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All the United Kingdom England Dorset Holloways of Dorset

Holloways of Dorset

These ancient sunken lanes were naturally tunneled into the soft ground by countless footsteps.

Dorset, England

Added By
Meg Neal
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An overgrown sunken road/green way in Symondsbury, Dorset.   James Hackland / Alamy
An overgrown sunken road/green way in Symondsbury, Dorset.   James Hackland / Alamy
An ancient Holloway shaded by trees. A sunken lane eroded deeper over centuries by the footsteps of travelers and their animals.   Andrew Wood / Alamy
The over 300-year-old drovers road strangely called Hell Lane.   Anthony Vosper / CC BY-SA 2.0
Sunken lane near Symondsbury, Dorset.   N Chadwick / CC BY-SA 2.0
Holloway at Little Covert, Bradford Abbas, Dorset.   Nigel Mykura / CC BY-SA 2.0
A delightful name for what turns into a dark and dingy holloway!   Becky Williamson / CC BY-SA 2.0
Hell lane nr Symondsbury in 2020   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Sunken lane near Sandford Orcas, Dorset.   Nigel Mykura / CC BY-SA 2.0
The northern part of Quarr Lane where it runs as a sunken track past the house of Dymor through light woodland toward Sandford Orcas Road.   Graham Horn / CC BY-SA 2.0
Sandstone carving in the side of the Holloway   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Another carving in Hell lane.   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Amazing track through the trees   charleyspoons / Atlas Obscura User
Tall cliffs and carvings in the rocks   charleyspoons / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Criss-crossing the bucolic county of Dorset in southern England are tunnel-like roads that have been naturally sunken by countless footsteps over centuries of repeated use.

These extremely well-trodden paths are often called holloways, from the Old English word “hola weg” meaning sunken road. They are a little-known treasure of the English countryside, found in parts of the world with long histories and soft rather than rocky ground, like the chalky sandstone on the English Channel coast.

Most of the ancient highways are between 300 and 3,000 years old, dating as far back as Roman times or even earlier. They would have started as drovers' roads or pilgrims’ paths, worn down by year after year of human feet, hooves of horses and cattle, and wheels of carts heading to market. In storms the ditches would have filled with flowing water, further eroding the trench-like path until its hollowed out shape resembled more of a gorge than a road. 

In some places, the holloways in Dorset have receded as much as 20 feet below the land on either side. Trees rise up from the banks flanking the overgrown narrow path, sometimes reaching toward each other to form an almost storybook canopy over the road, appearing like a tunnel through the thick greenery.

The recessed thoroughfares of Dorset cross from the coast heading to the north, inland toward North Chideock and Symondsbury villages in west Bridport. They were likely used to transport goods to and from the ships in the harbors. One especially deep, 300-year-old holloway is called “Hell Lane” despite its rather charming appearance in certain parts. It was nearly forgotten until it was explored and photographed by Robert Macfarlane for his book Holloway, along with other sunken lanes of Dorset. 

Many holloways are now abandoned as roads, too narrow to be traveled on wheels. But they are still used as walking paths by locals in the know. Others, such as the trench-like roads in parts of France, were used as shelters in World War I and II. It’s fascinating to stroll through the ancient paths today and wonder about the comings and goings of the unfathomable number of human footsteps that carved them out of the Earth. 

Related Tags

World War Ii Roads Ancient Nature History Wwi Animals Forests Transportation Botanical Tunnels Ecosystems Military

Know Before You Go

The map coordinates are for the Hell Barn Cottages located near one end of Hell Lane in the village of North Chideock in west Dorset.

However, there is easier free car parking at Symondsbury Estate. Follow the signs to Colmers Hill, but turn right onto the track rather than crossing it as directed.

Community Contributors

Added By

Meg

Edited By

grahamrdell, charleyspoons, MorrisD45

  • grahamrdell
  • charleyspoons
  • MorrisD45

Published

November 13, 2017

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Sources
  • https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/holloways-roads-tunneled-into-the-earth-by-time
  • https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2013/may/23/1
  • https://orionmagazine.org/article/going-to-ground-britains-holloways/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunken_lane
  • https://thedorsetrambler.com/2015/02/20/holloways-and-sunken-paths-the-mysterious-ancient-highways/
Holloways of Dorset
Hell Lane
Dorset, England
United Kingdom
50.74135, -2.81951
Get Directions

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dorset

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