The best walks and hikes around Bincombe

Cut right into the limestone of Osmington Hill, the Osmington White Horse is a massive, 280-foot-long hill figure that has been watching over the Dorset coast since 1808. Unlike most chalk horses, this one features a rider: King George III on his favorite charger, Adonis. The King loved vacationing in nearby Weymouth, so local residents carved it to honor him. However, local legend says the design backfired. Because the horse is depicted riding away from the town, the King supposedly took it as a passive-aggressive hint that he wasn't welcome and never came back.

The shut-down property near Bowleaze Cove is the iconic Riviera Hotel, a Grade II listed art deco landmark. Built between 1936 and 1937 by architect Lionel Stewart Smith, its striking white-and-blue modernist design features two long, curved accommodation arcs flanking a central square tower. The 98-room hotel has a rich history, serving as a wartime hospital for US forces in WWII before operating as a popular Pontins holiday camp from 1958 until 2000. After decades of changing ownership, it fell into severe neglect and was added to the Twentieth Century Society’s "Buildings at Risk" register in 2023. The site is currently closed to the public and fenced off. While hit by structural issues—including severe storm damage to its ballroom roof—its current owners, the Diyafa Group, have been undertaking a long-term refurbishment project to rescue the historic coastal venue from decay.

The Spice Ship is a historic, Grade II listed pub dating back to circa 1840, located in the coastal village of Preston near Osmington. The pub uniquely features a centrally located double-sided bar that creates distinct zones: a casual, dog-friendly front bar area perfect for watching sports, and a separate, family-friendly restaurant to the rear. Known for serving hearty British pub classics—ranging from mixed grills to their highly popular Sunday roasts with homemade Yorkshire puddings—it caters effortlessly to both locals and holidaymakers. Outside, visitors can enjoy a large, sun-trap beer garden complete with a children's play area. Local lore adds to its charm, with the pub famously rumoured to be home to the 200-year-old ghost of a Portuguese sailor. It serves as a fantastic, welcoming stop-off just a 20-minute stroll from Bowleaze Cove.

Standing at the top of Osmington Hill, you are treated to breathtaking, panoramic vistas that seamlessly blend rolling English countryside with the dramatic Jurassic Coast. Looking southward toward the coast, the glistening waters of Weymouth Bay and the expansive Portland Harbour dominate the horizon. On clear days, you can spot the distant, rugged silhouette of Portland Bill stretching out into the English Channel, often framed by white yachts or large cruise ships gliding across the water. Turning your gaze inland, the view opens up over the idyllic, patchwork green fields of the Dorset National Landscape. Directly below, the charming thatched roofs of Osmington village come into focus, with the historic tower of St Osmund’s Church peeking through the tree line. It is a spectacular 360-degree vantage point showcasing the very best of Dorset.

Cut right into the limestone of Osmington Hill, the Osmington White Horse is a massive, 280-foot-long hill figure that has been watching over the Dorset coast since 1808. Unlike most chalk horses, this one features a rider: King George III on his favorite charger, Adonis. The King loved vacationing in nearby Weymouth, so local residents carved it to honor him. However, local legend says the design backfired. Because the horse is depicted riding away from the town, the King supposedly took it as a passive-aggressive hint that he wasn't welcome and never came back. Over the years, it has been a target for playful pranks—even getting a temporary plastic unicorn horn in 2011. It is a fantastic landmark to spot while driving along the A353 road or while enjoying a breezy hike on East Hill.

East Hill is a prominent chalk ridge rising above Osmington in the Dorset National Landscape. Part of the South Dorset Ridgeway, it sits adjacent to White Horse Hill. Popular with hikers, its elevated trails offer spectacular, panoramic views across the Jurassic Coast and Weymouth Bay.

This is the Osmington Hill White Horse, not the Cerne Abbas Giant.

The Victorian Water Pump in Osmington, Dorset, is a charming cast-iron relic that offers a rare glimpse into 19th-century village life. During the mid-1800s, Osmington relied heavily on a localized water network. Fresh water was piped directly into the village from a pumping station located in the nearby neighbouring hamlet of Sutton Poyntz. To serve the local community, three public water pumps were originally erected along the village squares and roadsides. Residents would walk to these communal hubs to fetch their daily supply. Today, this particular structure is the only surviving pump of the original trio, making it a rare and historically significant landmark. Thanks to dedicated local preservation efforts, the historic artefact was beautifully restored by residents. Situated right at the start of a scenic footpath leading toward Sutton Poyntz, it stands as a proud testament to rural Victorian engineering.