Durlston Country Park

Overall rating

4.66

About

Durlston is the perfect place to start exploring Dorset's internationally acclaimed coast and countryside. With stunning sea views, superb coastal walking, exiting events and amazing wildlife, there's plenty to see and do. Durlston is carefully managed for conservation and public enjoyment by Dorset County Council. Boasting 320 Acres of Meadows, Woodland and Downland Durlston is a great place to spend a day out in the natural world. With over 500 species of wildflower and 250 species of birds recorded here it's a haven for some of Britain's most beloved wildlife. Durlston Castle is well worth exploring. Ejnoy interactive displays, relax on the rooftop terrace or check out live wildlife cameras and the latest dolphin sightings. The castle offers superb access for visitors with disabilities.

Reviews

Overall rating

4.66

(3 reviews)

Overall rating breakdown

5 2
4 1
3 0
2 0
1 0

Access (avg.)

4.16

Parking (avg.)

4.33

Toilets (avg.)

2.33

Staff (avg.)

wheelchair_lady

Sept 2023

Lovely place

I feel others would get more from this place than I could but it was a lovely place with a great attention to detail. There’s not a whole lot here but enough for an hour or two.

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x333xxx

Mar 2022

Extremely helpful staff!

Fab location, mostly accessible and fabulous/accommodating staff. I reserved a mobility scooter in advance and everything was ready upon arrival at site. They very helpfully allow blue badge owners to drive down a short hill to the main building entrance to be dropped off by a carer - that's well signposted in the car park.

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gingeywalker

Oct 2019

Gorgeous Walks

Durlston was easy to find with signs through Swanage. Access is probably only by car, but apparently there is a car share scheme for anyone local and there are regular buses in the Summer. My aunty and her guide dog had a wonderful time as paths are flat and easy to follow, though being on the coast does mean some parts are quite steep - there are trampers available to hire for those who don't feel comfortable on foot. There were some lovely braille bird information plaques outside the café which was great for my aunt, it would be great to see more like this as its so hard to share the amazing views with someone who cannot see them. Durlston is full of stimulation, but there are some quiet spaces and it is super relaxing. The castle adds a lot of interest, it can be easy to get lost but there's always someone around to help. The food in the café us well worth a visit - I love the locally sourced menu and variety of eco-friendly take-away containers and you can refill your water bottle here.

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Disabled Access Information Provided by Durlston Country Park

Disabled Access at Durlston Country Park

Durlston Castle, situated 75m from the first car park on the left and linked by 'The Timeline' a shallow zig-zagging path, is an ideal place to begin your visit. Friendly staff and volunteers are always on hand to recommend a route around the park that best suit your needs, to help you make the most of your visit. Wide doorways, and platform lifts throughout make the Castle easy to navigate. An induction loop is available and we are happy to provide large print copies of our leaflets and guides on request. As well as providing information about the park the Castle hosts facilities including an accessible roof terrace, disabled toilets, shop and cafe-restaurant. The Castle also provides indoor and outdoor seating. All dogs, including guide dogs, are welcome in the Castle, Park and cafe. Details of our accessibility features can be found in our accessibility guide: https://www.accessibilityguides.org/content/durlston-country-park-nnr The Clifftop Trail This 1 km trail takes you along Durlston's cliff-tops past our seabird colonies, the Dolphin Watch hut and the Great Globe. The path is mainly compacted limestone chips and is uneven in places. Great for sea views, the trail is one of our more challenging routes with some hills and one very steep section of the path. There are no gates or stiles on this trail. The Woodland Trail The Woodland Trail is one of Durlston's more accessible routes. Around 1 km in length it has both tarmac, woodchip and compacted limestone paths. This gently sloping trail takes in the wildflower-filled Long Meadow, the tranquil glades of the woodland and views of Durlston Bay. There is one bridle-gate on this trail. This is an ideal short route for families. Explorers Rucksacks full of hands-on activities designed for this trail can be hired from the Castle. The Wildlife Trail This 2 km trail is our most cross-country route, taking you out across the downs and back through the beautiful wildflower meadows. The route is mainly along grassy paths, but takes in a section of tarmac road. Steep and uneven in places, the undulating path includes one steep hill. There are bridle gates, kissing gates and field gates along this trail. This trail is ideal for spotting butterflies and wildflowers. The Lighthouse Walk For those looking for a shorter route, this is a direct route to Anvil Point Lighthouse and back. This is an enjoyable tarmac path, ideal for a first foray on one of our Trampers, with a steady but long climb back up the hill to the Castle. The Victorian Trail Our longest route, 5 km in length, the Victorian Trail links Durlston to Swanage, taking you past many historic sights and monuments. We recommend travelling downhill from the Durlston end of the trail. There are a wide range of surfaces including pavements, tarmac path, compacted limestone chips and grass. There is one short, but steep section of uphill path when walking from the Durlston end of the trail and a long, streep downhill section over grassy paths. There is one bridle gate along this trail. South-west Coast Path Following the South-west Coast Path from Durlston, westwards along the cliff tops, takes you out onto the Purbeck Wares. This is a beautiful section of coastline, boasting several sea quarries including the famous Dancing Ledge. Due to the nature of the terrain this is a very challenging walk including rocky and uneven paths, steps, steep inclines and several stiles. Please note that weather conditions can make a big difference to the accessibility of some of the trails.

Accessible parking at Durlston Country Park

We have ample parking spaces on site, with a call point located in the Castle car park, just next to the marked disabled parking bays. Car parking charges do apply to all visitors, this helps to support our work managing Durlston. If you have difficulty getting from the Car Parks to the Castle, please contact us before your visit, or use the intercom located to the left of the bollards in the Castle Car Park and we will be able to assist. For more information on parking charges please click here.

Dedicated on site parking

Toilets features at Durlston Country Park

Accessible toilets can be found on all three levels of Durlston Castle, with detailed information on their location and photographs included in our accessibility guide.

Accessible toilet

A designated accessible toilet designed for wheelchair users and others with visible and non-visible accessibility requirements is available within the main public areas.