Jane's Midlife Journey

Just across Poole Harbour, on the outskirts of Swanage, is Durlston Country Park; a park and nature reserve in the grounds of a castle. Durlston Castle sits perched on the cliff top overlooking Durlston Bay with stunning coastal views all around.

How to get to Durlston Country Park

From Bournemouth there are two main ways to reach Durlston Country Park. The shortest is 12 miles long and involves taking the Sandbanks Ferry from Sandbanks across the mouth of Poole Harbour. The ferry costs £5.40 each way for cars or £1 for bikes and pedestrians. The longer way is to drive round Poole Harbour along the A350/A351; a journey of 27 miles.

By bus

The No 50 Purbeck Breezer runs between Bournemouth and Swanage. From here, it is around a 30 minute walk to Durlston via the most direct route. Alternatively, you can take the scenic route along the South West Coast Path, via Peveril Point, which takes around 50 minutes.

Parking

There is a paid parking on site, costing £2 for an hour (£6.50 per day) between April and October. And £1.50 for an hour (£4.80 per day) during the rest of the year.

Opening Times

The Country Park and car parks are open from sunrise until sunset all year round. The Visitor Centre at Durlston Castle is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm (4 pm between November and March).

Price

The only charges at Durlston Country Park are the parking fees.

History

Durlston Castle was built in 1887 for local quarry owner and businessman George Burt. He had plans to built a housing estate here, with the castle operating as the restaurant and centre piece of his estate. He blasted an entrance to the Tilly Whim Caves and added numerous seats and stone inscriptions around the park; displaying waymarks, poetry and facts.

By far the biggest feature he commissioned was a 40 ton Giant Globe made of Portland Stone.

Visitor Centre

There is a Visitor Centre with displays and a gift shop. Rangers are on hand to provide up-to-date information about recent wildlife sightings and events. There is also an art gallery.

Café

The Seventhwave Café is inside the castle with indoor seating as well as seating on a terrace overlooking the sea.

The Cafe is open daily from 9.30 am until at least 4 pm (5 pm in summer).

Trails

There are five waymarked Trails, starting and finishing at the castle, where you can pick up a trail map.

Woodland Trail

The gentle, well surfaced Woodland Trail is 0.6 miles long. It leads you through the historic Durlston Pleasure Grounds and has superb views. 

Wildlife Trail

The 1.2 mile long Wildlife Trail runs through rolling downs and meadows.

Clifftop Trail

The Clifftop Trail is a 0.6 mile long circular walk. It has a steep downhill section at the start and a steepish climb at the end. It takes in seabird colonies and offers spectacular views of Old Harry and the Isle of Wight.

Victorian Trail

The Victorian Trail takes you to Swanage and back.

Swanage Walkabout Trail

The Swanage Walkabout Trail is a 3 mile loop between Durlston and the former quarrying village of Herston.

Parkrun

On Saturday mornings, Durlston Country Park parkrun takes place in the park grounds. Our first visit to Durlston was to run (and I use the term very loosely) parkrun. The course is ranked as the third toughest is the country. But the hard work climbing the steep paths is rewarded with breath-taking views of the Purbecks and beyond.

Park Yoga

On Sunday mornings, there is free Park Yoga in the castle grounds at 9.30 am (summers only).

Durlston Country Park for Children

Durlston Castle features interactive displays, live wildlife cameras, a fossil room and family friendly exhibitions. There are also toilets with baby changing facilities. There is a children’s menu at the cafe, although this is a bit expensive with a choice of three meals each costing £7.25.

There are activities for children to do at locations along the trails. You can hire a Woodland Explorer Rucksack (£4 for a half day) with activities including a mini beast safari, a mirror walk through the treetops and a Scavenger Race to augment these activities.

There is a wild Play Trail featuring swings, a barefoot trail, feely boxes and the chance to make wild music.

Each week, Wild Wednesday free drop in sessions take place between 11 am and 3 pm. The offer younger children the opportunity to take part in for painting, crafts and other activities.

Additional activities are laid on during the school holidays, such as an seasonal trails at Easter, Halloween and Christmas trail. Trail packs cost £3.50. There are also craft sessions like kite making or nature pendant decoration.

• Updated: March 2026

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.