Lulworth is an ideal location for a walking holiday as it's situated very close to the South West Coast Path and the Lulworth Ranges. This area provides some of the best coastal walks in the United Kingdom.

The South West Coast Path

The South West Coast Path National Trail provides 630 miles of superb coastline from Poole Harbour to Minehead. The Purbeck section of the Coastal Path provides a picturesque and varied set of walks. Fine sandy beaches at Studland stretch for 3 miles from Poole Harbour to Old Harry Rocks. Dramatic Cliff walks extend around St Aldhelms Head. Stunning walks continue from Kimmeridge into the Lulworth Ranges, one of the most popular sections being westwards from Lulworth Cove, past Dudle Door towards Osmington Mills and Weymouth.

Further information on the South West Coast Path can be found on their web site:-

South West Coast Path Association

The Lulworth Range Walks

Some of the best walks cross the Army Ranges, which are open most weekends and during Easter, August and the main holiday periods.

The Bindon Range at Lulworth has been used as a tank firing range since 1916 while Heath Range and the Tyneham Valley were taken into use during the Second World War to train for the D-day Landings. This included the village of Tyneham, which is now deserted. The Church and Schoolhouse are still intact and provide a popular tourist attraction.

The Lulworth Range comprises more than 2,830 hectares. Although its foreshore continues for some ten and a half kilometres, only certain areas are accessible due to sheer cliff faces and unstable rock and chalk formations. The Range is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Amongst the grasslands abutting the walks lies a multitude of wild flowers including Cowslip, Milkwort, Scabious and Wild Parsnip. In the summer months, the whole area abounds with a variety of wildlife and insects.

Further information on access to the MoD Estates can be found on their web site:-

Access to MoD Estates

Lulworth Area Guided Walks

A number of guided walks are organised by the Lulworth Heritage Centre, e.g.
Walks around Tyneham Village
Landscape and Wildlife Around Lulworth Cove
Fluttering Butterflies on Bindon Hill
Rock Pooling at Lulworth Cove
Shadows of Earthworks.

Local walks

The walks listed below all start from Gatton House, apart from those marked *. The estimated walking times are for the complete round trip.

The Lulworth Estate has published a number of local walks. These are available for reference at Gatton House, or can be purchased at the Heritage Centre in Lulworth Cove.

A brief overview, of the walks is given below:-

This is a 3 mile walk across mostly flat terrain. It follows a route through ancient woodland, across fields to a lake and returns via the old parish boundary.

This is a 2.5 mile walk across mostly flat terrain. It crosses the Castle Parkland, follows the edge of Burngate Wood and runs along the park wall to an old gatehouse, before returning to the Castle.

This is a 5.5 mile walk across gentle hills. It crosses the Castle Parkland, through Haremere Wood and on to Coombe Heath to the Iron Age barrows. The walk returns via an old thoroughfare, once used to move livestock.

This is a 4 mile walk across undulating hills. The walk links Lulworth Cove with Lulworth Castle via farmland and old through fares. Stunning views can be seen at several points.

This is a 2 mile walk, part flat, part steep. The route starts at stair Hole and descends to the beach and round the cove. The last part is optional and ascends a steep hill to an Iron Age Hill Fort with stunning views. If the Range Walks are open, you can also visit the Fossil Forest.

Numerous books have been published on walks in Dorset.

Examples are:-

• Best Tea Shop Walks in Dorset by Mike Power
• Dorset National Trust Walks by Rodney Legg
• Dorset Church Walks by Diana Pe
• Family Walks in Dorset by Nigel Vile
• Nature Walks in Dorset by Tim Goodwin
• Pub Walks along the Dorset Coast by Anne-Marie Edwards
• Purbeck Coastal Walks by Legg
• Village Walks in Dorset by Anne-Marie Edwards
• Pathfinder Guide 21: Dorset Walks by Ordnance Survey