Wool Circular (via The Warren, Lulworth Cove and Castle) Walk

Thomas Hardy Country, pretty coombes, the Jurassic Coast (Durdle Door, Stair Hole and Lulworth Cove), Lulworth Park with its fantastic Castle, and Coombe Heath

Length	30.9 km (19.2 mi), with 753m ascent/descent. For a shorter or longer walk and an Alternative Start or a Finish at Lulworth Cove see below Walk Options.
Toughness	9 out of 10, with 7 hours walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 13 hours.
Walk Notes	This Dorset walk leads mainly through the large Lulworth Estate, owned for centuries by the Weld Family, initially through the Thomas Hardy Country of rolling pastures, large woods and dairy farms, then – on a choice of routes – through remote, scenic coombes to a fascinating stretch of the Jurassic Coast, with its steep chalk cliffs, rock stacks rising out of the sea, natural limestone arches, caves and beautiful coves. The stretch around Durdle Door and Man o’ War beaches can be very busy with day-trippers but the route then follows quieter coastal paths to the fascinating coves of Stair Hole and its larger – and geologically older – cousin Lulworth Cove for lunch in West Lulworth. Having had the Purbeck Hills in view for a while, stretching out to the East, an optional afternoon extension then routes over one of them – Bindon Hill. All walk routes climb up steeply from West Lulworth to the ridge separating the Dorset Plain from the Coast and descend through a very pretty coombe past Bellhuish Farm and then lead along Lulworth Park, before meandering along permissive routes through the park to Lulworth Castle (possibly the most beautiful castle in the South) and its tearooms and church, and back through Bowling Green Wood. Coombe Heath Nature Reserve and Haredene and Cole Woods lie ahead en route back to Wool. Note 1: Lulworth Park is closed to the public all day Saturday and on selected other days. On those days the shortcut avoiding the park will have to be walked. Note 2: This is a long walk with an option to make it longer. It is therefore well suited to be broken at the halfway stage with an overnight stay in Lulworth Cove or West or East Lulworth.
Walk Options	Several buses connect Wool (and Weymouth) to Winfrith Newburgh (6.9 km into the walk), while also calling at Durdle Door Park (a little off route, 15.0 km into the walk) and in Lulworth Cove (16.4 km into the walk): Purbeck Breezer 30/31/35 (late May-late Sep: daily); X52/54 (Oct-Mar: Mon-Fri, Apr-Sep: daily). A Variation in the morning leads to the Coast Path on a different route, via Dagger’s Gate to Swyre Head, closer to Lulworth than The Warren. An Extension after lunch in Lulworth Cove leads along the cove’s beach and over Bindon Hill to West Lulworth (adds 1.1 km and 132m ascent). A Shortcut avoiding Lulworth Park in the afternoon cuts 3.7 km/2.3 mi. [Lulworth Park is closed every Saturday and on selected other days, in which case you have to take this shortcut. Check https://www.lulworth.com/ for details.] A Diversion avoiding the Permissive Route past Home Farm is described, should the route be closed. The route through Coombe Heath with its tumuli and barrows can be cut by 820m and 23m ascent. There are two finishes described into Wool: one through a bluebell wood (mud-prone after rain) and one through open pastures.
Maps	OS Explorer: OL15 (Purbeck & South Dorset) OS Landranger: 194 (Dorchester & Weymouth) & 195 (Bournemouth & Purbeck)
Travel	Wool Station, map reference SY 844 869, is 173 km south west of Charing Cross, 15m above sea level and in Dorset. It is on the London Waterloo to Weymouth Main Line, with one train per hour (journey time 149 mins Mondays-Saturdays, 154 mins on Sundays). Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take a train no later than 9.05 hours.
Lunch	Early (the pubs are 640-900m off route) The Countryman Inn East Knighton, Dorset, DT2 8LL (01305 852 666). Located 900m off route, 7.3 km/4.5 mi into the walk. The Red Lion Inn Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset, DT2 8LL (01305 852 814). Located 640m off route, 7.5 km/4.7 mi into the walk. The Sailor’s Return Chaldon Herring, Dorset, DT2 8DN (01305 854 441). Located 670m off route, 9.4 km/5.8 mi into the walk. Normal (from 16.0 km/10.0 mi to 17.2 km/10.7 mi into the walk) Plenty of options in West Lulworth. Check the pdf for details.
Tea	In East Lulworth: The Lulworth Castle Tearoom East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QS. The Tearoom is located 7.5 km/4.7 mi from the end of the walk. The Weld Arms East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QQ (01929 400 211). The Weld Arms is located on a loop off the main route, 7.3 km/4.6 mi from the end of the walk. Past and Presents The Old School, 1 Cockles, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QN (01929 400 637). Past & Presents Gift & Coffee Shop is located on a loop off the main route, 7.3 km/4.5 mi from the end of the walk. In Wool: Black Bear High Street, Wool, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6BP (01929 405 541). The Bear is located 300m before the train station. Ship Inn Dorchester Road, Wool, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6EQ (01929 462 247). The Ship Inn is located 400m beyond the train station.

Lulworth Cove	Lulworth Cove, nearby Durdle Door (a cliff arch) and the dramatic white cliffs' coastal scenery are stunningly beautiful, and very popular and busy on sunny summer weekends. Travel Wool Station is 7 kilometres north of Lulworth Cove on the Waterloo to Weymouth Main Line. Trains are hourly. Journey time 149 mins Mondays-Saturdays, 154 mins on Sundays. Wool Station to Lulworth Cove: bus or taxi Updated : July 2023 (but bus fare as of 07/22). Check online before you go, as recently these bus services have changed every year! Check Traveline South West. Jurassic Breezer 30: Swanage - Corfe Castle - Wareham station - Wool station - Lulworth Cove - Osmington - Weymouth King's Statue and Jurassic Breezer 31: Wool station - Winfrith - Durdle Door - Lulworth Cove. Daily 27 May - 17 September. About hourly. First bus from Wool station to Lulworth Cove: 09.50 (31) and 10.23 (30). Last bus from Lulworth Cove to Wool station 19.12. Some of the late afternoon and evening buses do not run any Sundays and weekdays between 05 June - 21 July and 04 - 15 September (2023 dates). First Wessex X50: Weymouth King's Statue - Osmington - Durdle Door - Lulworth Cove - Wool Station. Daily April to September, weekdays only in winter. From Wool station to Lulworth Cove hourly from 09.42. From Lulworth Cove to Wool station hourly from 09.20 to 17.20. The last bus from Lulworth Cove is the 17.56 to Weymouth. Fares were £3.50 for an Adult Single from/to Wool station in July 22. Note that returns bought on the Jurassic Breezers 30 and 31 are not valid on the First Wessex X50, and vice versa! Taxis: Lulworth – 01929 400864, 07949 522 533, 01929 444 546, 01929 400 409; Wool – 01929 463 395, 01929 558 119, 01929 500 604, 07751 769 833. [Aug-19] Expect fares of about £15 (and £22 for an 8-seater). Wool has two pubs close to the station to await your train, and a local store that keeps long hours every day. By Car About 3 hours drive from London. On the ridge above Tyneham is Povington Hill Car Park (free, no postcode), not far from East Lulworth (BH20 5QQ). You can park in Tyneham itself (£2 suggested). There are large, expensive car parks at Lulworth Cove (BH20 5RQ), and by Durdle Door campsite, or you can park for free about 1 km inland in West Lulworth village (BH20 5SG). Stay West Lulworth has a YHA youth hostel, a HF hotel, a campsite (mostly caravans, but they take tents), and B&Bs and Hotels.
Lulworth Ranges Danger Area	This is an army live firing range around Tyneham, just to the east of Lulworth Cove. It is only open at certain times. Access is allowed along marked Range Walks. They are shown on OS maps. Lulworth Range Walks The Range Walks are open most weekends (they are closed about 6 weekends a year) every day during Dorset school holidays. Latest updates : MOD : Lulworth Access Times Lulworth Range walks and Tyneham Village Opening Times Open every weekend with the exception of the following: 2024 closed weekends 17/18 February 2024 16/17 March 2024 08/09 June 2024 14/15 September 2024 12/13 October 2024 16/17 November 2024 On completion of firing the gates to the walks are opened as near as possible to 16.30 on the Friday afternoon. Please note that this is dependent on completion of range clearance and weather. The gates will then remain open until 8.00 on the Monday morning. In addition to the weekends they are open every day during the following times (all dates are inclusive): 2024 open days Easter: 29 March to 14 April 2024 Bank Holiday: 04 to 06 May 2024 Spring stand-down: 25 May to 02 June 2024 Summer stand-down: 26 July to 01 September 2024 Christmas: 21 Dec 2024 to 05 January 2025
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Version	Jul-23 Thomas G
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