Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve is the perfect place to start exploring Dorset's Jurassic Coast. Acres of wildflower meadows, sea cliffs, woodland, superb coastal walking and spectacular views await you. Durlston Castle also offers gallery exhibitions, the Seventhwave Cafe and visitor's shop. A Ranger is always on hand to help you get the most of your day. Owned and managed by Dorset County Council.
Absolutely stunning! A fantastic place to take the family. There are loads of lovely activities dotted around for kids and the most beautiful views of the coast. On a hot summer's day it felt like I was abroad. There is a water refill at the castle which was needed on a hot walk. There is a cafe and shop there too which is perfect to take a break and have a cold drink while looking out at the glistening sea. There was also a cinema and museum in the castle. We were there for several hours and kept finding new and exciting things to do there. Highly recommend.
This is a rather nice country park to visit for its variety of scenery, wonderful views and opportunity for a cup of tea when you've finished exploring. It's easy to access the park, and park your car, and there are plenty of trails taking you to the cliffs with views over the water. Once you've had your fill of hills then you can head to Durlston Castle for some refreshments (that are admittedly expensive) and some culture curtesy of their current exhibition. It's a nice place to visit in its own right but altogether you've got the makings of a lovely day out.
Durston is such a lovely place. The main building is lovely with some great views from it and the cafe and then the scenery from the cliff top and path is stunning. We'll worth a visit and Swanage is only just down the road. A great place to explore from and nice easy parking.
This beautiful part of the Dorset coastline is interesting to explore with its castle and stone globe, as well as a lighthouse. The coastal path is reasonably accessible and the views over Swanage and to the Isle of Wight are spectacular. There are a few bird hides and a number of benches for anyone wanting to watch for Dolphins. The cafe is good and the home-made soup today was delicious. There's a large car park and accessible paths to the castle, cafe and shop.
Durlston country park has interesting features..great views from the headland especially looking back towards Old Harry's Rocks across the bay at Swanage. Nice sitting outside on patio with coffee and cake. The Globe is an unusual feature ..worth a look if rather inaccessible except down steps. All a bit Victorian in the sentiments expressed on the walls around ..but yes... pausing to think a little about our place in the universe is a good thing to do... We didn't get as far as the walks in the nature reserve as we were short if time...but they look promising.
Durlston is a fantastic place to visit. Beautiful walks along the coast with plenty of photo opportunities. There's a great variety of wildlife in the area - keep an eye out for dolphins if you're there at the right time of year! The castle / visitor centre has good facilities. Seventhwave Cafe & Restaurant is a lovely spot for a refreshment and bite to eat, with plenty of options available
On-site services
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Hiking
Picnic tables
Public toilet
Good for kids
Kid-friendly hikes
Dogs allowed
Hello! I'm your AI guide for Durlston Country Park and National Nature Reserve. I can help you with information about this attraction, including its history, best times to visit, and tips for your visit. What would you like to know?
Discover hotels in Lighthouse Rd, Swanage BH19 2JL
Searching for hotels...
Absolutely stunning! A fantastic place to take the family. There are loads of lovely activities dotted around for kids and the most beautiful views of the coast. On a hot summer's day it felt like I was abroad. There is a water refill at the castle which was needed on a hot walk. There is a cafe and shop there too which is perfect to take a break and have a cold drink while looking out at the glistening sea. There was also a cinema and museum in the castle. We were there for several hours and kept finding new and exciting things to do there. Highly recommend.
This is a rather nice country park to visit for its variety of scenery, wonderful views and opportunity for a cup of tea when you've finished exploring. It's easy to access the park, and park your car, and there are plenty of trails taking you to the cliffs with views over the water. Once you've had your fill of hills then you can head to Durlston Castle for some refreshments (that are admittedly expensive) and some culture curtesy of their current exhibition. It's a nice place to visit in its own right but altogether you've got the makings of a lovely day out.
Durston is such a lovely place. The main building is lovely with some great views from it and the cafe and then the scenery from the cliff top and path is stunning. We'll worth a visit and Swanage is only just down the road. A great place to explore from and nice easy parking.
This beautiful part of the Dorset coastline is interesting to explore with its castle and stone globe, as well as a lighthouse. The coastal path is reasonably accessible and the views over Swanage and to the Isle of Wight are spectacular. There are a few bird hides and a number of benches for anyone wanting to watch for Dolphins. The cafe is good and the home-made soup today was delicious. There's a large car park and accessible paths to the castle, cafe and shop.
Durlston country park has interesting features..great views from the headland especially looking back towards Old Harry's Rocks across the bay at Swanage. Nice sitting outside on patio with coffee and cake. The Globe is an unusual feature ..worth a look if rather inaccessible except down steps. All a bit Victorian in the sentiments expressed on the walls around ..but yes... pausing to think a little about our place in the universe is a good thing to do... We didn't get as far as the walks in the nature reserve as we were short if time...but they look promising.
Durlston is a fantastic place to visit. Beautiful walks along the coast with plenty of photo opportunities. There's a great variety of wildlife in the area - keep an eye out for dolphins if you're there at the right time of year! The castle / visitor centre has good facilities. Seventhwave Cafe & Restaurant is a lovely spot for a refreshment and bite to eat, with plenty of options available
