Dancing Ledge

Dancing Ledge is a flat area of rock at the base of a small cliff on the Jurassic Coast. It is called Dancing Ledge because at certain tidal conditions, the waves wash over the horizontal surface and the movement of the water makes the ledge appear to dance.

The area was used for quarrying Purbeck stone and the ledge has a straight drop off into the sea, which was perfect for small ships to get right up to shore. This also made it an easy target for smugglers coming from the sea. The cliffs surrounding Dancing Ledge are very popular with climbers and there is a small pool that was blasted into the rock years ago, which is suitable for swimming. Its a popular beauty spot with walkers, climbers, wild swimmers and wildlife enthusiasts.

It is recommended not to swim in the sea here, due to the currents. It is a steep walk down and a total of around 1.5 miles from the village of Langton Matravers down to Dancing Ledge, which does mean it is rarely very busy. Dogs should be on a lead at all times and there is a bit of a scramble down to Dancing Ledge itself, so it may not be suitable for young children.