org.uk - 57825.jpg
Telegraph Hill 267 121 ST644050 HuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Paragliding site. Telegraph Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1120127.jpg
Melbury Hill
(Melbury Beacon)
263 66 ST873197 TuMP Win Green Cranborne Chase Near Melbury Abbas.

Trig point on summit
National Trust wood on western flank above A 350.

View from Melbury Beacon - geograph.org.uk - 358553.jpg
Breeze Hill 262 20 ST899204 Unclassified Win Green Cranborne Chase Striking ridgeline above Zig Zag Hill near Melbury Abbas

with sweeping views over Blackmore Vale
W (Dorset) end of Win Green ridge

Clump on Breeze Hill - geograph.org.uk - 620319.jpg
Lyscombe Hill 262 100 ST738029 HuMP Telegraph Hill Dorset Downs Hill fort on Nettlecombe Tout (N spur) Lyscombe Bottom near Higher Melcombe 1 - geograph.org.uk - 466403.jpg
Watts Hill 262 69 ST673036 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Just above Minterne Parva and E of the A352 Dorchester to Middlemarsh road Watts Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1180197.jpg
Lambert's Castle Hill 258 121 SY370988 HuMP Lewesdon Hill Blackdowns Site of Lambert's Castle - Iron Age hill fort Lambert's Castle 1.jpg
Bell Hill 258 50 ST800082 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Nr Turnworth, 5 miles W of Blandford Forum.
Paragliding site.
Bell Hill - geograph.org.uk - 373443.jpg
Eggardon Hill 252 117 SY546944 HuMP Telegraph Hill Marshwood & Powerstock Vales Western extremity of the South Dorset Downs.

Hill fort
Paragliding site

Eggardon Hill from southwest.JPG
Toller Down 252 96 SY518031 TuMP, sub-HuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Just SW of A356 near Corscombe Toller Down - geograph.org.uk - 558588.jpg
Ball Hill 251 74 ST721034 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Above Folly (paragliding site), 9 miles N of Dorchester. Ball Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1322619.jpg
Dogbury Hill 248 13 ST660051 Unclassified Watts Hill Blackmore Vale Hill fort site nr Minterne Magna on the A 352

NW spur of Watts Hill.

Countryside near Minterne Magna - geograph.org.uk - 1120453.jpg
Black Down 242 78 SY611876 TuMP Lewesdon Hill South Dorset Downs Site of the Hardy Monument.
2 km NE of Portesham.
Hardy's Monument - geograph.org.uk - 1022562.jpg
West Hill 224 63 ST566042 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs SW of Evershot, near the A 37 West Hill Evershot from the W.JPG
Coney's Castle 222 17 SY371979 Unclassified Lambert's Castle Hill Blackdowns Iron Age hill fort at SY372975 (ca. 210 m or 205 m) Coney's Castle - geograph.org.uk - 475966.jpg
Drackenorth 221 60 SY532985 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs 3 km NNE of Powerstock on the Jubilee Trail Signpost - Mount Pleasant - geograph.org.uk - 1284313.jpg
Rampisham Down 219 8 ST544014 Unclassified Toller Down Dorset Downs By A 356, about 12 km NW of Dorchester.

SE extension of Toller Down ridge.
Former transmission site for BBC World Service.

Rampisham Down - geograph.org.uk - 560820.jpg
Bubb Down Hill 217 40 ST592060 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Just E of A 37, about 10 km S of Yeovil Batcombe Hill - geograph.org.uk - 912239.jpg
Abbotsbury Castle 215 20 SY555866 Unclassified Black Down South Dorset Downs Iron Age hill fort site.
Trig point at summit.

Part of Black Down ridge.

Abbotsbury Castle from Tulks Hill - geograph.org.uk - 758981.jpg
Warren Hill 215 51 SY526994 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs Location of Hooke Park Burnt Bottom - geograph.org.uk - 558820.jpg
Blackdown Hill 215 34 ST395038 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Blackdown Hills 8 km SW of Crewkerne, just NW of Pilsdon Pen Pasture land, north of the B3164 - geograph.org.uk - 971123.jpg
Conegar Hill 214 47 ST439032 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Yeovil Scarplands 500 m N of Broadwindsor Blagdon Hill - geograph.org.uk - 659099.jpg
Waddon Hill 213 35 ST448015 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Marshwood & Powerstock Vales Site of old Roman fort (Waddon Hill Fort, 207 m) near Beaminster. Waddon Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1030076.jpg
Payne's Down 211 62 ST385012 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Marshwood & Powerstock Vales 10 km ENE of Axminster Headwater valleys of the Blackwater - geograph.org.uk - 478348.jpg
Bookham Knoll 211 43 ST702046 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Dorset Downs 1 km SE of Buckland Newton Horse Close Wood Alton Common - geograph.org.uk - 669595.jpg
Duncliffe Hill 210 96 ST826226 TuMP, sub-HuMP Win Green Blackmore Vale Iron Age hill fort site. Duncliffe Hill 20071031.jpg
Swyre Head 208 150 SY934784 sub-Marilyn, HuMP, TuMP, Clem Lewesdon Hill Purbeck Hills On Dorset coast E of Durdle Door.
Tumulus on summit.
Paragliding site.
Swyre Head from St Aldhelm's Head.JPG
Hardown Hill 207 154 SY405942 Marilyn Lewesdon Hill Marshwood & Powerstock Vales One of Dorset's 4 Marilyns. Hardown Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1184418.jpg
Seaborough Hill 204 80 ST429071 TuMP Lewesdon Hill Yeovil Scarplands 2 km SW of Crewkerne on the Somerset-Dorset border Farmland around Axe River Valley from Seaborough Hill - geograph.org.uk - 556007.jpg
Nine Barrow Down 199 152 SZ007811 Marilyn Lewesdon Hill Purbeck Hills One of Dorset's 4 Marilyns.
Views of Poole Harbour.
Nine Barrow Down.jpg
Ridgeway Hill 199 107 SY914817 HuMP Swyre Head Purbeck Hills Ridgeway Hill from Povington Hill.JPG
Chardown Hill 194 68 SY396936 TuMP Hardown Hill South Dorset Downs Dorset coast, E of Charmouth.

Stonebarrow Hill is its SW spur.

Chardown Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1454478.jpg
Creech Barrow Hill 193 38 SY921823 TuMP Swyre Head Dorset Heaths One of Dorset's most distinctive landmarks.

Highest point of the Heaths.
Largest Tertiary hill in England.
Site of round barrow.

Creech Barrow - geograph.org.uk - 1334661.jpg
Hambledon Hill 192 131 ST845125 HuMP Win Green Cranborne Chase Prehistoric hill fort site.
Tumulus on summit.
Hambledon Hill 20080926.jpg
Golden Cap 191 63 SY384934 TuMP Hardown Hill South Dorset Downs Highest point on the south coast of England. Golden Cap from Charmouth - geograph.org.uk - 1184579.jpg
Chaldon Hill 178 90 SY783812 (est.) sub-HuMP Lewesdon Hill South Dorset Downs Dorset coast, W of Swyre Head and Lulworth Cove.
Tumulus at summit.
Old Navigation Beacon Chaldon Down - geograph.org.uk - 1529123.jpg
Bindon Hill 168 94 SY839802 TuMP, sub-HuMP Lewesdon Hill South Dorset Downs Dorset coast, immediately E of Lulworth Cove East end of Bindon Hill from Arish Mell gap - geograph.org.uk - 222057.jpg
The Verne 147 140 SY692737 HuMP Lewesdon Hill Isle of Portland Summit occupied by HM Prison, Verne Seaward side of The Verne - geograph.org.uk - 432967.jpg
Maiden Castle 134 39 SY671884 TuMP Lewesdon Hill South Dorset Downs Largest hill fort in Britain
2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) south west of Dorchester.
Aerial photograph of Maiden Castle, 1935.jpg
Hambury Tout 134 35 SY815802 TuMP Lewesdon Hill South Dorset Downs Dorset coast, immediately W of Lulworth Cove.
Most popular route to Durdle Door.
Trig point at summit; tumuli nearby.
OS Landranger map gives ht as "134 (138)" metres.
Hambury Tout from hills above Lulworth Cove - geograph.org.uk - 432348.jpg
Colmer's Hill 127 35 SY440936 TuMP Hardown Hill Marshwood Vale The local hill of Symondsbury.
Obvious summit.
Colmer's Hill.jpg
Corfe Hills 78 2 SY998966 None Lewesdon Hill Dorset Heaths Poole's county top, i.e. highest point in Poole unitary authority. Mobile Phone Mast, Corfe Hills School. - geograph.org.uk - 370775.jpg

Footnotes:

1. Ferranti's Summit Listings by Relative Height does not list Ridgeway Hill but suggests that the highest point of this stretch of the Purbecks is Povington Hill (198 m, drop 107 m). However, the current Ordnance Survey Landranger map (No. 194) agrees with Jackson (2009), which gives Ridgeway Hill as the highest point in the area at 199 m (drop 107 m).

2. The following summits listed by the North Dorset Ramblers have been omitted from the table as they are considered sub-peaks or alternative names of hills in the main list:

See also

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List of hills of Dorset Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.