On a random week day in May we visited Durdle Door where we stayed at the holiday park in our 7m converted campervan. Now, this campsite was very expensive but the real question is 'was it worth the price and were there any alternatives to visit Durdle door without staying on the holiday park'?
Durdle Door:
Durdle Door is located in Dorset and is part of the Jurassic Coast, a southern coastline in England known for it's natural beauty and geological importance. Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch formed over millions of years by erosion, there is a pebble and shingle beach (Man O' War) which attracts families to spend the day relaxing by the impressive arch, it is also a popular spot for paddleboarding and kayaking especially in the warm summer evenings. If hiking is more your thing then there are plenty of routes exploring along the steep chalk cliffs.
Overall there are many reasons why people choose to visit Durdle Door as there really is something for everyone to enjoy, it can get very busy during the summer months so we would recommend going just out of season when it will be equally as beautiful but less crowded.
The Campsite:
The campsite is located a very short walk to the start of Durdle Door, just behind the main car park. It is a holiday park that has many options including luxury holiday homes, glamping cabins or a pitch for your motorhome or campervan. They are open from 1st March to 2nd January every year.
The holiday park has a restaurant on site called the Man O'War bar and restaurant, we did eat here and the food was pretty good. There is also a convenience store and an adventure park to keep the kids entertained.
Prices range hugely across the year, for a campervan/motorhome pitch they range from £30 during the colder months up to £65+ in the summer. We paid £50 for one night in May, which is a lot of money for a campsite. Would you pay this to be able to visit Durdle Door?
Alternatives:
So, is there any alternatives to visit Durdle door in a campervan/motorhome without having to pay the campsite fees?
Yes there is, the first alternative is paying to park in the main Durdle Door car park, there are spaces specifically for large vehicles (over 5.5m) this costs £30 for the day (which is still a lot of money). During the busy months these spaces fill up very quickly so it is worth getting there first thing in the morning. Of course, this means you can only spend one day at Durdle Door so if this is enough for you I would definitely recommend this option.
The other alternative is 'wild camping' as much as I hate this term I don't know how else to word it. There is parking on the Park 4 Night app, the only parking spot that allows you to park overnight is around a 30 minute walk to Durdle Door, this spot has ok reviews but it is slightly slopped. This is a free spot so will save you the money, but I would only recommend this if you don't mind the long walk, and if you don't have children or paddleboards etc.
So, is it worth visiting?
We did have a great time visiting Durdle Door, as a couple who love hiking there were walks we enjoyed and of course seeing the arch is a must. However, I think now we have done it once we probably wouldn't pay the fees to visit again. There is the option of 'wild camping' if we ever felt like having a long walk down to the arch.
I do think it would be a great place to have a family camping holiday if you have children as there is plenty to do, to keep them entertained for a few days. However, I would only recommend a long weekend visit due to the prices.
Thank you:
Thank you for reading this blog, if you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below or head over to our YouTube vlog of Durdle Door.
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