The new Clay Trail: a walk through Dorset's industrial past

If you fancy a walk with a bit of history attached, there's a new trail worth knowing about. The Clay Trail officially opened on Saturday 19 September at the Purbeck Mining Museum, and it's built around something you'd never think to look at twice: ball clay. It's the fine-grained clay that ends up in toilets, sinks, tiles, tableware and pottery, valued for its whiteness, workability and smooth finish. The name comes from the old way of digging and cutting the clay into rounded blocks, or 'balls', before it was moved on.

Purbeck holds some of the most significant ball clay deposits in the UK, and pottery has been made here since the Roman period. Large-scale digging only really got going in the 17th century for clay pipes, and it grew through the Victorian era when the clay was shipped out of Poole Harbour to manufacturers across Britain and overseas. The industry supported generations of local families and left its mark on the settlements, the transport links and the landscape itself. The trail was funded by Dorset Council through heathland mitigation contributions and put together by the Purbeck Mining Museum with volunteers and partner organisations. Part of the thinking behind it is to steer visitors away from the more environmentally sensitive heathland areas and protect the rare wildlife and habitats there.

The opening event ran from 11am to 4pm, and entry is free, though a suggested donation of at least £3 per adult is appreciated, with cash and contactless both welcome and Gift Aid an option. The museum itself is worth a look regardless of the trail: it's partially built into an old underground Purbeck mine and holds a recreated clay mine tunnel, displays on industrial narrow-gauge railways and exhibits about the miners and their families. For anyone bringing children, there's the Clay Mine Super Sleuth Trail for ages 9 to 13, the Count the Norden Nippers family challenge and The Norden Nippers Go To Sea picture trail for the 5 to 8 age group.

The museum sits in Purbeck Park, near Corfe Castle, just above Norden Station on the Swanage Railway, postcode BH20 5DW. It's run entirely by volunteers and relies on donations as part of the Swanage Railway Trust, so a bit of support goes a long way. Dorset councillor Beryl Ezzard, representing the Wareham ward, put it simply: 'This trail brings those stories together in a way that is engaging and accessible for residents and visitors alike. It offers people a chance to learn about the area's important clay mining history, enjoy the landscape and support the protection of our internationally important heathlands.'

That heathland is no small thing. The Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve, with Purbeck Park as its visitor hub, covers 3,331 hectares and was declared in 2020, bringing together three smaller reserves with the surrounding landscape. The land is split between seven different owners within the Dorset National Landscape and supports tens of thousands of species, including all six of the UK's native reptiles, breeding nightjars, dartford warblers, woodlarks and various raptors. It's a lot to take in for one afternoon, but the trail gives you a reason to wander it with your eyes open.