Kokova Magazine

When I finally convinced my son to take a few days away to discover Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, I combined it with a day visit to the Tank Museum in Bovington, as it had been on our to-do list for over a year. Being neurodivergent meant overnight trips had to be approached carefully and executed with precision. He needed to feel comfortable with the completed plan. It wasn't without its challenges, but the rewards were worth it.

The Lulworth Estate extends over 12,000 acres (20 square miles) of the south Dorset countryside, including 5 miles of the Jurassic Coast and internationally renowned landmarks such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Lulworth’s estate pedigree can go back as far as the Doomsday times in the 11th century and beyond.

Lulworth Castle was built in the 17th century. A magnificent building steeped in history. Originally built as a hunting lodge to entertain the aristocracy and royalty, for centuries it was the family seat of the Weld family, the current owners of the Lulworth Estate. Destroyed by fire in 1929, it has been partly restored in a pioneering partnership with English Heritage. With extensive parkland, woodland walks, and a children’s playground, the spacious grounds are yours to enjoy, walk the dog or take a picnic.

Lulworth Cove is a world-famous, near-circular pebble bay located on Dorset's Jurassic Coast in southern England. Renowned for its stunning blue waters and unique geological formations, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site offering swimming, rock pooling, and cliff-top walking along the South West Coast Path.

Durdle Door is a spectacular, iconic natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England. Formed over 10,000 years ago by wave erosion, it sits on the privately owned Lulworth Estate and is renowned as a famous filming location, notably featured in Doctor Who and The Sandman.

The Tank Museum at Bovington is home to 300 military machines, representing the key battles of every major conflict since the First World War. Their moving exhibitions tell the story of the British invention, from the mud of the Somme to the beaches of Normandy and the deserts of Iraq – featuring powerful stories from the soldiers that fought in them.

Brownsea Island is a peaceful, car-free nature reserve in Poole Harbour, famous for its rare red squirrels, thriving birdlife, and as the birthplace of the global Scouting movement. Managed by the National Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust, it offers woodland trails, coastal views, and a sheltered lagoon for wildlife watching.

A few key places worth mentioning were Cove Coffee, where they make a pretty perfect cuppa and have a great selection of cakes, and we had a fabulous dinner at The Lodge - Lulworth. As we were staying in a B&B in Lulworth Cove, pre-booking our parking through the venue allowed us to park at all three Lulworth locations with a one-price parking permit.

Leaving on a Monday morning, we arrived in Lulworth Cove around 3 pm, and timed our parking permit to start from then. Having driven all the way in the rain, the sunshine arrived to greet us. We had a two-night stay booked and wanted to make the most of our time in the area. Since our B&B was only a short walk from the main car park in Lulworth Cove, we dropped our bags and went to explore the area. With a few hotels on the same stretch to the beach, we had choices for evening meals, and a nearby cafe for brunch, lunch, and coffee. It is a stunning area which attracts tourists, many of whom park and walk the cliff route to Durdle Door.

We planned to visit the tank museum on the second day (with pre-booked tickets) and make a stop at Durdle Door in the afternoon. The tank museum was quiet on a Tuesday at the beginning of June, and we spent a few hours immersed in history, walking around real tanks and reading stories in every corner of this amazing museum. It worked well with it being less crowded, and with no outside activities taking place for that day, we had a peaceful tour at our own pace.

Durdle Door was a little busier, but that did not stop us from walking all the way down the steps to the beach to get a closer look at this natural tourist attraction. The climb back up the steps is not an easy feat, but if paced well, it isn't as bad as it first looks. We headed back to Lulworth Cove for dinner and a few drinks before departing on the Wednesday morning.

We decided to make the most of the day, so instead of driving straight home, we first stopped at Lulworth Castle, which was just over a mile away. It is a very impressive building set in acres of prime walking land. If we had longer, we would have taken a picnic and spent the day there. So far, we have had beautiful sunshine throughout our stay.

My son wanted to visit the beach at Poole and Bournemouth on the way home. We headed to Poole Harbour, walked to the seafront, and discovered a ferry across to Brownsea Island. Even though this was unplanned and my son was hesitant to try (feeling sick all the way to the island on his first real small boat trip), we booked the 1.30 pm crossing and found ourselves having hot chocolate and lunch in the island cafe as the heavens opened across the bay.

The island would benefit from a full-day visit, but we had two hours until our return crossing. So we braved the weather and walked down to the lookout to see what birds were settling in the lagoon, before walking around about a quarter of the island. Between heavy downpours and hot sun, we managed to get to a variety of viewpoints to look out across to the mainland.

The return ferry was a rockier ride but less of a surprise and was well-tolerated - even enjoyed. We still had a 3-hour drive ahead, so we set out with the plan of stopping at Winchester Services for dinner before making it home around 8 pm. Bournemouth would have to wait for another day. With so much to do, a few more days or even a week in the area would have been a better plan. It would also have allowed for at least one lazy day of rest after a lot of driving. But for my son, it was the first step to going away and stepping a little outside his comfort zone. Not all disabilities are visible, so finding places to stay and visit has less obvious challenges. Alongside our guest travel writer, Debbie North, we hope to explore more accessible travel options for everyone.

The Jurassic Coast is 95 miles long, located between Old Harry Rocks in Dorset and Exmouth in East Devon. It's a fantastic place to explore the geological features of this dramatic coastline - England’s first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more details, visit Visit Dorset.