Family Day Out to Durdle Door in Dorset

How is everyone enjoying their summer holidays?  We are making the most of every moment by heading to Durdle Door !

To inspire your next family day out in the UK, we are sharing about our recent trip to Dorset, a county in Southwest England where we stopped off at Durdle Door which is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

The iconic limestone arch is a natural wonder sculpted by the sea over 10,000 years ago and has now become a popular destination for families in the UK and tourists from abroad to visit.  Situated near Lulworth, Durdle Door has been on my bucket list for a while now. The famous stone arch was created when the sea eroded through the Portland limestone thousands of years ago, and this has always fascinated me. 

Part of the Jurassic Coast, the coastline has such importance especially in the geological aspects importance that it was designated England’s first natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. So keep on reading as we take you on an adventure to Durdle Door and share more about this wonderful place.

Did you know that Durdle Door is named after the natural arch formation, with the word “Durdle” deriving from the Old English word “thirl,” meaning “to pierce” or “bore”.  The “Door” part of the name refers to the arch’s shape and its appearance as a gateway or opening in the rock. 

There are lots to do whilst you are at Durdle Door from walking down the cliff path to the main Durdle Door beach to spend a day there, or taking a walk along the steps towards Man O’War beach or exploring Lulworth Castle or even Lulworth Cove. There are also numerous caves at the base of the cliffs which are clearly visible, but it is not advisable to explore these caves as cliff falls are common. A lot of families bring a picnic mat, and let know play on the beach and swim in the waters (when it is safe and warm).

If you are wondering, Dorset is called the Jurassic Coast because of rocks and fossils which have been found from the Jurassic period, along its coastline. 

What did we think of Durdle Door?

Durdle Door has been on my bucket list for a long time now and I am so glad to have ticked it off. The view was absolutely stunning and because we visited in the evening around late spring, we had the whole beach to ourselves with very limited visitors. It is such a great place to visit as a family and although the 10-15 minutes walk along the pathway to the beach is rocky and steep at times, it is so worth it, especially when you see the view. Just be careful if you have little ones with you or if you have a bad knee to slow down and take your time. Do note there are no wheelchair or pram access to the beach, I would recommend parents  to use baby carriers.

Depending on how long you want to spend your time, you could take just an hour to head there to soak up the beauty of the view, do the mandatory photos and head back or spend a few hours picnicking by the beach, swimming, digging for rocks and fossils.

Alternatively,  you could of course, spend the whole day there exploring other beauty spots and landmarks such as Man O’War Beach or Lulworth Cove and Lulworth Castle as they are all within walking distance.

We had a fabulous time there immersing ourselves in the view and were hoping to catch the sunset but it was too cloudy and windy on the day.  Much to our surprise, we could not believe how quiet the place was as it is known to be buzzing with people.

Our children enjoyed the scenic walk and it was wonderful for them to see this stunning 10,000 year old UNESCO World Heritage Site.  I would definitely love to head back, perhaps in summer to spend more time by the beach.  A note to our readers, that is a photographer’s dream as the scenery is absolutely stunning, so make sure you come with your fish-eye lens as you would want to capture the iconic view at its widest.

FAQ

• Bring sensible footwear ie wear trainers if you are planning to walk anywhere as some of the paths can be steep and occasionally unstable so sandals/crocs might not be the best footwear
• Footpath to the beach takes around 10-15 minutes walk and going down is relatively easy with the fantastic view, but climbing up can be steep.
• Bring along a picnic with food and water if you are spending a few hours there as there are no shops close by. There may be refreshment vans during the day/summer months.
• It can gets extremely windy and busy at times, so watch your step when you walk down/up the path.
• There are a few caves at the base of the cliffs, try to avoid them or not sit near to them due to safety and cases of cliff/rock falls
• Although Durdle Door West (The Bull) and Durdle Door East (Man O’War Cove) are designated European Bathing Water. Swimming can be dangerous. The beaches shelve steeply and there is a strong under-tow. Take care on the shoreline because sudden large waves can engulf persons at the water’s edge – this has caused fatalities.
• There are no toilets on or adjacent to the beach. Toilets are available in the Holiday Park, a 15-minute walk uphill from the beach.
• There is a large car park accessed via Durdle Door holiday park and it is a 15 minute walk down a steep path then steps to the beach.
• Dogs welcome all year off lead, however please be sure to pick up after them. There are no bins on the beach – the nearest ones are in the car park.
• Wheelchair Access – Although the beach area is not wheelchair/pram friendly, you can still park your car and to proceed to the designated view point close to the carpark to catch a glimpse of the magnificent views.

Where is Durdle Door?

The road leading up to Durdle Door is via the Durdle Door Holiday Park and this road can get busy at peak visiting hours but don’t worry, there are plenty of car parking space once you get to it.

The parking charges are £3.10 for the first hour, £12.40 for up to 4 hours or £20 for all day (until 9pm or dusk) parking. Motorcycles are charged £5 while motorhomes and oversized vehicles are charged £30. You need to pay at the end of your visit.

Durdle Door Holiday Park
West Lulworth
Dorset
BH20 5PU

What are their opening times and best times to visit?

Durdle Door is open to the public all year round, and while there are no strict visiting hours for the main attraction, access to the beaches is not permitted after 9 pm or dusk.  The car park, which provides access to the area, opens at 9 am year-round and closes at 9 pm in the summer months and 4 pm in the winter.

For the best experience and to avoid crowds, it is recommended to arrive early in the morning, ideally between 8 am and 9 am or as we did in the evening around 6pm (late spring).  Do note that Durdle Door can get overly busy during the summer months.

How much is their entry fee?

Access to Durdle Door is free but parking charges apply.

About Lulworth Estate

The family-owned Lulworth Estate extends over 12,000 acres (20 square miles) of the south Dorset countryside, including 5 miles of the Jurassic Coast and internationally renowned landmarks such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Lulworth’s estate pedigree can go back as far as Doomsday times in the 11th century and beyond, and, since 1641, it has been owned and managed by the Weld family.

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