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Monday 27th July 2026
Starts 13:30 until 17:30
Lulworth Cove Visitor Centre, Main Rd, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RQ
Starts 13:30 until 17:30
Lulworth Cove Visitor Centre, Main Rd, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5RQ
The Purbeck Way to Lulworth Cove
A Circular Walk from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door
Walk guide, Lucy Boyle Brown
Date: Monday, 27th July 2026
Cost: £10 (transport not included)
Meet: Lulworth Cove Heritage/Visitors Centre at 1.30pm
Parking is available at Lulworth Cove car park. Parking fees are £12.40 for 4 hours (£20.00 all day).
NOTE: the car parks can get very busy so leave plenty of time for arrival or consider a public transport option. Car shares will be arranged where possible.
Enjoy truly a breathtaking walk from Lulworth Cove village along the Jurassic Coast to Durdle Door, returning to Lulworth via an inland route with spectacular views all the way. About 3 miles in total with some long steep inclines and descents. 3 hours walking. Bring your swimming things if you fancy a dip. We will visit the cove at the end for readings, refreshments and swimming. The Lulworth Cove Heritage/Visitors Centre and Museum is open daily with free admission.
Thomas Hardy described Lulworth Cove as a "miniature Mediterranean”. In his 1874 novel "Far From the Madding Crowd", Lulworth Cove is renamed "Lulwind Cove” and is the setting where the character Sergeant Troy swims out of the cove into the open sea, leading to his presumed drowning. Hardy’s interest in smuggling will also be explored. The walk will include Hardy readings along the way.
Public transport options include buses from Weymouth to Lulworth Cove (x54 Jurassic Coaster) or a train from Dorchester to Wool and a bus from Wool to Lulworth Cove (31 Jurassic Breezer x54 Jurassic Coaster). The x54 goes via Poxwell so there is a possibility of getting off there on the return journey to attend The Trumpet Major Production at 7pm. Attendees can then share the coach back to Dorchester at the end (by prearrangement).
Refreshments and public toilets are available at Lulworth Cove.
Please wear sturdy footwear and waterproofs and/or sunhat depending on what the weather dictates!
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Photos courtesy of the Lulworth Estate
According to the editors of The Victorian Web, many of whose remarks seem based on Thomas Hardy's Wessex (1913) by Herman Lea,
"This 'small basin of sea enclosed by cliffs' is drawn from Lulworth Cove, situated near Weymouth [i. e., Budmouth Regis in Hardy's Wessex]. In swimming Troy found himself carried out to sea, 'not a boat within sight, but far in the distance Budmouth lay upon the sea.'"
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Upcoming events
27th International Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival
From 25/07/2026 until 01/08/2026
All day event
All day event
Roman Casterbridge
On 25/07/2026
Starts 13:30 until 15:30
Starts 13:30 until 15:30
Writers' Workshop with the Bards of Dorchester and Dorset
On 25/07/2026
Starts 16:00 until 18:00
Starts 16:00 until 18:00
Visit Oxford - Hardy's Christminster
On 26/07/2026
Starts 00:00 until 18:30
Starts 00:00 until 18:30
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