Durlston Country Park

For details of places to stay and things to do near Durlston Country Park, please try the links on the right. The nearest featured town to Durlston Country Park is Swanage.

Just a mile south of Swanage lies Durlston Country Park, a naturalist's paradise - 280-acres consisting of sea-cliffs, coastal limestone downland, haymeadows, hedgerows and woodland. As well as abundant flora and fauna Durlston also offers stunning views from its coastal paths. As you look out to sea you may spot the dolphins which are regular visitors to the area.

Dorset County Council established the Park in the 1970s and since then the careful management, combined with its geography, geology and history, has made Durlston an important part of the World Heritage Coast.

Throughout the seasons nature provides a changing picture, the diverse landscape supports over 400 species of plant, 250 species of bird, 34 species of butterfly and a whole range of other wildlife.

The large stone globe that you will no doubt come across, shows how the world looked in the 1880s when it was put in place.