In ancient times the chalk ridge from the Purbeck Downs
stretched right across to the Isle of Wight. The sea gradually
eroded the ridge and created the Isle of Wight and the Needles, the
remaining stumps of the ridge which stretch out from the island to
the sea. Old Harry Rocks are the mainland equivalent of the
Needles.
Parking is available in the National Trust car park at
N 50° 38.538 W 001° 56.901 (SZ037826) near
the Bankes Arms in Studland. Charges apply 15 March to 27
October (free to NT members). You're charged according to the
time of year and the time of day that you arrive, not how long
you park for (cheapest after 4pm, no-one on duty after 5pm). The
cache is 1 mile from the car park (follow the signs to Old
Harry). Click here for a map.
Access to the cache is via a woodland walk off the main path to
Old Harry. In the spring the wood is filled with the smell of wild
garlic. When we placed the cache in 2002 the clearing in the wood
used to be kept neatly mown but it's now allowed to grow wild. In
the summer we recommend you approach the cache through the trees
rather than the clearing to avoid the nettles and thistles. If you
find yourself on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence there's a
kissing gate into the wood close by so don't try and climb the
fence!
The cache is a 2.4 litre tupperware box and was last restocked
on 21 May 2008. Don't feel obliged to take anything but please
leave something of similar value if you do. All our trade items are
new and cost around £1 each.
While you're here why not collect the trig point number for our
Purbeck Triple Trig Point Teaser cache! The
trig point is 1 mile further along the coast path from Old
Harry. From the trig point continue along the ridge for 1 mile
until you reach a stone seat and then turn right to return to
Studland via the Glebeland Estate. This is a lovely circular
walk (4 miles altogether from the car park) giving fantastic
views of Poole Harbour and Swanage.
