Lulworth Cove

The beauty of the Purbeck Coast results from the way the power of the sea has acted on rocks of different resistance.  At Lulworth Cove, limestone forms a massive bastion against the sea.

A perfect horseshoe bay has developed where a stream breached the limestone allowing the sea to enter the valley and hollow out the softer clays lying behind the limestone barrier.  The Chalk forms a resistant cliff at the back of the bay.  The Cove is one of the most famous features within the World Heritage Site, and is visited by thousands of schoolchildren every year.  A visitor centre and exhibition is provided by the Lulworth Estate at the Cove. 

The Lulworth Crumple

Another bay is forming beside Lulworth at Stair Hole.  Here the breach has been made by collapsing caves and arches.  This has revealed the famous ‘Lulworth Crumple', a complex fold formed by major earth movements that occurred in the same period that the Alps were formed.  A viewing platform has been provided to view the Crumple in safety.

Durdle Door

Half a mile west of Lulworth Cove is Durdle Door -  a perfect coastal arch.  The rocks here have been tilted so they are almost vertical, and the limestone barrier has been almost destroyed.  The arch shows how nature creates landforms that are self-supporting.