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A quick guide to some of the best walks to and around Durdle Door, from short 1-mile rambles to challenging full-day hikes.
Durdle Door is one of Dorset’s most iconic sights: a towering rock arch over the sea, facing one of the county’s most spectacular beaches. Most visitors simply drive to the clifftop car park above and take the short walk downhill to reach the Door. But by doing that, you miss some of the area’s most stunning coastal views.
East and west of Durdle Door, the coast path winds up and down the cliffs, passing some impressive coastal features that many visitors miss altogether. The smaller rock arch in the white cliffs of Bat’s Head, the sweeping sea views from White Nothe, and the brilliantly named valley of Scratchy Bottom, to name just a few! Here are some of my favourite coastal walks around Durdle Door…
Best Durdle Door Walks
Here’s the quick list, with links to my route guides below (more coming soon!). You’ll find more info about each walk further down the page.
- Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door: 1-mile each way
- Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door: 5-mile Circular
- Ringstead to Durdle Door: 8-mile clockwise circular, inland path first
- Ringstead to Durdle Door: 8-mile anti-clockwise circular, coast path first
- Weymouth to Lulworth Cove: 14.4 miles one way
Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door (shortest there-and-back)
- Distance: 1 mile / 1.75 km each way
- Difficulty: Easy
- Starting Point & Parking: Lulworth Cove Car Park (BH20 5RS)
- Highlights: Lulworth Cove, Man O’War Bay
- Route Guide & Map: CLICK HERE
An easy-to-follow there-and-back walk following the coast path over the hill between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. It’s a fairly steep, but short, climb.
Lulworth Cove 5 Mile Circular
- Distance: 5.1 miles / 8.2.km
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Starting Point & Parking: Lulworth Cove Car Park (BH20 5RS)
- Highlights: Lulworth Cove, Stair Hole, Scratchy Bottom, Bindon Hill
- Route Guide & Map: CLICK HERE
A circular route following the coast path to Durdle Door, then returning inland via Scratchy Bottom before climbing the hill behind Lulworth for exceptional views of the cove.
Ringstead to Durdle Door 8 Mile Circular
- Distance: 8 miles / 12.8 km
- Difficulty: Moderate-Hard (some steep climbs)
- Starting Point & Parking: Ringstead Bay Car Park
- Highlights: White Nothe, Bat’s Head, rollercoaster cliff climbs and inland downs.
- Route Guide & Map: Clockwise Route (inland first), Anti-Clockwise Route (coast path first)
A circular route from the clifftop carpark above Ringstead, following the old Dagger’s Gate Road track across the countryside before descending to Durdle Door, then returning via the coast path and the stunning views at White Nothe.
Weymouth to Lulworth Cove
- Distance: 14.4 miles / 23.2 km
- Difficulty: Hard
- Starting Point: Ferrybridge, Weymouth DT4 9XS
- Parking: Limited road parking nearby, paid parking at Chesil Car Park (DT4 9XE)
- Highlights: Portland Harbour, Osmington Mills, Ringstead Bay, White Nothe, Bat’s Head.
- Route Guide & Map: CLICK HERE
Section 50 of the 630-mile South West Coast Path trek runs from Weymouth to Durdle Door, taking in some of Dorset’s absolute best bits on the way. Seasonal buses make the return journey from Lulworth to Weymouth, or you can return by train from nearby Wool.
Are there any other great walks to Durdle Door which I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll add them to the list!
