Badbury Rings is a popular spot for locals and visitors in Dorset. The iron age hill fort holds a host of wildlife and a vast history dating back thousands of years.
The terraced ascending circles and tree-lined peaks offer fantastic photography opportunities and an interesting walk.
Visitors can explore this ancient monument and chalklands and admire the breathtaking views at the top, and on clear days, you can see as far as the Isle of Wight.
Badbury Rings is one of many hill forts in Dorset; others include Hod Hill, Eggardon Hill, Hambledon Hill and more.
The pathways around the area are easy to navigate, and reaching the top will take you around 327 feet above sea level, offering panoramic views and a tranquil setting for picnics and times to reflect.
Situated in Shapwick, between Blandford Forum and Wimborne, Badbury Rings is part of the Kingston Lacy estate, the ancestral home of the Bankes family.
The family discouraged the investigation of the land, so the area was full of mystery for centuries.
When Sir Henry John Ralph Bankes passed away in 1982, the estate was passed on to the National Trust.
The history of Badbury Rings dates back as far as 500 BC, and some evidence dates back to the Bronze Age, but it is best known as an Iron Age hill fort.
The three rings are man-made ditches that are 20 feet in depth and were used by the residents to defend themselves from attack.
Many different tribes would have lived in the Iron Fort, and by the end of the Iron Age, the area became depopulated.
The Romans were thought to have arrived at Badbury Rings in 43 AD. However, it wasn’t inhabited for long as a new Roman-British settlement, Vindocladia, began developing nearby.
The rings then became disused except for the flora and fauna that still live there today.
Excavation began in the area shortly after it was passed on, and many artefacts were found to suggest that there was civilisation amongst the rings.
Pottery, silver and bronze coins, glass beads, bronze pins and bracelets were found.
As well as a vast history that is still steeped in mystery there has also been a number of ghostly sightings in Badbury Rings.
Tales of phantoms and wounded warriors have been reported. Legend also has it that King Arthur was buried in a gold coffin within the rings and now haunts the site as a raven.
Marching men, foreign voices and clashing metal have also been recorded.
Another phenomenon is a series of crop circles appearing in the land during the summer of 2024. Many photographers and media fled to the area to grab breathtaking photos of the intricate patterns and to solve the mystery of where they came from.
You can visit Badbury Rings and imagine what life was like thousands of years ago or see if you can witness any ghostly sightings.
No matter the reason for your visit, you’re sure to enjoy the countryside surroundings, amazing views and the wildlife within the area. Suitable footwear is advised, and dogs on leads are welcome.
Click here to discover a Kingston Lacy, Badbury Rings walk on Alltrails.
📍 Blandford Rd, Shapwick, Blandford Forum DT11 9JL
