Norden Park and Ride

The environmentally friendly Norden Park and Ride scheme opened on 12 August 1995 and since then, more than 300,000 vehicles have been taken off the busy A351 Wareham to Swanage road through Corfe Castle and Harman's Cross.

Created and developed by Purbeck District Council, the pioneering Norden Park and Ride is now run by Swanage Railway (opens in a new window) .  There is a children's play area, toilets with RADAR key access and baby changing facilities, refreshments and an innovative mining museum currently open on Sundays. Bike hire is also available on a seasonal and pre-booked basis.

Using the Park and Ride is the best way to avoid traffic congestion on the roads to Corfe Castle and Swanage, and also to avoid searching for a car parking space in the smaller car parks.

Location

Just off the A351 north of Corfe Castle, the warden-attended Norden Park and Ride has space to park 350 vehicles (including 12 spaces for disabled badge holders). To find the Park and Ride, follow signs from Wareham towards Swanage, then follow the brown signs with the steam train logo. The park and ride is found on the left just before Corfe Castle village. Alternatively the postcode is BH20 5DW if you would like to plan your journey using the Transport Direct website (opens in a new window) . Please note that some SatNav systems are unlikely to reach the correct destination at present - Ordnance Survey are aware of this problem and the correct location is being rolled out.

Opening time and cost

At the moment, the Park and Ride is open when the Swanage Railway is operating trains. See the latest train timetable (opens in a new window) .

It costs £2.50 for all day and is the least expensive of all the car parks in Corfe Castle for all day parking - there is a footpath (½ mile) linking the park and ride to the Castle View Visitor Centre for all kinds of information about the history of the Castle. It is then a short walk around the base of the Castle to the entrance and Corfe Castle village.

Ideas for days out from Norden Park and Ride:

• Hire a bike and cycle to the beaches at Studland on the Rempstone Ride

• Ride the steam train to Swanage and walk up to Durlston Country Park

• Walk to the coast along The Purbeck Way. Follow signs to the Purbeck Way from the car park or train station platform.

• Ride the steam train to Corfe Castle and keep your ticket to get a discount when visiting the  Castle (opens in a new window)

• Walk or get the Wilts and Dorset number 40 bus to Kingston and go for a walk on the miles of footpaths followed by a pub lunch. The bus stop is located outside the park and ride, next to the Castle View Visitor Centre - download the walks/cycle map on the right for bus stop location or follow signs from the train station platform.

• Ride the steam train to Swanage and go on a boat trip along the Jurassic Coast (opens in a new window) .

• Get the Wilts and Dorset X43 bus to Lulworth Cove or Weymouth (available during the summer only) from the bus stop inside the Park & Ride.

• Walk to Studland along route 2 of the Poole Harbour Trail (opens in a new window) . To return, get the Wilts and Dorset number 50 bus to Swanage, then the steam train back to Norden.

• Walk to Wareham along route 3 of the Poole Harbour Trail (opens in a new window) . To return, get the Wilts and Dorset number 40 bus to Norden Farm - 5 minutes walk into the Park and Ride.

• Get the Wilts and Dorset number 40 bus to Langton Matravers. Walk down to Dancing Ledge and then along the South West Coast Path to Durlston Country Park and Swanage (approx 5 miles). Get the steam train back from Swanage to Norden. The bus stop is located outside the park and ride, next to the Castle View Visitor Centre - download the walks/cycle map on the right for bus stop location or follow signs from the train station platform.
• Download our  Car Free Days Out leaflet (pdf, 1Mb) (opens in a new window) for more information.

• General Manager - Central Services
  Name: Phil McStraw
  Email: philmcstraw@purbeck-dc.gov.uk
  Tel: 01929 557208
  Full details for Phil McStraw