Durdle Door, on the Dorset coast, has been the only UK beach to be named among a National Geographic list of 14 inspiring coastal spots to be visited at least once in a lifetime
There’s no need to jet off to far-flung destinations for a beach holiday when you can have a lovely day out in the UK instead.
Arguably, this has never been more true than now, thanks to the roasting hot sunshine that is baking most of the UK. And because a Dorset beach has just been ranked among the top 14 in the world.
Durdle Door on the south coast was the only UK beaches – to make it onto National Geographic’s global list. This iconic stretch of sand, located about 25 miles from Bournemouth, is famous for its stone arch, one of the most renowned in the world. The limestone arch is believed to have formed 10,000 years ago.
Carved out of the stone by waves over millions of years, the slightly surreal structure gives the beach an otherworldly feel. The name Durdle is derived from an old English word ‘thirl’, which means to pierce, bore or drill.
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“On Dorset’s magnificent Jurassic Coast—a UNESCO World Heritage site along the southeastern shores of England—this beach and its namesake limestone arch are absolute showstoppers. The world-famous Durdle Door arch formed over millions of years by erosion caused by the crashing sea. Its fitting name comes from the Old English wordthirl, meaning “to pierce, bore, or drill,” National Geographic wrote in praise of Durdle Door.
This is not the first time that the Dorset beach has picked up some silverware. Back in 2022 it was also named among a list of the best 100 in the world in 2022 on Beach Atlas’s global list alongside the likes of Bora Bora, Copacabana and Turtle Beach.
“The beautiful beach curving up to the arch is a mix of sand and gravel, and the water is as clear as can be. Another wonderful natural phenomenon can be found nearby – The Purbeck Beds,” Beach Atlas glowing review at the time tempted.
“A distinctive formation of exposed rock containing reptile and early mammal fossils. But to those who don’t dabble in geology, it’s just a beautiful sight of interesting rocks. There are also sea caves, but don’t enter them because of the dangers of cliff falls.”
Due to its incredible fame and beauty, Durdle Door does get very busy especially in the high season, but off peak it can be a little quieter. If you want to brave the crowd and visit during the summer months then prepare to walk a while, as the car park at the cliff top above the beach fills very quickly.
Access to the beach is on foot, down a path and steps. It takes around 15 minutes and trainers or walking boots will be required if you want to tackle it as the path can be steep and challenging to traverse.
Once you reach the base of the cliffs, a number of caves which have been carved out by the sea are visible – however these are unstable and cliff falls are common so it would be very unwise to enter them.