Lulworth Cove via Tyneham and Durdle Door Circular walk

10 out of 10

Landranger 194 (Dorchester & Weymouth) and 195 (Bournemouth & Purbeck);
Explorer OL15 (Purbeck & South Dorset)

This is a dramatic but very challenging walk with five long and steep ascents and a further two not quite so long and steep, along a stunning stretch of the world-famous Jurassic Coast, including the iconic shell-shaped Lulworth Cove, the natural arch of Durdle Door (in a vertical limestone band jutting out into the sea), Purbeck's dramatic coastal scenery of steep cliffs and remote bays and the abandoned and ruined coastal village of Tyneham, evacuated at very short notice in December 1943 at the behest of the War Office to prepare troops for D-Day.
The route consists of two independent loops which can be walked by themselves. Furthermore, the Tyneham Loop is a figure-of-eight shape itself, with a Link Route from Wool Station to Arish Mell joining near the middle of the loop (this link route has been described in both directions). This makes the walk independent of the infrequent and seasonal bus service and/or taxis, while enabling variations of the walk, cutting out some of the steep ascents.

Warning: the Tyneham Loop goes through the Lulworth Live Firing Ranges. Access is only permitted along the marked Range Walks and only at certain times (most weekends and assorted holiday periods). See below for exact dates.

Tyneham and Durdle Door Loops

The walk route is a figure-of-eight with the start at Lulworth Cove, the junction of the two loops. You can therefore walk just one of those loops, or walk them in a different order than the directions suggest, or even over two days (there are plenty of accommodation options in West Lulworth):

• Tyneham Loop : Lulworth Cove along the rollercoaster coast path to Flower's Barrow Hill, then the Tyneham village loop. Toughness: 9/10
• Durdle Door Loop : Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door viewpoint, then down to the beach or back through a scenic coombe. Toughness: 3/10

Tyneham Loop

• The path along the beach at Lulworth Cove can be impassable in very high tides. In that case you would either have to walk the Durdle Door Loop first, or reverse-walk (map-led) the route up to the Access Land of Bindon Hill and to the easterly end of Lulworth Cove to pick up the route there.
• The ascent of the 134m Gad Cliff south of Tyneham village can be avoided by following the Hardy Way along the valley, from Warbarrow Bay to Tyneham village.
• There is a (recommended) short out-and-back extension to a viewpoint on Gad Cliff before descending to Tyneham
• There is an optional (but recommended) loop through Tyneham village itself, past most of the ruined cottages and to the church.

• Car Drivers can park at Povington Hill or even in Tyneham village and walk just a short loop via Rings Hill/Flower’s Barrow hillfort, Worbarrow Bay, Gad Cliff and Tyneham village.

Wool Station link

A link route between Wool station and the walk route at Arish Mell beach (in the middle of the Tyneham loop) has been described in both directions, so you can reduce your reliance on a bus or a taxi at start and finish and can also combine this route with parts of the full walk.

• Rest of Tyneham Loop from Arish Mell: 8.6 km/5.3 mi with 380m ascent/descent;
• Arish Mell – Lulworth Cove: 3.6 km/2.2 mi with 139/131m ascent/descent.
• Lulworth Cove to Arish Mell: 4.6 km/2.9 mi with 228/236m ascent/descent;

Wool Station is on the Waterloo to Weymouth Main Line, with one train per hour (journey time 149 mins Mondays-Saturdays, 154 mins on Sundays).

You then - after a long train journey - have to connect with a bus or walk (8 km each way ) to the coast on an already long walk.

Bus services are much improved in 2019. The following buses connect Wool Station to Lulworth Cove (ca. £2.00 each way): Purbeck Breezer 30 (late May-late Sep: daily, but weekdays only most of June); X54 (Oct-Mar: Mon-Fri, Apr-Sep: daily); 55 (summer weekends only, but daily during Dorset summer holidays). For more details see below.

Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take a train no later than 8.05 hours.

• Lulworth Cove Inn, Main Road, West Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5RQ (01929 400 333, Open every day 11.00-22.30. Food served every day 12.00-21.00. Hall & Woodhouse). Right by the bus stop. Very good considering its location.
• Lulworth Cove, West Lulworth, Durdle Door : Plenty of options.
• Tyneham: nothing
• Arish Mell to Wool station link route : One pub and a tea room.
• Wool : 3 pubs, two of which are close enough to the station to be useful.

See the pdf for details.

• Tyneham Village was evacuated at short notice by the army during WWII to prepare troops for D-Day, but the villagers were never allowed back. The village church, rows of cottages, the school (now a museum, free) and some ruined house remain. The sign on the church reads: Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly.
• The Jurassic Coast is a marketing name for this gorgeous stretch of very old coastline - white limestone, with lots of cliff features - coves and arches. It is the real star of this walk. The entire area is geology heaven.
• Lulworth Cove - looks dramatic from afar, not quite so special close up.
• Durdle Door - a cliff arch, dramatic from near and afar.