The most famous and popular of Studland Bay’s beaches has a large car park for exploring everything Knoll Beach has to offer. Knoll Beach car park is open seven days week, all year round, allowing you to return again and again to discover the different aspects of this special area of Studland. There’s a wide stretch of sandy beach and dunes, woodland walks and handy facilities such as loos, a shop and café. There are two main areas of Knoll Beach car park – if you’re looking to stay for a day out at this gloriously long and sandy beach, head to the right as you come in, or if you’re after a ramble through the woodland or sand dunes, or attending an event at the discovery centre, head to the left. The National Trust shop and café is situated directly between these two sides, along with toilet facilities, kayak hire and dog water stations. Car park opening times Whilst the beach is open all day, car park opening hours vary seasonally, typically as follows: Winter/Early Spring – 9am – 5pm Spring (From 1 April) – 8.30am – 6pm Summer (From 1 June) – 8.30 – 8pm (Timings correct as […]

The village of East Lulworth is considerably smaller than neighbouring West Lulworth, but is still worth a stop and explore for its simple charm. Pretty thatched cottages with their colourful window boxes wind their way around the streets of the village, which is home to a pub and a café and gift shop. A short walk or drive from the centre of the village will also bring you to the 17th Century Lulworth Castle, as well as Lulworth Equestrian Centre. Past & Presents café and gift shop Down a little road named Cockles you’ll find the small, but perfectly-formed gift shop and tea room, Past & Presents. Housed in the old village school, this hidden gem sells local artisan crafts, seasonal gifts, items for the garden and home, and delicious home-baked goods. The building first opened as a Catholic school in 1877 and ran until 1968 when a new school opened in larger nearby Wool. After lying empty for many years the school was given a revamp by the Weld family, which owns the Lulworth Estate, and new lease of life as a shop and tea room. Opening hours and contact details Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm ​Sunday 11am – […]

The Agglestone is one of Purbeck’s curious and quirky landmarks that have been delighting – and puzzling – people for generations. Located in the middle of the vast Godlingston Heath, this imposing presence on the landscape has wide-reaching views down to Studland Bay and across to Little Sea and Poole Harbour. It is not known how the huge, iron-rich sandstone came to be sitting in its solitary way on its small hill in the Purbeck landscape, but its presence has been shrouded in mystery for generations. There are many myths and legends surrounding Agglestone Rock. Mythology, geology & human intervention The story of this imposing rock that looks like it fell out of the sky is as mysterious as it is large – estimated to be around 400 tonnes. Whilst the true origins of Agglestone Rock may be lost in the depths of history, there are some favoured stories that have prevailed over the years, as well as some evidence that it was important to humans at various points. The “Devil’s Anvil” Legend has it that the Agglestone was thrown over from The Needles on the Isle of Wight by the devil himself (‘Agglestone’ taken to mean “Devil’s Anvil”). The rock […]

The jewel in Swanage’s crown is its beautiful beach that sweeps around the curve of its sheltered bay. Despite being one, long stretch of golden sand, the beach in Swanage has a different feel to it depending on where you are along it – meaning you can have a different day out each time you visit. The busy hubbub nearest to town – with its coffee shops, restaurants and traditional amusement arcade – has that typical British seaside buzz that gets you queueing up for a 99 ice cream and digging out the buckets and spades. You can also hire a deck chair, sun lounger or windbreak for the day – the friendly team located on the beach opposite the Swanage Information Centre will come and collect the fee once you’re settled. Slightly further along is a more active scene, with various watersports on offer. Hire a pedalo for some shallow-water fun, or a sea kayak to get out on the waves. You can also book a diving lesson off Swanage Pier. For a more relaxed, sophisticated seaside experience, sit on the deck with a drink at The Watering Hole or outside the Cellar Bar, or sample some seafood at Gee […]

Knoll Beach is the largest and most well-known beach at Studland Bay. Popular with families and watersports enthusiasts, Knoll Beach is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, with its sand dune, wetland and woodland habitats backing the stunning sandy beach. With its National Trust café, Discovery Centre, walking trails and beach-side activities, Knoll Beach has everything for an entire day out.  Note that, during the summer there is a dedicated swimmers’ area at Knoll Beach, however lifeguards are not on duty at any of Studland Bay‘s beaches. Watersports Knoll Beach offers a range of water-based activities throughout the year round (weather and sea state dependent). Studland Watersports activities Primarily operating in the summer months through to September, and across Easter school holidays, activities at Studland Watersports offers something for the whole family across a range of ages including: Kayaking and paddle boarding Sailing and windsurfing Paddle board yoga sessions Banana Boat rides Studland Watersports also hires out deckchairs and sun loungers in the summer. To find out more check out Studland Watersports’ Facebook page: en-gb.facebook.com/pages/category/Outdoor-Recreation/Studland-Watersports Contact Studland Watersports: 📞 07980 559143 Summer fun activities If you prefer your beach-side fun to be land-based, there are plenty of other ways to […]

This towering hexagonal monument was brought to Swanage from London by George Burt – a local businessman and founding father of much of the town – in 1892. The obelisk stands upon a prehistoric barrow (a mound of earth typically situated over an important grave) on North Hill on the Ballard Down headland and was installed to commemorate the provision of a new water supply to Swanage in 1883. The walk up to the obelisk will reward you with stunning views across Swanage Bay, as well as over Studland Bay, Poole Harbour and toward the Isle of Wight. Ballard Down is part of the Purbeck Hills chalk ridgeway, which is popular with walkers and cyclists and runs through Purbeck past Corfe Castle and nearly all the way to Lulworth. History One of George Burt’s many legacies in Swanage, the granite obelisk was originally in situ in central London, outside the St Mary of the Nativity (also known as St Mary Woolnoth) Church. The church is on the corner of King William Street and Lombard Street, near Bank. In 1892 Burt erected the obelisk on its present site to commemorate the town’s water supply that was installed in 1883. In 1941, […]

This intriguing landform and small cove can be easily missed on your trip to Lulworth Cove, but making your way up the short path to see Stair Hole is well worth it. The view from Stair Hole gives a new perspective to this stunning part of the Jurassic Coast with its impressive, commanding vistas of the coastline and down over Lulworth Cove itself. If you have budding geologists with you, or if you want to bring those Geography lessons to life, this is the place to go to really see first-hand the effects of erosion on our coastline. It’s also a brilliant spot to see the limestone strata and folds of the ‘Lulworth Crumple’, just to the left of Stair Hole. Safety and walking information Visitors must keep to the path so as not to contribute to the erosion of the area and, as with all areas of the coastline, it is advised to keep away from cliff edges at all times. Adders may also be present in the grassy cliff at certain times of the year – typically spring and summer. There is a dedicated viewing point at the top of the path from which the features of Stair Hole […]

Home to the Anvil Point Lighthouse, built in the 1800s, the headland of Anvil Point is just one location for stunning seascapes and excellent walking within Durlston Country Park. Comprising part of the Jurassic Coast and the Isle of Purbeck, Anvil Point makes for an interesting explore and a fantastic spot for a quiet picnic overlooking uninterrupted sea views. The lighthouse The lighthouse at Anvil Point serves as a navigation aid and waypoint for vessels passing along the English Channel and was installed followingg a number of shipwrecks here. It became fully automated in 1991 and its light, which flashes every ten seconds with its rotating lens, reaches nine nautical miles out to sea. The original light would have been a paraffin burner. The twelve-metre-tall lighthouse was built in 1881 from locally-quarried stone stands 45m above sea level. It used to have a fog signal – a small cannon – that sounded every five minutes in low-visibility weather conditions, however this was discontinued in the 1980s. The lighthouse at Durlston is occasionally open to the public. Stay at Anvil Point For a unique Swanage stay, complete with breathtaking breakfast views and nature on your doorstep, you can rent one of the two […]