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Highlights of the coast south and west of Swanage are the cliffs of Durlston Head , and the cliff-top path to St Alban's Head . West of this headland, Kimmeridge Bay may not have a sandy beach but it does have a remarkable marine wildlife reserve much appreciated by divers - there's a Dorset Wildlife Trust information centre by the slipway (daily 10am-5pm; tel 01929/481044). The quaint thatch-and-stone villages of East and West Lulworth form a prelude to Lulworth Cove , a perfect shell-shaped bite formed when the sea broke through a weakness in the cliffs and then gnawed away at them from behind, forming a circular cave which eventually collapsed to leave a bay enclosed by sandstone cliffs. At the Lulworth Heritage Centre the mysteries of the local geology are explained (daily: March-Oct 10am-6pm; Nov-Feb 10am-4pm; free). Immediately west of the cove you come to Stair Hole , a roofless sea cave riddled with arches that will eventually collapse to form another Lulworth, and a couple of miles west is Durdle Door , a famous limestone arch that appeals to serious geologist and casual sightseer alike. Most people take the uphill route to the arch which starts from the car park but, if you want to avoid the steep climb, you can drive a mile from the village towards East Chaldon and park at the Durdle Door Holiday Park for a small fee. West Lulworth is the obvious place to stay or eat on this section of coast. The Castle Inn (tel 01929/400311; GBP40-50), Cromwell House Hotel (tel 01929/400253; GBP60-70), right on the coast path and sporting a heated pool, and Ivy Cottage (tel 01929/400509; under GBP40), a seventeenth -century cottage with inglenook fireplace, all make for good stop-offs. You'll find a youth hostel at the end of School Lane West (tel 01929/400564); a plain chalet with small rooms, it's a stone's throw away from the Dorset Coast Path. In East Lulworth, the Weld Arms also has rooms (tel 01929/400211; GBP40-50) and the easily overlooked Sailor's Return in East Chaldon, four miles northwest of Lulworth Cove, is unsurpassed locally for its mouthwatering pub food .
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