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Far left Corfe Castle’s dramatic Norman
hilltop ruins Left The peaceful town of
Wareham, located on the River FromeDRIVE 4: Hardy Country and the Jurassic Coast
5 Lulworth Cove
Dorset; BH20 5RQ
Below the Purbeck Hills with dramatic
chalk cliffs lie a series of enticing
shingle and shale beaches, reached
by the coastal path. One of these, the
nearly circular Lulworth Cove fills with
small vessels in summer and offers
sheltered swimming. A 15-minute
walk west stands spectacular Durdle
Door, a natural limestone archway in
the sea at the popular beach, Durdle
Bay. Purbeck’s seaboard forms part of
the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage
Site whose geological makeup has
yielded a rich trove of fossil finds.
ª From West Lulworth, follow signs for
Dorchester, passing the turn for Durdle
Door. Turn left on A352 and left again
on the A353 to Weymouth and the town
centre – park at ferry terminal.
town is set to host sailing events in
the 2012 Olympics. To the south, the
Isle of Portland, connected to the
mainland by a causeway, has a wild
coastline worth exploring – dinosaur
footprints have been found here.
Northwest stretches the 29-km (18-
mile) pebble strand of Chesil Beach, a
bleak, unearthly expanse backed by
the Fleet Lagoon, a nature reserve.
ª Take the B3157 northwest, following
signs to Abbotsbury.7 Abbotsbury
Dorset; DT3 4JT
The only remaining building of a
Benedictine Abbey, a15th-century
tithe barn now houses a Children’s
Farm ( mid-Mar–early Sep & half-term:
open daily; mid-Sep–Oct: open weekends),
where kids can get close to a range of
animals. There is also a garden filled
with exotic plants, and the Swannery
(mid-Mar–mid-Sep: open daily), home to
a colony of mute swans, best visited
in June, when the swans nest and the
young hatch. Climb up to the hilltop
St Catherine’s Chapel for stupendous
views (and the path to the Swannery).
ª Turn right at Strangeways Hall and
leave via Back St on a steep, narrow
ascent with great coastal views. Cross
over the junction, following signs to
the Hardy Monument. Turn right onto
B3159 and left to Dorchester. Park in
town centre off Acland Road.Wareham Boat Hire (01929 550 688;
http://www.warehamboathire.co.uk; Mar–Oct).
ª Leave town on A352, turn left on
B3070, signed Lulworth Cove, through
West Lulworth to the cove and car park.
Below left The naturally sheltered harbour of
Lulworth Cove Below right Traditional
seaside facilities at Weymouth’s sandy beachEAT AND DRINKSWANAGE
Ocean Bay moderate
Enjoy fabulous beach views from this
modern eatery with a strong seafood
menu. Try the ale-battered haddock,
sea-bass fillets or ribeye steak. Also
serves salads, snacks and breakfasts.
2 Ulwell Rd, BH19 1LH; 01929 422 222;
http://www.oceanbayrestaurant.comWORTH MATRAVERS
The Square and Compass inexpensive
Great pasties and real ales are served
at this excellent flagstoned pub with
great views and a small museum of
fossils and other local finds.
Worth Matravers, BH19 3LF;
01929 439 229
CORFE CASTLE
Morton’s House inexpensive–moderate
This 16th-century manor house has
been tastefully converted into a smart
hotel-restaurant. Lunch on soups, salads
and snacks in the bar, or guinea fowl or
halibut in the more formal restaurant.
East St, BH20 5EE; 01929 480 988;
http://www.mortonshouse.co.uk
WEYMOUTH
Old Rooms Inn inexpensive
Right by the fishing harbour, with
tables outside, this pub offers a range
of snacks from salads to burgers and
grills, as well as real ales.
Cove Row, DT4 8TT; 01305 771 130
Crab House Café moderate
On Fleet Lagoon, this is not much more
than a shack, with a few wooden tables
and a view of the sea, but serves superb
fresh seafood such as Portland crab and
huge prawns in tarragon butter.
The Oyster Farm, Ferryman’s Way,
DT4 9YU; 01305 788 867;
http://www.crabhousecafe.co.uk6 Weymouth
Dorset; DT3
With its sandy beach and promenade,
Weymouth is a typical traditional
English resort. Sailing, kitesurfing and
windsurfing are popular activities here
- try SailLaser (0845 337 3214; http://www.sail-
laser.com) for sailing courses – and the