Lulworth Cove
A nearly perfect circular bay, hailed as a textbook example of coastal geography, and the starting point for Durdle Door.
Lulworth Cove formed when the sea broke through hard limestone and eroded the softer rock behind it. Its narrow entrance opens into a shell-shaped interior, making it a classic case in geography textbooks. The village at the bay has tea rooms, seafood eateries and a heritage centre that explains the coast's geology and fossils. You can take a small boat tour of the cove, go kayaking, or climb the eastern hillside for a view over the whole bay. On the west side are the Stair Hole formations, and it is about a 30-minute walk west to Durdle Door. The car park charges a fee.
Opening hours
All day; heritage center about 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Nearby sights
- Stair Hole
- Durdle Door
- Lulworth Castle
- The Tank Museum
- Tyneham Ghost Village
- Monkey World
- Kimmeridge Bay
- The Etches Collection