The Coast
The Springield Country Hotel is ideally situated for exploring the fabulous World Heritage Jurassic Coast. This spectacular stretch of coastline was awarded World Heritage Status and is fascinating to explore. It is the first site in England to be awarded the UNESCO Word Heritage Status.
Durdle Door, Old Harrys Rocks, Lulworth Cove and Kimmeridge are just a few of the highlights.
Durdle Door
Durdle Door is probably the best known landmark on The Jurassic Coast. It is a perfect coastal arch. It is often seen on television, and in magazines. It is a short walk from Lulworth Cove.
Durlston Country Park
Durlston Country Park is on the outskirts of Swanage and has a Victorian Castle (which opens as a new visitor centre in 2010), a giant Portland Limestone Globe, some wonderful coast walks past Tilly Whim Caves & Durlston Lighthouse. There is a butterfly walk through meadows, which are beautiful in the summer. The Visitor Centre is open all year, where they have live video feeds of the sea bird colonies on the cliffs. If you keep your eyes open, you may even see a bottlenose dolphin swim past!
There is a tea room for refreshments with a view!
Kimmeridge
Kimmeridge is very popular with surfers, windsurfers, canoeists and is a safe bay in the summer for snorkellers. It is part of the Purbeck marine Wildlife Reserve managed by The Wildlife Trust and the trust run a marine centre. It’s good for fossil hunting, but may only collect loose fossils from the beach, no hammering is allowed.
Kimmeridge is also a popular hot spot for photographers, as the ledges reching out into the bay make wonderful compositions!
Lulworth Cove
Lulworth Cove is a short drive from the hotel and is a traditional fishing village. A great place for a day on the beach or to walk from to Durdle Door, an iconic geological landmark, or the fossil forest in the other direction. Lulworth Cove is often used by schools for geology field trips becuase the cove is such a perfect example of a horseshoe bay.
There is a visitor centre and exhibition as well as many places to wine and dine.
Old Harry Rocks
Situated between Swanage Bay and Studland Bay is an area of chalk downland, Ballard Down, owned by The National Trust. The sea stacks at the headland here are known as Old Harry Rocks. Looking to see towards the East, you can normally see The Needles on The Isle of Wight. They are also made of chalk and a few thousand years ago would have been connected to Ballard Down.
Studland Beach
Studland Beach is a very long beach stretching several miles from the Chain Ferry right up towards Old Harry Rocks. The beach is popular Summer & Winter alike as it is a fantastic walk as well as well as a great place to realax in the sun. You can take a walk in the dudes, across the heath and down to Littlesea or have a snack in the National Trust cafe at Knoll Beach or a fine meal in Shell Bay Restaurant.
Swanage
Swanage Beach is a very safe and clean family beach capturing the traditional seaside town flavour. Watch the Punch & Judy show, enjoy some fish and chips and build a sandcastle. You can even go crabbing from the quay in the rockpools and take a ride on the steam train.
Swanage Town has many fine restaurants, pubs and shops as well as the seaside amusement arcades. There is even an 18 hold pitch and putt course!
Enjoy a ride on the Swanage Steam Railway.
Visit the famous Chococo and treat yourselves to their delicious handmade chocolates.
Tyneham Village & Worbarrow Bay
Tyneham is a ghost village which was evacuated by the War Office, now the MOD, in 1943. This was supposed to be a temporary measure but a compulsory purchase order in 1948 means that noone has live there since. The village is now derelict and open to the public at weekends and school holidays.
You can walk from the village to Worbarrow Bay and enjoy more of the Jurassic Coast.