The Cove from the
green T he Cove from the stream The duck pond at the Cove The Cove from Hambury ToutImages of Lulworth Cove
The Cove from the
green T he Cove from the stream The duck pond at the Cove The Cove from Hambury Tout
Visit the Lulworth Cove web-site detailing where to dine and what to do
Lulworth Cove is perhaps the biggest attraction for visitors to this part of Dorset. It is about 425 m by 200 m and 12 m deep in the middle. The water is clear but cold, perhaps 15 C in the summer, fed by a stream and fresh water run-off from the base of Bindon Hill through the shingle beach. The car park holds many hundreds of cars and it can be very busy on a fine summer day. The shingle beach can be crowded at busy times, especially at high tide, when the sea sometimes reaches to the base of the cliffs. If you enjoy solitude, visit again in the winter when the Cove is deserted and watch the waves and the spray, hear the seagulls screeching, and lean into a south-west gale on the cliff-top.
The village is comprised of two parts, West Lulworth and Lulworth Cove, which are separated by a hundred metres or so of meadows. There are all the amenities necessary for visitors; a thatched pub, about 3/4 mile up the road, hotels, bars and restaurants near the Cove of varying standards and styles. There's also a fish and chip shop, Dorset cream teas all over the place, several fast food outlets, lobsters and seafood from a fisherman's hut, high speed trips round the bay, bric-a-brac, seasonal clothes, water sports, cafes and fast food outlets and public facilities. Lulworth Cove is no longer the quaint fishing village of bygone days, but the surroundings and the coastal views are outstanding.
Apart from the hotels and some of the houses, the entire area including the car park is owned by the Weld Estate, Lulworth.com. Lulworth Castle - 3 miles towards Wareham at East Lulworth - is worth a visit and you can use the same car park ticket. The Estate organise many activities and entertainments throughout the year such as jousting, horse shows, outdoor jazz, blues, folk and classical concerts, against the back-drop of the Castle - take a picnic and a drink to these first-class events with children welcome.
There are many secluded and beautiful places within a fifteen minute walk of the Cove car park, which most visitors never discover: Fiddler's Green, Dungy Head, Oswalds Bay, Man O'War, Scratchy Bottom, Bat's Head and several quiet beaches which cannot be accessed at high tide. Then there is Bacon Hole, Smugglers Cave and Mupes Bay. We have a hand-out detailing them and the several bridleway and footpath trails from Limekiln to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, Ringstead Bay and other places of interest.
On the other hand, you may just prefer to lay on a beach with an ice-cream or to doze in a secluded meadow with a chilled glass of wine, just listening to the bees buzzing and birds chirping, jwatching the clouds and the butterflies drifting by.