List of hills of Dorset
# List of hills of Dorset

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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Bulbarrow Hill | 274 | 141 | ST777055 | HuMP, sub-Marilyn | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Rawlsbury Camp, Iron Age hill fort. Paragliding site. |
| Telegraph Hill | 267 | 121 | ST644050 | HuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Paragliding site. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Lyscombe Hill | 262 | 100 | ST738029 | HuMP | Telegraph Hill | Dorset Downs | Hill fort on Nettlecombe Tout (N spur) |
| Watts Hill | 262 | 69 | ST673036 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Just above Minterne Parva and E of the A352 Dorchester to Middlemarsh road |
| Lambert's Castle Hill | 258 | 121 | SY370988 | HuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Blackdowns | Site of Lambert's Castle - Iron Age hill fort |
| Bell Hill | 258 | 50 | ST800082 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Nr Turnworth, 5 miles W of Blandford Forum. Paragliding site. |
| Eggardon Hill | 252 | 117 | SY546944 | HuMP | Telegraph Hill | Marshwood & Powerstock Vales | Western extremity of the South Dorset Downs. Hill fort Paragliding site |
| Toller Down | 252 | 96 | SY518031 | TuMP, sub-HuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Just SW of A356 near Corscombe |
| Ball Hill | 251 | 74 | ST721034 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Above Folly (paragliding site), 9 miles N of Dorchester. |
| 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. |
| Black Down | 242 | 78 | SY611876 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | South Dorset Downs | Site of the Hardy Monument. 2 km NE of Portesham. |
| West Hill | 224 | 63 | ST566042 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | SW of Evershot, near the A 37 |
| Coney's Castle | 222 | 17 | SY371979 | Unclassified | Lambert's Castle Hill | Blackdowns | Iron Age hill fort at SY372975 (ca. 210 m or 205 m) |
| Drackenorth | 221 | 60 | SY532985 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | 3 km NNE of Powerstock on the Jubilee Trail |
| 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. |
| Bubb Down Hill | 217 | 40 | ST592060 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Just E of A 37, about 10 km S of Yeovil |
| 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. |
| Warren Hill | 215 | 51 | SY526994 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | Location of Hooke Park |
| Blackdown Hill | 215 | 34 | ST395038 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Blackdown Hills | 8 km SW of Crewkerne, just NW of Pilsdon Pen |
| Conegar Hill | 214 | 47 | ST439032 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Yeovil Scarplands | 500 m N of Broadwindsor |
| Waddon Hill | 213 | 35 | ST448015 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Marshwood & Powerstock Vales | Site of old Roman fort (Waddon Hill Fort, 207 m) near Beaminster. |
| Payne's Down | 211 | 62 | ST385012 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Marshwood & Powerstock Vales | 10 km ENE of Axminster |
| Bookham Knoll | 211 | 43 | ST702046 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Downs | 1 km SE of Buckland Newton |
| Duncliffe Hill | 210 | 96 | ST826226 | TuMP, sub-HuMP | Win Green | Blackmore Vale | Iron Age hill fort site. |
| 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. |
| Hardown Hill | 207 | 154 | SY405942 | Marilyn | Lewesdon Hill | Marshwood & Powerstock Vales | One of Dorset's 4 Marilyns. |
| Seaborough Hill | 204 | 80 | ST429071 | TuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Yeovil Scarplands | 2 km SW of Crewkerne on the Somerset-Dorset border |
| Nine Barrow Down | 199 | 152 | SZ007811 | Marilyn | Lewesdon Hill | Purbeck Hills | One of Dorset's 4 Marilyns. Views of Poole Harbour. |
| Ridgeway Hill | 199 | 107 | SY914817 | HuMP | Swyre Head | Purbeck Hills | |
| Chardown Hill | 194 | 68 | SY396936 | TuMP | Hardown Hill | South Dorset Downs | Dorset coast, E of Charmouth. Stonebarrow Hill is its SW spur. |
| 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. |
| Hambledon Hill | 192 | 131 | ST845125 | HuMP | Win Green | Cranborne Chase | Prehistoric hill fort site. Tumulus on summit. |
| Golden Cap | 191 | 63 | SY384934 | TuMP | Hardown Hill | South Dorset Downs | Highest point on the south coast of England. |
| 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. |
| Bindon Hill | 168 | 94 | SY839802 | TuMP, sub-HuMP | Lewesdon Hill | South Dorset Downs | Dorset coast, immediately E of Lulworth Cove |
| The Verne | 147 | 140 | SY692737 | HuMP | Lewesdon Hill | Isle of Portland | Summit occupied by HM Prison, Verne |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Colmer's Hill | 127 | 35 | SY440936 | TuMP | Hardown Hill | Marshwood Vale | The local hill of Symondsbury. Obvious summit. |
| Corfe Hills | 78 | 2 | SY998966 | None | Lewesdon Hill | Dorset Heaths | Poole's county top, i.e. highest point in Poole unitary authority. |

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:

* Gore Hill (265 m), Dorset Downs, SW spur of Telegraph Hill
* Higher Melcombe Hill (262 m), Dorset Downs, possibly alternative name for Lyscombe Hill
* High Stoy (260 m) - Dorset Downs, NE spur of Telegraph Hill
* Nettlecombe Tout (258 m) - N spur of Lyscombe Hill with a hill fort.
* Weston Hill (250 m, ST504045 (est.)), NW extension of Toller Down ridge on A356
* Beaminster Down (244 m, ST493033), flanks of the Toller Down ridge, NE of Beaminster
* Ayles Hill (240 m, ST612007 (est.)), outlier of Telegraph Hill by A 37. Celtic field system. Spelt "Ayles's Hill" on OS Landranger map.
* White Way Earthwork (218 m, SY556917), N of A 35 X with 2 minor roads, nr Litton Cheney, 18 km W of Dorchester, S spur of Eggardon Hill.
* Stonebarrow Hill, SW spur of Chardown Hill.
