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A quick look at the nearest free car parking options near Durdle Door – with insider tips from a local.
Following the recent price rise to £20 per day, Durdle Door Car Park is officially expensive! Unfortunately, there are almost no nearby alternatives, so the landowners (the Lulworth Estate) are able to charge what they like.
To be honest, the best way to avoid the high car park fees is to utilise public transport to reach Durdle Door. Read my guide here. Alternatively, there is some free road parking nearby, but you’ll need to take a bus or walk to reach the famous rock arch and surrounding beaches.
The Quick Version
- Daggers Gate Layby – near the entrance to Durdle Door but very limited.
- Winfrith Newburgh – limited road parking, 6 minutes by bus or 1 hour walking.
- West Lulworth – some road parking, 40 minutes walking.
- Wool – ample road parking, 20 minutes by bus or 2 hours walking.
Official Car Parks (with Prices)
- Durdle Door Car Park (the closest to the cliff path)
- Newlands Meadow (overflow parking for Durdle Door, just west of the main entrance)
- Lulworth Cove Car Park (a 1-mile walk over a steep cliff path)
All three car parks are owned by the Lulworth Estate and cost: £3.10 for one hour, £12.40 for 4 hours, or £20 all day (for cars).
Free Car Parking Near Durdle Door: 4 Options
A quick note: in summer, Lulworth and Durdle Door are incredibly popular destinations, and finding a free parking spot can be nearly impossible unless you arrive very early. This guide will be more helpful during the autumn through early spring, when the destinations are usually quieter.
1. Daggers Gate Layby: Closest to Durdle Door
There is a layby just before the entrance to Durdle Door with space for about 5 or 6 cars. It’s on the right side of the road that runs from Winfrith Newburgh to Durdle Door, next to the turning for Old Daggers Gate Road. These spaces are like gold dust in summer, so you’d need to arrive very early. Outside of peak season, it can be a good option if you don’t mind a slightly longer walk to Durdle Door. CLICK HERE for the Google Maps location.
Please note: The ground is uneven and can be muddy after rain, so it’s not ideal for smaller cars, and if others park carelessly, you can get blocked in.
2. Winfrith Newburgh
There is a small amount of roadside parking in the small village of Winfrith Newburgh, but it’s usually in use by locals. There are some spaces outside the church, as well as very limited road parking along High Street, School Lane, and Pigeon Close – if you can get a space.
Getting to Durdle Door: From Winfrith Newburgh, it’s a little over a 3-mile walk to Durdle Door along a country lane (just over an hour).
Alternatively, you can take the bus from the village centre (the stop is near the Post Office); the journey time is about 6 minutes. There are 3 services, but the timetables are limited, so you will need to time things precisely:
- Jurassic Breezer 31 (weekends only Mar-Oct)
- Jurassic Breezer 30 (daily May to September)
- First Bus X54 (from mid-March)
3. West Lulworth
The small village of West Lulworth is a short walk from Lulworth Cove. There is roadside parking on both sides of Church Road, behind Holy Trinity Church. It’s very popular during summer, so finding a space is pretty unlikely. Outside of peak season, there are usually plenty of spaces here.
Getting to Durdle Door: The best option is to walk towards Lulworth Cove and pick up the 1-mile coast path over the cliff to reach the arch. Alternatively, West Lulworth is a good place from which to start my circular Lulworth and Durdle Door walk.
Please note: There is no road parking on Main Road or West Road in the village. Parking on West Road can block the road for emergency vehicles, which has caused serious issues in the past. There is also no road parking between the village of West Lulworth and Lulworth Cove, or in the village of Lulworth Cove.
4. Wool
Just north of Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, the village of Wool has the most options for free road parking. However, it’s about a 2 hour walk from Durdle Door, so it’s hardly the most convenient – but there is a bus (see below).
There is a small free car park on The Cross, near the post office. There’s also a small car park at the train station, but parking is limited to 20 minutes so this won’t work. You can also find ample road parking on the following roads:
- Breachfield (closest to Wool Station).
- Hyde road
- Colliers Lane (lots)
- Meadow Lane
- Folly Lane (limited)
- The Square
- Lampton Road (behind the station)
Getting to Durdle Door: There is a bus stop outside Wool Rail Station; the journey to Durdle Door takes about 20 minutes.
- Jurassic Breezer 31 (weekends only Mar-Oct)
- Jurassic Breezer 30 (daily May to September)
- First Bus X54 (from mid-March)
A Few More Options
As I said above, there aren’t a great many options for free parking in this area. There’s no roadside parking on the roads leading to Durdle Door from either direction, and there are very few alternative car parks nearby.
But if you want to make a day of it, you can park further along the coast and walk via the South West Coast Path to reach Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. These are a few good options:
- Weymouth to Durdle Door (free road parking and paid car park at Bowleze Cove): 7.6 miles (12.2km)
- Ringstead Bay to Durdle Door (paid carpark in Ringstead Bay): approx 4 miles (6km)
- Tyneham to Durdle Door via Worbarrow Bay (suggested donation of £2 for the car park): approx 6 miles (10km)
If you know any more free places to park near Durdle Door, please let us know: scroll down to leave a comment!
