Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
13 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
14 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
15 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
16 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
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
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
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
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
Tall cliffs and carvings in the rocks   charleyspoons / Atlas Obscura User
Amazing track through the trees   charleyspoons / Atlas Obscura User
Sandstone carving in the side of the Holloway   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Another carving in Hell lane.   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Hell lane nr Symondsbury in 2020   MorrisD45 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

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

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
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

Nearby Places

Charmouth Beach

Charmouth, England

miles away

Mary Anning Statue

Lyme Regis, England

miles away

Mary Anning’s Grave

Lyme Regis, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dorset

Dorset

England

Places 9
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Charmouth Beach

Charmouth, England

miles away

Mary Anning Statue

Lyme Regis, England

miles away

Mary Anning’s Grave

Lyme Regis, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dorset

Dorset

England

Places 9
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Newhaven Fort

    Newhaven, England

    Newhaven Fort

    A Victorian Fort built into the chalky cliffs that overlook the English Channel.

  • Portuguese Fireplace.

    Hampshire, England

    Portuguese Fireplace

    This unlikely memorial honors the Canadian and Portuguese laborers who felled trees for the Allies in World War I.

  • A Douglas B-23 Dragon Bomber.

    McCall, Idaho

    B-23 'Dragon Bomber' Wreckage

    The secluded site of a 1943 plane crash and amazing rescue is only accessible by hiking through the woods.

  • Inside the fortress.

    Tarakaniv, Ukraine

    Fort Tarakanivskyy

    This hidden fortress has been coined the "City of Ghosts."

  • Green arch in Fragas do Eume.

    Cabanas, Spain

    Fragas do Eume

    This enchanting natural park is a magical example of a temperate rainforest in Europe.

  • Mother and baby “Ma’ax.”

    Tikal, Guatemala

    Spider Monkeys of Tikal

    Monkeys inhabit the lush forest surrounding ancient Mayan ruins once considered sacred.

  • The ghost forest in the fog.

    Neskowin, Oregon

    Neskowin Ghost Forest

    The eerie remnants of an ancient forest were hidden under the sand for centuries.

  • Pskov-Caves Monastery.

    Pechory, Russia

    Pskov-Caves Monastery

    This 15th-century cave complex is one of the very few monasteries to stay open throughout World War II and the Soviet regime.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.