View source for Swyre Head

{{Short description|Hill in Dorset, England}}
{{about|the highest hill in the Purbeck Hills|the headland near Lulworth and Durdle Door|Swyre Head, Lulworth}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Swyre Head
| photo = Swyre Head from St Aldhelm's Head.JPG | photo_caption = Swyre Head, seen from the SW Coast Path on the W side of St Aldhelm's Head

| elevation_m = 208
| elevation_ref = 
| prominence_m = 150
| prominence_ref = 
| parent_peak = [[Lewesdon Hill]]
| listing = [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]]
| location = [[Purbeck Hills]], [[England]]
| range = 
| coordinates = {{coord|50.6058|-2.0944|type:mountain_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| grid_ref_UK = SY934784
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 195<br />
''Explorer'' 15E
| type = 
| age = 
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = 
}}

'''Swyre Head''' is the highest point of the [[Isle of Purbeck]] in [[Dorset]], on the south coast of [[England]]. The hill Swyre Head lies about {{convert|2|km|mi|0}} southwest of the village [[Kingston, Purbeck, Dorset|Kingston]], about {{convert|5|km|mi|0}} south of [[Corfe Castle (village)|Corfe Castle]] and {{convert|8|km|mi|0}} west of [[Swanage]].

Although not very high, its [[relative height]] is such that it just misses  qualification as a [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]]. The hill consists of Jurassic Formations and is not part of the extensive [[Southern England Chalk Formation]].

Swyre Head by Kingston should not be confused with another Dorset hill called [[Swyre Head, Lulworth|Swyre Head]], at an elevation of {{convert|98|m|ft}}, on the coast, located at {{gbmapping|SY799805}}, to the west of [[Durdle Door]]. The two Swyre Heads are about four hours walk apart from each other; that is, {{convert|18|km|mi}}.

The hill commands extensive views, including west past the [[Isle of Portland]] to [[Dartmoor]], and east to the [[Isle of Wight]], as well as north across the Purbeck Hills to [[Poole Harbour]] and the other Purbeck Marilyn, [[Nine Barrow Down]]. To the west, the folly of [[Clavell Tower]] can also be seen.

Set back about 800 metres (half a mile) from the coast, the hill is not on the [[South West Coast Path]], but can be reached easily from the villages of [[Kingston, Purbeck, Dorset|Kingston]] or [[Kimmeridge]].

The hill has a [[trig point]] marked as 203 metres on [[Ordnance Survey]] maps, but a [[tumulus]], now fully grassed over, forms the highest point, {{convert|208|m|ft}} above sea level.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Swyre Head view.jpg|View west from the summit of Swyre Head
File:Swyre_Head.jpg|Swyre Head from the north-east
</gallery>

== External links ==
* [http://walks4softies.co.uk/Jwa04/Kingston/Walk1/ Swyre Head, Kingston walk]

{{Jurassic Coast}}

[[Category:Hills of Dorset]]
[[Category:Jurassic Coast]]
[[Category:Marilyns of England]]
[[Category:Corfe Castle]]

In fact the highest point on Swyre Head is not a tumulus. It was built at the instruction of the Eighteenth century landowner who thought nearby Creech Barrow Hill was higher and therefore had the extra 5m added to ensure his hill claimed the title.