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Lulworth Cove

What Activities to do in Lulworth Cove and the Surrounding Area

Okay, so you get to Lulworth Cove and you admire the beauty of 185 million years of geological history for an hour or so, but what then? Well, luckily for you, there’s a lot to do in the area and today we are going to discuss activities you can do in Lulworth Cove.

There’s truly something for every type of person of any age, so you can have a lot of fun, while you are exploring the breathtaking sights that Lulworth Cove and the Jurassic Coast have to offer. Find out what sort of sports activity you can do while you are there and be ready to have adventures for days. Enjoy reading and have fun at Lulworth Cove!

Hikes and Walks

You probably guessed right that the first section of the article will be about walks and hikes. After all, it is a physical activity, which is also quite fun, especially when you have Lulworth Cove as a backdrop.

There are many walks and hikes you can take around Lulworth Cove in the area, which start and end at different places. Just make sure to bring enough water and perhaps some food. Don’t worry about your car, because there’s an abundance of parking spaces.

Here are some of the designated paths you can take for a lovely walk or a hike around Lulworth Cove:

  • The South West Coast Path
  • The Purbeck Way West
  • Walk Guide 4 – Lulworth Cove to Lulworth Castle
  • Walk Guide 5 – Lulworth Cove and Bindon Hill fort
  • Walk Guide 6 – Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door and on to White Nothe
  • Walk Guide 7 – Stair Hole and Lulworth Cove
  • West Lulworth Village Trail
  • The Army Range Walk

Mountain Biking

The paths that we discussed in our previous section are a great way to relax and enjoy the view, but if you want something more challenging, we propose to you – mountain biking. Not only will this activity rev up your adrenaline, but you will also get to see some places that you won’t be able to see otherwise if you follow a designated path.

If you don’t have a mountain bike of your own, that’s fine, because you can rent one when you get there. There’s a great service, which offers experienced guides who can tailor the session according to your biking abilities and wants about the trip.

You can book a session for half a day (three hours) or for a full day (six hours), the choice is yours. Prices for half a day are £40 Adult and £35 child, while the prices for a full day are £70 Adult and £60 child. The bike rental is included in the price.

Swimming

England is not exactly known for its warm temperatures and waters, but you should absolutely go swimming if you can take that (or if you wear a neoprene suit). The views are absolutely amazing and the water is clear and perfect, if a bit cold. It is an experience you will remember your whole life and perfect for the best Instagram photos as well!

Here are some places where you can go swimming:

  • Lulworth Cove – this one is a no-brainer, of course you can swim there and many people do so in summer. It can indeed get quite busy then, so make sure you go early in the morning to do that, it’d be refreshing.
  • Durdle Door – Durdle Door is another insanely beautiful place that you should stop by and perhaps swim around.
  • Stair Hole – Stair Hole is literally Instagram goals, so go ahead and check it out.
  • Man O’ War – Man O’ War is the last sight on our list, but certainly not the last in importance. It’s again gorgeous and some people even choose to swim from it to Durdle Door and vice versa. This is a great idea for the more experienced swimmers out there, with the distance being around 1.5 miles.

Kayaking And Paddling

Just like you can swim at and around Lulworth Cove, you can also go kayaking if you don’t feel like dipping in the cold waters of the cove. You can explore the whole area, while kayaking, which might be more fun that simply walking or driving from place to place, so you should definitely consider it.

Kayaking is indeed a very popular activity in Lulworth Cove and the area, so there are quite a few kayaking services available to people of all ages that have different levels of kayaking experience. There are kayaking rental services and guided tours all around the coast, so it’s up to you which one you choose.

Some companies offer kayaking tours that go between £60-90 per person for a tour, while others allow you to rent a kayak for £25 (single kayak per hour) and £35 (double kayak per hour). However, keep in mind that you need some experience if you want to leave the Cove on your own.

Paddling is another fun thing that you can do if you prefer it over kayaking. It’s easier than kayaking and you need no previous experience to do it, which is great. Paddling boards can usually be rented for about £20 per hour per person.

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Lulworth Cove

Lulworth Cove – The Beauty of Nature

It is only appropriate to start this blog with an article dedicated to Lulworth Cove, which lends its name to the area that attracts thousands of tourists every year. Lulworth Cove is, as the name suggests, a cove in southern England, near Dorset, which reveals some of the most breathtaking views you can possibly imagine.

In this article, we will tell you more about the geology and the wildlife of the place as well as some interesting facts about Lulworth Cove, and of course, when and how to visit it yourself. Enjoy reading!

Location and How to Get There

Lulworth Cove is located near the English village of West Lulworth, on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, southern England. The exact coordinates of Lulworth Cove are 50.6183°N 2.2469°W and the precise postcode is BH20 5RQ.

Now let’s talk about transportation. It’d be best to drive there. If you have a car, simply put in the postcode or the coordinates and follow the directions. Depending on where you travel from, you will most likely take A35 towards Dorchester or A352 to Wareham and Wool, then follow the brown signs that direct you towards Lulworth Cove.

If you don’t have a car, we advise you to either take the train or the bus to Wareham or Wool, which are the closest towns to Lulworth Cove. From there, you can take a taxi, rent a bicycle, or use one of the bus services like Purbeck Breezer, X54 or X55.

Locals usually advise going to Lulworth Cove in the summer, because the weather is nicer in terms of temperature and precipitation. July and August are the busiest time of the year, so you might want to go in June if you want some solitude.

Visitors mention that the best times of the day to visit it are at sunrise and sunset, which is when many people typically visit impressive places in nature, so it might again be overcrowded, especially around sunset.

Formation of Lulworth Cove and Geology

Visit Lulworth

Lulworth Cove itself was formed during the last Ice Age, or the Late Devensian glaciation as it’s known in Britain, which occurred began around 33,000 years ago and ended around 22,000 years ago.

The formation of the cove is the result of the combined forces of the sea and a river, which was swollen by melting ice. The shape of Lulworth Cove was formed as a result of wave diffraction and it’s one of the best examples of a cove, you can call it a textbook cove, which is why it’s so popular.

Before all these processes occurred, Lulworth Cove looked something like Stair Hole, a smaller cove which is only half a mile away from it. It’s another popular tourist attraction that should be visited if you are already there for Lulworth Cove. Stair Hole has some great geology as well – the folded limestone strata is visible from there.

So, what’s another thing that makes Lulworth Cove so special? It’s the geology. As previously mentioned, Lulworth Cove is on the Jurassic Coast of England, another World Heritage site, and it spreads from Exmouth (East Devon) to Studland Bay (Dorset). You can find 185 million years of history there.

The sights in this region show perfect examples of rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Not only that, but due to the intense coastal erosion in this area, these formations are exposed, so they can be seen by geologists and tourists alike.

Lulworth Cove specifically has a breathtaking fossil forest, which was formed around the end of the Jurassic Period, or about 144 million years ago, after the sea levels dropped and they revealed a surprisingly high number of islands, along with lagoons and channels.

Not only that, but a forest briefly grew there before it was submerged in water again after a big flood, although the remains are still there. The Fossil Forest is the most complete example of a forest from the Jurassic Era, which is why it should be on everyone’s to-go list. It’s unlikely for you to see something similar anywhere else in the world.

Films and Television Shows Shot in Lulworth Cove

You already know how beautiful and how popular Lulworth Cove is, so it should come as no surprise that the film crews are fighting over who’s going to shoot their film there. Some of the films and TV shows filmed in Lulworth Cove include Doctor Who, and more specifically, the third episode of season 26, which was filmed in 1989.

Other films and TV shows that were filmed in Lulworth Cove and the areas surrounding it are:

  • The Four-Sided Triangle (1953)
  • Five on a Treasure Island (1957)
  • The Moonraker (1957)
  • Nuts in May (1976)
  • The Boys in Blue (1982)
  • Walking Through History (2013)
  • World War Z (2013)
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Lulworth Cove

Where to Have the Best Meal in Lulworth Cove

After a long day of exploring the natural beauty of Lulworth Cove and its surroundings, you will most likely lust after a hearty meal and a cold pint. We get it, we really do, so we decided to give you an article of our personal favourite restaurants and pubs in Lulworth Cove and the area.

We hope you agree with our judgement and that you enjoy the best that Southern England has to offer! Bon Appetit!

Restaurants to Visit Around Lulworth Cove

There are far too many restaurants that we can recommend, so let’s get down to business, we shouldn’t leave you starving. Here are our top picks for restaurants around Lulworth Cove, along with their addresses:

  • The Weld Arms, East Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5QQ – The Weld Arms is an old historical inn, established in the 17th century, which is housed in one of the prettiest white cottages on the Jurassic Coast. They pride themselves on their locally sourced food, which includes wild game. The Weld Arms is one of the most sought-after restaurants out there, so you might want to get a reservation as soon as possible. You can even plan a bigger event there like a wedding.
  • Castle Inn, 8 Main Rd, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RN – The Castle Inn is another cottage-type restaurant, which resembles the Weld of Arms. Much like it, it offers a perfectly curated menu, which caters to the gastronomes around us. It is also, as the name suggests, a lovely inn that welcomes visitors all around and has cozy atmosphere and comfy beds.
  • Man O’ War Bar and Restaurant, Durdle Door Holiday Park, West Lulworth BH20 5PU England – Man O’ War Bar and Restaurant is a classic English pub, which has some of the best fish and chips out there. In addition, the venue is also a sports bar, so you don’t have to miss a game during your vacation.
  • Limestone Hotel, Main Rd, Lulworth Cove, Wareham BH20 5RL – Limestone Hotel is a wonderful hotel with a similarly wonderful restaurant that prides itself on its produce like the freshest fruit and vegetables in the area, along with game, fish, and seafood as well. Even if you choose not to stay there, you should definitely visit the venue for a meal sometime and have one of their signature cocktails.
  • The Boat Shed Café, Lulworth Cove, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RQ – The nautical themed café is the perfect place to enjoy a light breakfast as you are preparing for your adventures around Lulworth Cove. There is naturally seasonal seafood and fish like whitebait and calamari, which are as fresh as you can probably imagine.
  • Finley’s Fish and Chips, Main Rd, Lulworth Cove, Wareham BH20 5RQ – You already know what this one is about. Finley’s Fish and Chips has some of uhm, *checks notes* the best fish and chips in the area as it specialises in them. You can both eat there or choose to bring your delicious meal to your accommodation, especially after a heavy night of drinking (we’ve all been there).
  • Lulworth Lodge, 38 Main Road, West Lulworth, BH20 5RD – Lulworth Lodge offers locally sourced food like lobsters and other tasty sea creatures to those with a delicate palette. In addition, you can even order food for picnic and go to one of the natural sights in the region, but make sure you do that the day before to ensure that they can prepare your food on time.
  • Lulworth Cove Inn, Main Rd, Wareham BH20 5RQ – Lulworth Cove Inn is a wonderful inn where you can not only enjoy a lovely roast and a handpicked seasonal menu, but where you can also stay if you want to visit Lulworth Cove. The inn and its restaurant are certainly two places that won’t disappoint even the pickiest of tourists out there.
  • The Doll’s House, Main Rd, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RQ – On the same street as the Lulworth Cove Inn, you can find the Doll’s House, or the best place to have a delightful dessert after a hearty meal. The Doll’s House is situated in the cutest little villa, which does resemble a doll house. You can have the best tea in the sweet green jade cottage that dates back to the 19th century.
  • The Ice Cream Parlour, Main Rd, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RH – If you are specifically craving ice cream after dinner or lunch, we can’t recommend the Ice Cream Parlour enough. It’s again situated in the same area in Wareham and it has tons of different ice cream flavours to choose from, each one of which uses locally sourced milk, which makes every bite creamy and delicious.

Conclusion

So, what’s your opinion on these restaurants? Tell us more about it after you visit a bunch of them during your stay at Lulworth Cove.

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Lulworth Cove

Welcome: Travel Blog About Lulworth Cove and the Area

Hello, dear readers! We are very pleased to present you with our newest project – a travel blog about Lulworth Cove and the region. Lulworth Cove is a World Heritage site and it welcomes thousands of visitors every year, but what should you do once you see it? Leave? That would be a shame.

We thought you should have a detailed blog about all the places you can visit while you are here, so you are not left wondering what to do once you visit the main sites of the region. This includes our finest recommendations for food and drinks, so we have all bases covered for you.

In our first post, we want to briefly tell you more about the main attractions of the area, most of which are natural sites, but are not limited to them. Enjoy reading!

Lulworth Cove

Lulworth Cove is a cove created in the Last Ice Age in Britain, between 33,000 and 22,000 years ago. It is one of the finest examples of this type of cove in the world and what makes it even more special, apart from its beauty, is the collection of various types of rock formation that date back to more than 180 million years. Talking about a rare sight!

Stair Hole

Stair Hole is usually the second stop along the tour of the area where Lulworth Cove is. Stair Hole is small cove close to Lulworth Cove (you might go kayaking from one to another, which is a topic for another article). Stair Hole is an example of what Lulworth Cove looked like in the past and it also features the Lulworth Crumple, which shows exposed rocks that date back millions of years.

Durdle Door

Durdle Door tends to be the last stop of the tour along the coast. As the name suggests, Durdle Door does look like a door, with a gorgeous rock formation, that starts on the ground and ends at the sea, creating the beautiful illusion. It is one of the most Instagramable places of the region, so even for that little reason, you should definitely give it a look.

Lulworth Heritage Centre

The best place to learn about the geological and local history of Lulworth Cove is Lulworth Heritage Centre. It is a rather small museum, located in a gorgeous medieval building, but it tells you everything you need to know to better enjoy the sights of the region and to appreciate them even more.

Lulworth Castle

If you are the type of person who prefers exploring human history, rather than geological history like most people who visit Lulworth Cove, then fret not, because you can always go to Lulworth Castle.

Lulworth Castle is a 17th century (1588-1609) hunting lodge, which, however, resembles the old medieval castles of the past since it was created in the revival fortified castle style. This style is quite a rare sight to uphold as Lulworth Castle is one out of five such castles that you can find in the United Kingdom.

Holy Trinity Church, West Lulworth

To the pious of you or simply to those who love a good cathedral, you should visit the local Holy Trinity Church in West Lulworth, which is a majestic work of Victorian architecture, built around the 1870’s, with some impressive stained grass.