Coast Path at Durlston looking east to Viewpoint. Photo: Brian Arnold
Location
Access
Take the A351 from Wareham (11 miles), or come across the Sandbanks-Studland ferry from Bournemouth (10 miles) to Swanage. From Swanage follow the brown tourist signs up the hill. Park in the pay & display car park.
Entrance to Durlston. Photo: Brian Arnold About the site
Durlston benefits from a combination of geography, geology, history and careful management which has created a mosaic of nationally important wildlife habitats: sea-cliffs, downs, ancient meadows, hedgerows, woodland even dry-stone walls each with their characteristic plants and animals. 35 species of butterfly have been seen here.
For more info visit: Official Durlston websiteHabitat and features
Limestone downland, scrub shelter, woodland, dry-stone walls, rocky shores and partly wooded cliffs.
What to see
Butterflies
Moths
Oak Rustic, Oleander Hawk Moth, Six-spot Burnet, Elephant Hawk Moth, Beautiful Gothic, Grass Eggar, Yellow Belle, Mother Shipton, Silver Y
Other species
Swallow, Sand Martin, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Skylark, Bottlenose dolphins
Photo gallery
Click thumbnails to view full-size images.
Durlston Castle. Photo Brian Arnold
Clifftop to Lighthouse. Photo: Brian Arnold
Caravan Terrace. Photo: Brian Arnold
Spring flowers at Durlston. Photo: Brian Arnold
Coast Path looking west to lighthouse. Photo: Brian Arnold
View from Durlston. Photo: Brian Arnold.
Ownership
Dorset Council