There’s so much to see and do for all ages around Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Whether you love to go walking or paddling in the sea. From stunning jurassic coast walks along the cliff tops, to skimming stones on pebble beaches. Visiting tank museums, and even an old abandoned village that hasn’t been touched since the 1940’s. Even the weather in Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove seems to be on point!
If you’re looking for a great mini break, or family holiday around the UK, then the Jurassic coast is definitely one to consider. My husband and i have been 4 or 5 times times over the years and find new things to do and see every time we go.
Here’s why you should visit Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door…
Where To Stay In Lulworth Cove
There are a number of places you can stay while on your visit to Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door. The one we always go back to is The Limestone Hotel. A littler pricier than some but it offers the perfect base to go off on day trips around the area. The cove itself is less than a 5 minute walk from the hotel, yet still far enough away from all the bustling crowds to offer peace and quiet.
It’s located right in the middle of the little village of West Lulworth. Nestled between some quaint little thatched cottages, with rolling hills as far as the eyes can see. They even have a little hideaway cabin there now which looks more like an adults treehouse! Completely self-contained – and they even bring breakfast to you every morning.
However, if you don’t want to splash out quite as much, there are a few other holiday cottages to let. There is even a small boutique hotel on the beach offering great prices. In addition to this, there is also a caravan park just on the other side of Durdle Door for an even cheaper option. This caravan park is right on top of the hills with stunning views out over the sea. You can even just about see the top of the famous Durdle Door arch.
What Lulworth Cove Has To Offer
Within the area of Lulworth cove you’ll find…
- Shops
- Tea rooms & cafes
- Sea kayaking
- Bike riding
- Coasteering
- Great walks
More To Do Around Lulworth
However, if you want more things to do in the area of Lulworth here are some great places to visit.
- Visit Monkey World
- Go to the Tank Museum
- Visit Corfe Castle
- Lulworth Castle
- Tyneham Abandoned Village
- Visit Lawrence of Arabia’s Home
- Picnic at Mupe Bay
- Take a walk around Fossil Forest
- Corfe Castle Model Village
- Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum
- Corfe Castle Steam Train
- Swanage Pier
Beaches In & Around Lulworth
There are many great beaches to visit in and around Lulworth & Durdle Door. All of them pebble beaches, so if you’re looking for white sandy beaches, you may want to go elsewhere. However, if you want great places to explore, full of rock-pools, and stunning views then this is the place to come.
Lulworth Cove
The closest to Lulworth is a hive of activity. A very pebbly beach, but quite small, especially when the tide is in so bare that in mind when visiting.
There is lovely little walk you can do around the cove, it’s not a hard walk either so you could do it with children or older people. From up on the cliff tops you can look out at nothing but sea for miles. Beautiful bright blue shining sea (if it’s sunny anyway). Within Lulworth Cove there are a few small shops, a tourist gift shop and a very small hotel/inn with a pub.
Worbarrow Beach
This is an incredible beach that not many people know about so it’s always empty. Even on the height of the bank holiday weekend this beach was virtually empty. This is partly due to it’s location. It’s within the military zone so it’s not open all year round. In fact it’s only really open on bank holidays and some weekends during the months of April & May. Head towards Tyneham (the abandoned village), park up in the carpark and head off into the woods. After a 5 minute walk you’ll stumble upon this beautiful forgotten pebble beach.
What To Do While Visiting Durdle Door
Every time we have ever visited, the weather in Durdle Door has been beautiful. They seem to get a lot more sunshine than other places in the UK. Maybe we have just been lucky, but 5 out of 5 times we’ve had sunshine and blue skies.
If you haven’t ever been to Durdle Door then you really must go. It’s one of THE BEST places I have EVER been – UK and abroad! If you enjoy stunning views, amazing beaches and beautiful jurassic coast walks with jagged white cliffs and breath-taking shapes carved into the jagged rocky stacks protruding out of the sea, you really must go!
It’s easy enough to drive there, and there is parking right on top of the cliff with stunning views out to sea. However, if you plan to walk there from Lulworth Cove, or want to walk down to the arch, you will need to be pretty fit. The climb and down from either direction is VERY steep. You certainly wouldn’t get a pram or push-chair up there so take as little with you as possible. Then there are the final steps down on the Durdle Door beach which are even steeper, and narrow too.
There isn’t as much to do in and around Durdle Door as there is in Lulworth cove. It’s a lot more about the arch, the pebble beach and the steep cliff walks. Never-the-less, it’s well worth a visit – especially if you can go out of school holidays times.
Hopefully this article has give you some ideas about what you can do while visiting Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door for your UK staycation. Fingers crossed the Durdle Door weather is as kind to you as it was for us. Have a great trip and we hope you enjoy your jurassic coast walks!
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