WesternPurbeck
ThewesternendofthePurbeckcoast
containssomeofthemostfamous
landmarksin the area:DurdleDoor,Lulworth
CoveandKimmeridgeBay.LulworthCove
andDurdleDoorareeasilyaccessiblefrom
nearbycarparks,although it’sa steepwalk
downtoDurdleDoor.Therearenumerous
viewpointsof thefamousrockarch,fromthe
shoreandfromtheclifftops,lookingboth
westandeast.Foradifferentperspective,
headeastalongthecoastalpathandclimb
up toSwyre Head.If shootingfromthe
beach,usethemovementofthewaves
washinguponthe shingle tocreatesome
interestin what might otherwisebe a
featurelessforeground.AprilandSeptember
arethebestmonths tovisit asthe evening
suncastsa warmglowontothearch.After
shootinggoldenlightfromtheshore,climb
backupthe steps tothe clifftopandtakea
wide-angle shotintothe settingsun,withthe
archontheleftof theframe.
Mid-winteris anotherexcellenttimeof
yeartovisit, asthe sunrisesthroughthe arch,
andin the right conditionscancreatea
stunningstarburst.Alsotake the opportunity
toshootneighbouringMano’ WarBayasthe
risingsunwillfloodthecovewithlight.
Mano’WarBayis everybitasimpressiveas
DurdleDoorbutis oftenignoredinfavourof
itsbetter-knownneighbour.
LulworthCovewillbefamiliarto many
peoplefromgeographytextbooks,as the
horseshoe-shapedbayis oftenusedto
illustratetheeffectsof erosion.Itswonderful
shapeis bestshownbyshootingfromthe
steepslopesto thenorth-eastofthecove–
thereis afootpathleadingupfromtheeastern
sideofthecove,ontheboundaryofthearmy
ranges.Foranalternativeview,climbthehill
to thesouthof thecarparkandshootacross
StairHole– a kindof LulworthCovein the
making– towards the cover.It worksbestas a
sunriseshotin autumnorwinter.1) Looking across Stair Hole towards Lulworth Cove.
2) A passing shower creates a rainbow over Man o’ War Bay.
3) The ledges and sea stacks at Mupe are dramatic, with a
wonderful sense of isolation. 4) The arch and cliffs at Durdle
Door take on a golden glow with evening light in spring and
earlyautumn;usewavemovementforforegroundinterest.80 DigitalSLRPhotographyOctober 2 019
Asit'stotheeastof Lulworth,andreached
viathearmyrangesis MupeBay,StairHoleis
only accessible at weekends andholidays,
whichgivesit a wonderfullyisolated
atmosphere.It’sa hardwalkbutworthit,
aswithits ruggedledgesandtowering sea
stacks,thisis oneof Purbeck’shighlights.
Bestshotasa wintersunrise,therearegood
compositionsonalltideheights.
Alsoonthe armyranges,andopenonly at
weekends andholidays,isWorbarrowBay.
Thebayhasa shinglebeachandsandstone
cliffs thatcatchtheeveninglightbeautifully.
Attheeasternendofthebayis a distinctive
promontoryknownasthe‘Tout’(oldEnglish
forlookout)andat thewesternend,Mupe
rocks.Thebayis accessedvia thedeserted132