Maiden Castle

Maiden Castle is an enormous Iron Age hillfort outside Dorchester, where successive banks and ditches reshape the outline of the hill. Its defences began around 2,400 years ago and once enclosed a community of hundreds, with newly cut white chalk making the ramparts especially visible across the surrounding landscape. Today the scale is best appreciated by following the paths over and between the earthworks. Reviewers often highlight the views and the effort involved in imagining how such extensive defences were made. Download the official digital guide before exploring, as some interpretation panels have been damaged. Dogs must stay on leads because sheep graze the site. The exposed hillside has no shelter, and chalk paths can be slippery, so bring suitable footwear and weather protection; the ramparts are unsuitable for wheelchairs.