If someone asked you to choose a tour of any region of England, which one would you pick? That question was recently posed to me, and in selecting an area to visit, I came across an itinerary that included a destination called Durdle Door in Dorset. It sounded like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland. I had to go. Here’s my Durdle Door travel guide.
Durdle Door Travel Guide
Last weekend I traveled on a three-day tour of southwest England compliments of Rabbie’s, a British tour operator that offers small group tours of England.
Their Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Bath & the South West Coast tour included stops at Stonehenge, Bath, Exeter, Glastonbury, and Tavistock, as well as visits to Dartmoor National Park and the Dorset Coast.
Lulworth, Dorset
The last of these was the first place we went after Stonehenge. We started in Lulworth, a small seaside village full of pretty thatched roof cottages and quaint cafes and restaurants.
Along the high street ran a stream with colorful boats in it, and at the end was the beautiful Lulworth Cove with its pebble beach.
Even in the winter Lulworth lured visitors to its shops and shores, which were buzzing when we arrived.
My tour group consisted of me and two Australian university students, and the three of us stopped at a cafe for a quick lunch of bangers and mash before exploring the town and the cove.
Durdle Door
Afterwards we hopped back on the van, a shiny new vehicle driven by Kevin, our guide for the trip.
He drove us up a hill to Durdle Door, which, as it turns out, was not a location from a fairy tale, but a naturally formed rock arch on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.
Despite being real, Durdle Door could have come out of a fantasy. The stunning cliffs, long sandy beaches, and beautiful limestone arch were exactly what I least expected to find in England.
In fact, the warmth of the winter day, the clear blue skies, and the spectacular rocky coastline made me feel like I was back in California. Maybe I had fallen down the rabbit hole after all.
But I didn’t mind. The atmosphere was enough to make me want to stay in Wonderland—er, Durdle Door and the Dorset Coast—forever. It was truly one of the most beautiful places in the UK.
But the tour had an itinerary and I had to follow it, and off we went to the next stop: Exeter. To be continued…
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AS from one Expat California style to another, there are even more jewels in the crown yet to be discovered. I settled in Scotland and there are places here it will remind you of California, especially in the Highlands. The Trees, Douglas Fir are from my childhood memories growning up in California never knowing they are from Scotland. Do enjoy the rest of your tours. There are more places off the beaten track in Scotland that could be of interest. Certainly beautiful to see. Get to know the real Scots, more than Whisky and Tartans!
Bye for now fellow Californian,
Annette
Thanks Annette! My grandmother was from Glasgow, so I know at least one real Scot :). I’m heading up to Scotland in a couple of weeks, and look forward to seeing more!
I want to go now!!!!
You should go if you get a chance!
Your photos are amazing, Unique!..beautiful pictures 🙂
Thanks! I’m glad you like them!
Ahhh lovely Durdle Door. As a native Dorset lady (“Dorset born, Dorset bred, strong in the arm, thick in the head!”) this makes me homesick! Great photos 🙂
Thanks Alice!