The Lawrence of Arabia Trail follows a route near Bovington along country lanes and through leafy woodland and heathland.
This circular trail starts and finishes at Bovington's famous Tank Museum, taking in Lawrence of Arabia's home at Clouds Hill and his last resting place - the cemetery at Moreton.
| Start point: | The Tank Museum at Bovington - postcode: BH20 6JG |
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| Distance: | 6¾ miles but the trail can be split into shorter sections. This route is signposted. |
| Typical time to complete the walk: | 4 hours |
| Accessibility: |
Section 2 (¼ mile) between Moreton and the ford over the River Frome is the most accessible part of the route for wheelchairs/mobility scooters. It is a wide, well surfaced quiet lane. The track to St Nicholas Church is also well surfaced. Parking is on nearby roads. The rest of the route is mostly on a fairly level walk along footpaths or gravel tracks. There are inclines through Moreton Plantation. There are no stiles to climb over on this route. |
| Route leaflet: | You can purchase the leaflet from Clouds Hill (now owned by the National Trust). Alternatively you can download the Lawrence of Arabia Trail leaflet for free. For a copy of the leaflet in large print, please call 01929 557237. |
| Footwear: | Walking boots are recommended all year - wellington boots are better in winter or after heavy rain. |
| Relevant Ordnance Survey map: |
Explorer Map No.OL15 (Purbeck and South Dorset). |
| Public transport: |
Bovington is on bus routes 15 and X55 - download bus timetables. Wool Railway Station (1 ¾ miles from the Tank Museum) is on the London Waterloo to Weymouth line. Traveline South West will help to plan your journey. |
| Parking: | Parking is available at the Tank Museum provided you visit the museum. |
| Facilities and Refreshments: | There is a cafe inside the Tank Museum. There is also a tea room and pub in Moreton. The nearest public toilets are at Wool Railway Station however there are facilities at all the eateries mentioned above providing you make a purchase. |
| Things to do in the area: |
Purbeck cycle rides, Tank Museum, Clouds Hill, Tadnoll and Winfrith Heath Nature Reserves, Monkey World. |
Staying a while in the area? You can find walker-friendly accommodation on the Visit Dorset website.