Wool Circular (via The Warren, Lulworth Cove and Castle) walk

30.9 km (19.2 mi), with 753m ascent/descent. For a shorter or longer walk and an Alternative Start or a Finish at Lulworth Cove see below Walk Options.

9 out of 10, with 7 hours walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 13 hours.

This Dorset walk leads mainly through the large Lulworth Estate, owned for centuries by the Weld Family, initially through the Thomas Hardy Country of rolling pastures, large woods and dairy farms, then – on a choice of routes – through remote, scenic coombes to a fascinating stretch of the Jurassic Coast, with its steep chalk cliffs, rock stacks rising out of the sea, natural limestone arches, caves and beautiful coves.
The stretch around Durdle Door and Man o’ War beaches can be very busy with day-trippers but the route then follows quieter coastal paths to the fascinating coves of Stair Hole and its larger – and geologically older – cousin Lulworth Cove for lunch in West Lulworth. Having had the Purbeck Hills in view for a while, stretching out to the East, an optional afternoon extension then routes over one of them – Bindon Hill.
All walk routes climb up steeply from West Lulworth to the ridge separating the Dorset Plain from the Coast and descend through a very pretty coombe past Bellhuish Farm and then lead along Lulworth Park, before meandering along permissive routes through the park to Lulworth Castle (possibly the most beautiful castle in the South) and its tearooms and church, and back through Bowling Green Wood.
Coombe Heath Nature Reserve and Haredene and Cole Woods lie ahead en route back to Wool.

Note 1: Lulworth Park is closed to the public all day Saturday and on selected other days. On those days the shortcut avoiding the park will have to be walked.
Note 2: This is a long walk with an option to make it longer. It is therefore well suited to be broken at the halfway stage with an overnight stay in Lulworth Cove or West or East Lulworth.

Several buses connect Wool (and Weymouth) to Winfrith Newburgh (6.9 km into the walk), while also calling at Durdle Door Park (a little off route, 15.0 km into the walk) and in Lulworth Cove (16.4 km into the walk): Purbeck Breezer 30/31/35 (late May-late Sep: daily); X52/54 (Oct-Mar: Mon-Fri, Apr-Sep: daily).
A Variation in the morning leads to the Coast Path on a different route, via Dagger’s Gate to Swyre Head, closer to Lulworth than The Warren.
An Extension after lunch in Lulworth Cove leads along the cove’s beach and over Bindon Hill to West Lulworth (adds 1.1 km and 132m ascent).
A Shortcut avoiding Lulworth Park in the afternoon cuts 3.7 km/2.3 mi. [Lulworth Park is closed every Saturday and on selected other days, in which case you have to take this shortcut. Check https://www.lulworth.com/ for details.]
A Diversion avoiding the Permissive Route past Home Farm is described, should the route be closed.
The route through Coombe Heath with its tumuli and barrows can be cut by 820m and 23m ascent.
There are two finishes described into Wool: one through a bluebell wood (mud-prone after rain) and one through open pastures.

OS Explorer: OL15 (Purbeck & South Dorset)
OS Landranger: 194 (Dorchester & Weymouth) & 195 (Bournemouth & Purbeck)

Wool Station, map reference SY 844 869, is 173 km south west of Charing Cross, 15m above sea level and in Dorset. It is on the London Waterloo to Weymouth Main Line, with one train per hour (journey time 149 mins Mondays-Saturdays, 154 mins on Sundays).

Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take a train no later than 9.05 hours.

Early (the pubs are 640-900m off route)
The Countryman Inn East Knighton, Dorset, DT2 8LL (01305 852 666). Located 900m off route, 7.3 km/4.5 mi into the walk.
The Red Lion Inn Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset, DT2 8LL (01305 852 814). Located 640m off route, 7.5 km/4.7 mi into the walk.
The Sailor’s Return Chaldon Herring, Dorset, DT2 8DN (01305 854 441). Located 670m off route, 9.4 km/5.8 mi into the walk.

Normal (from 16.0 km/10.0 mi to 17.2 km/10.7 mi into the walk)
Plenty of options in West Lulworth. Check the pdf for details.

In East Lulworth:
The Lulworth Castle Tearoom East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QS. The Tearoom is located 7.5 km/4.7 mi from the end of the walk.
The Weld Arms East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QQ (01929 400 211). The Weld Arms is located on a loop off the main route, 7.3 km/4.6 mi from the end of the walk.
Past and Presents The Old School, 1 Cockles, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QN (01929 400 637). Past & Presents Gift & Coffee Shop is located on a loop off the main route, 7.3 km/4.5 mi from the end of the walk.

In Wool:
Black Bear High Street, Wool, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6BP (01929 405 541). The Bear is located 300m before the train station.
Ship Inn Dorchester Road, Wool, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6EQ (01929 462 247). The Ship Inn is located 400m beyond the train station.

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National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Jul-23 Thomas G