Top 7 Natural Monuments around Membury

If you’ve hauled yourself up to the ramparts of Lambert’s Castle, congratulations! You are currently standing on an Iron Age "penthouse" with a view that makes most postcards look like blurry thumbprints. Looking south toward the coast, the landscape does a dramatic drop-and-roll toward the English Channel. Here is the lowdown on the two big celebrities you’re staring at: 1. Golden Cap: The Gilded Giant Dominating the horizon is Golden Cap, the highest point on the South Coast of England. The Look: It’s basically a massive, flat-topped wedge of rock that looks like nature tried to bake a giant loaf of bread and then gave it a glowing, golden crust. The Vibe: From Lambert’s Castle, you can see exactly why it got its name. When the sun hits that upper layer of Greensand, it glows like a pirate’s treasure chest. Fun Fact: At 191 meters (627 feet), if you were standing on top of it, you’d be higher than any other cliff-dweller in southern England. From up here on the hill, it looks like the ultimate finish line. 2. Thorncombe Beacon: The Dramatic Sidekick Just to the east of Golden Cap sits its slightly shorter, but equally moody sibling, Thorncombe Beacon. The Look: It’s got that classic "dinosaur spine" silhouette. It’s part of the same rollercoaster of cliffs that makes the Jurassic Coast look like it’s trying to jump into the sea. The Vibe: It feels a bit more "wild and windy." Historically, this was part of a chain of fire beacons used to warn everyone that the Spanish Armada was coming to ruin the weekend. The Perspective: From your vantage point, you can see the deep "V" of the Seatown valley tucked between the two peaks, looking like a perfect little green cradle.

From the summit of Lambert’s Castle Hill (258m), you are treated to one of the most celebrated panoramas in Dorset. Looking eastward across the sprawling Marshwood Vale, Pilsdon Pen and Lewesdon Hill stand out as the two most prominent landmarks on the horizon. The View of Pilsdon Pen Appearance: From Lambert's Castle, Pilsdon Pen (277m) is easily identified by its distinctive "flat-topped" profile. It is an Iron Age hillfort and was long thought to be the highest point in Dorset. Perspective: It sits approximately 4.7km (just under 3 miles) to the east-northeast. Because the Marshwood Vale drops away between the two hills, Pilsdon Pen appears as a massive, brooding green rampart rising sharply from the valley floor. Detail: On a clear day, you can clearly see the triple-dyked earthworks that ring its summit. The View of Lewesdon HillAppearance: Located just slightly south of Pilsdon Pen, Lewesdon Hill (279m) is the true "County Top" (the highest point in Dorset). Unlike the open, grassy summit of Pilsdon, Lewesdon is heavily wooded with ancient oak and beech trees.Perspective: From your vantage point at Lambert's Castle, Lewesdon appears as a dark, rounded, tree-covered dome. It lacks the sharp architectural lines of the hillforts but provides a lush, textured contrast to the surrounding fields.Context: Because it is so close to Pilsdon Pen (separated only by a small saddle), they are often referred to as "twin peaks" of the Marshwood Vale.

According to locals, there's beavers here.

Prescott Pinetum (also known as either Uplyme or Woodhouse Pinetum) . The majority of the mature trees are dated to the 1840s-1860s when they were planted by the then owner of Woodhouse; the majority of the species originate from the Americas.

Otterhead Lakes is a beautiful nature reserve on the site of a former Victorian estate in the Blackdown Hills Area of Natural Beauty. The reserve features two lakes, a river, grasslands and wetlands and is home to a diverse range of wonderful wildlife species including dormice, badgers, and bats, as well as kingfisher, dipper & wagtail.

Lewesdon Hill is the highest point in Dorset

#NT Golden Cap is the highest point on the South Coast

This Iron Age hillfort is the smaller cousin of Lambert’s Castle, a little to the north. With ancient woodland and a fantastic spring bluebell display, Coney’s Castle is a peaceful little summit and one of numerous such hillforts in the area. Check out the earthwork ramparts on the north, south and east sides. The western edge used the natural slope of the hill as a defense. Managed by the National Trust, this hillfort is free to roam around and served by a car park. Its only downside is that there’s a road right through the middle of it.