Beaches and walks in Purbeck

One of the best aspects of Purbeck.  On these pages
we have listed things we like doing.

In the house you will find more details on where to go. 
This includes walks, places to go, places to eat and drink.   
You will find my own personal written guide in the house
along with ordnance survey maps and assorted guide books
and tourist information.

This page is about beaches and walks.  There are many
different types of beach to visit.  From these notes
you will notice that we have enjoyed them all from the
full facility bucket and spade beach in Swanage
to the remotest and wildest coves on the Jurassic
heritage coastline. 
 

Swanage beach

Swanage beach is good for small children and one of the best
things is that you do not need to use your car, you
can walk there. 

This is typical English bucket and spade
territory with all the facilities you might expect including
a traditional Punch and Judy show as well as cafes, ice cream,
amusements and shops nearby.   The width of beach is not
too wide, which is great for watching little children
since they cannot stray too far.

Studland beaches

These are the “best” beaches in the area for sand, beauty
and ambience.   It only takes about 7 minutes to drive
there from Swanage, and you will be ahead of the queues
and traffic.  There are 3 different beaches listed on the right. 

Also look out for the ice cream boat that arrives by
sea where you have wade out to get the ice creams.

There are 2 places in Studland where you might want
 to go for a rest from the beach.  The Manor House Hotel does
typical bar meals served in a beautiful garden overlooking
Old Harry Rocks.  The Bankes Arms has better food and a more
authentic olde pub atmosphere with a garden area
opposite the pub.

• Studland South Beach is sandy but a bit isolated
  with few facilities.
• Studland Middle Beach is sandy with rock pools at
  low tide and a nice café.
• Studland Knoll Beach is a glorious stretch of sand dunes
  and beach with safe bathing area, adequate café, shops and ice creams and even a naturist zone if you are prepared to walk for 1 mile.  However, on the downside,
  it is very well known and gets crowded.

Durlston Country Park
(4 minutes drive and walks from 10 minutes to 3 hours)

You can walk here from the house - it will take about
1 hour.  There is a cafe at The Castle, The Globe, a
lighthouse and numerous spectacular cliff walks of
varying length and difficulty.

There are occasional sightings of dolphins and a hut specially
designed for watching out for them.

Dancing Ledge
(5 minutes drive and 45 minutes walk)

This is not really a beach but an old quarry dug into the cliffs
with spectacular ledges, a natural swimming pool and
is popular with rock climbers. It is unique in offering direct access
to rocky ledges right by the sea

The name does not really need any further explanation,
although I cannot guarantee such spectacular waves
every time you go.

We have often enjoyed spectacular days out by taking a
disposable barbecue with sausages, bread rolls and some
wine for a beach barbeque as well as exploring
rock pools, fossil hunting and swimming in the sea.

Chapmans Pool
(10 minutes drive and 1 hours walk)

This  is difficult to reach, but quiet and stunning when
you get there.  It is best at low tide. 
The whole cove is strewn with fossils.

It is quite a steep walk down and an even steeper walk back,
but very remote and beautiful once you get there

Kimmeridge
(25 minutes drive and 2 minutes walk)

This is a popular fossil hunting site and rocky cove where you
 can get your car directly to the cliffs. 
The drive is very special through country lanes, with a few
striking views of the coastal scenery.
 

Tyneham / Worbarrow Bay
(30 minutes drive - 20 minute walk)

This is an interesting piece of recent social and military history
and one of most dramatic unspoilt bays on the south coast. 
It is part of the army ranges and is only open to the public
on weekends, bank holidays and school holidays. 
You can drive to Tyneham village where you can see a village
in which life was brought to an abrupt halt in 1940 when the land
was appropriated by the government for army training. 
They promised to return the village to its population
after the war.  The promise was broken. 
The village is now like an open-air museum.
Worbarrow bay is a 20 minute walk, downhill from the village.

Mupe Bay and the Fossil Forest
(40 mins drive and 1 hour walk)

This is quite a substantial walk and climb up a hill, but you are
rewarded with remote and beautiful scenery and some unusual
fossilised tree stumps.

Durdle Door
(45 minutes drive and 15 minutes walk).

This is the most photographed bit of coastal scenery in
Dorset, so you will not be alone when you go. 
Despite the crowds it is still very special.

Lulworth Cove
(40 minutes drive and 2 minutes walk) 

The cove is very striking and very popular. It is also worth walking
up to Stair hole, which is a mini Lulworth Cove in the making. 
The beach is shingle and the water is crystal clear and offers
invigorating swimming.  There is also Lulworth castle nearby
with numerous events taking place during the holidays.
 

Walks

A great source of information about the south west coast path
is this website www.swcp.org.uk, it even takes you on a photo
 tour of the coast.  Since the path starts at Shell Bay, the first
 section is all about the Swanage and Isle of Purbeck sections.

There are far too many good walks to mention here.  You may be
able to design some of your own using the ordnance survey map. 
But here is one that worked for us.

Swyre Head
(10 minutes drive and 30 minutes walk to the head,
you then have the choice to walk back to the car or engage in
a longer walk to appreciate the coast path) 
This has to be the best viewpoint on the Dorset Coast,
on a clear day you can see for 30 miles in each direction
and observe the dramatic and striking lines of the coast. 

In this photo you are looking towards Kimmeridge but
you can see Worbarrow Bay, Weymouth and Portland
sweeping out to sea

The Waterfall
If you descend to the clifftop and then follow the coast path
in an easterly direction towards St Aldhems Head,
you will come across this amazing artificial waterfall made
by the owners of the local manor house to add charm
to their private beach.  The view beyond is of St Aldhems head
 

If you look at the map, you can design numerous different
walks to this limestone cliff coastline and various quarries
and caves.  The start points are any of the car parks marked
 on the map at Acton, Worth Matravers or Renscombe Farm. 
If you are keen you can do all of these directly from the house.

Here are some suggestions

• Brownsea Island makes a varied day out visiting a nature
  reserve, beaches, a boat trip and seeing red squirrels
• Shell Bay, Studland and Old Harry Rocks
• Agglestone Rock
• Nine Barrow Down and Corfe Castle
• Durlston Head and the country park