Wool to Lulworth Cove Walk

6.8 miles (11 km)

This walk visits the beautiful Lulworth Cove from the Dorset village of Wool. It's a good way to reach the cove if you are coming by public transport as Wool has a train station. From the village you can follow sections of The Hardy Way and Purbeck Way long distance footpaths to the coast. It's about a 7 mile walk so 14 miles there and back.
The walk starts at Wool train station which can be reached from Poole, Bournemouth, London Waterloo, Dorchester and Weymouth. Head east along Station Road and Bindon Lane and you will be able to pick up The Hardy Way. The path leads you south through the countryside to Cole Wood and Haremere Wood, where you pass close to the Coombe Heath Nature Reserve.
The route continues through the hamlet of Coombe Keynes where you pick up the Purbeck Way. Around here you can take a detour from the route and head south east to Lulworth Castle. This route heads due south to the picturesque village of West Lulworth where you will find rows of pretty cottages and the Castle Inn - one of the oldest pubs in Dorset dating from the 16th Century. From here it is a short stroll down to Lulworth Cove. The sheltered bay is enclosed almost in a circle and was formed 10,000 years ago by the combined forces of a river and the sea. Next to the cove you will pass the West Lulworth Heritage Centre which contains a museum about the coast and the village.
You can extend the walk by continuing along the coast to the natural limestone arch of Durdle Door. For a longer walk try the Lulworth Cove to Osmington Mills Coastal Walk which visits the beautiful Ringstead Bay.

Wool to Lulworth Cove Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

Wool to Lulworth Cove Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Wool to Lulworth Cove OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Wool to Lulworth Cove Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Head a couple of miles inland from Lulworth Cove and you could visit the historic Lulworth Castle. The castle dates back to the 17th Century and includes some beautiful grounds and gardens.