The sea temperature at Durdle Door (Dorset) today is 15.3 °C (60 °F) – icy water, most people reach for a wetsuit. The usual October average is 16.4 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 18.3 °C to 15.3 °C. Rarely swimmable – the sea seldom averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.4°C / 48.9°F | 9.8°C / 49.7°F | 10.1°C / 50.2°F |
| February | 8.4°C / 47.1°F | 8.9°C / 48.1°F | 9.4°C / 48.9°F |
| March | 8.3°C / 46.9°F | 8.9°C / 48.0°F | 9.5°C / 49.1°F |
| April | 9.2°C / 48.5°F | 10.0°C / 49.9°F | 10.5°C / 50.9°F |
| May | 10.9°C / 51.7°F | 11.9°C / 53.4°F | 12.4°C / 54.2°F |
| June | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 14.4°C / 58.0°F | 14.9°C / 58.8°F |
| July | 15.9°C / 60.7°F | 16.6°C / 62.0°F | 17.3°C / 63.2°F |
| August | 17.2°C / 62.9°F | 17.9°C / 64.3°F | 18.7°C / 65.6°F |
| September | 17.6°C / 63.7°F | 17.9°C / 64.3°F | 18.6°C / 65.4°F |
| October | 15.9°C / 60.6°F | 16.4°C / 61.4°F | 16.8°C / 62.3°F |
| November | 13.8°C / 56.9°F | 14.1°C / 57.5°F | 14.6°C / 58.3°F |
| December | 11.2°C / 52.2°F | 11.4°C / 52.6°F | 11.7°C / 53.0°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.0°C / 44.6°F | 7.3°C / 45.1°F | 7.9°C / 46.1°F |
| February | 7.8°C / 46.0°F | 8.1°C / 46.6°F | 8.8°C / 47.8°F |
| March | 7.9°C / 46.3°F | 8.5°C / 47.4°F | 9.4°C / 48.8°F |
| April | 8.5°C / 47.3°F | 9.5°C / 49.2°F | 10.7°C / 51.3°F |
| May | 11.3°C / 52.3°F | 12.3°C / 54.2°F | 13.4°C / 56.1°F |
| June | 14.0°C / 57.2°F | 15.1°C / 59.2°F | 16.1°C / 61.0°F |
| July | 16.0°C / 60.9°F | 17.0°C / 62.6°F | 17.9°C / 64.2°F |
| August | 16.5°C / 61.7°F | 17.5°C / 63.5°F | 18.6°C / 65.4°F |
| September | 15.6°C / 60.1°F | 16.4°C / 61.5°F | 17.5°C / 63.4°F |
| October | 14.2°C / 57.5°F | 14.6°C / 58.3°F | 15.3°C / 59.5°F |
| November | 11.1°C / 51.9°F | 11.2°C / 52.2°F | 11.8°C / 53.2°F |
| December | 9.1°C / 48.4°F | 9.3°C / 48.8°F | 9.7°C / 49.5°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Durdle Door holidays
Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch standing in the sea off the Dorset coast in southern England, part of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose cliffs record around 185 million years of the Earth's history. The arch and the beaches beside it lie on the privately owned Lulworth Estate, close to the village of West Lulworth.
Beaches
The shingle beach below Durdle Door is reached by a steep path from the clifftop car park, a walk of 10 to 15 minutes down, and the climb back up is harder. The beach shelves quickly into deep water, so it suits confident swimmers better than small children. On the other side of the headland, Man O'War Beach curves round a sheltered bay. About 1.5 km east, Lulworth Cove is an almost circular bay with calmer water, a shingle shore and the village of West Lulworth at its edge, a gentler choice for families.
Things to do
The South West Coast Path links Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove over the hill, and continues west to Bat's Head and the chalk cliffs towards Weymouth. Next to Lulworth Cove, Stair Hole shows the folded rock layers that formed the coast. Inland, Lulworth Castle, built in the early 17th century as a hunting lodge, stands in parkland. East of the cove, the paths across the Lulworth Ranges, an army training area, are open only at certain times, so check the range opening dates before setting out.
Weather and best time to visit
From May to June the sea at Durdle Door gains about 3 °C (5 °F), its biggest monthly rise of the year.
The Dorset coast has a mild maritime climate, with warm but rarely hot summers and cool, wet winters. June to September is the main swimming season, and the sea stays cool even in summer. Durdle Door is very busy on sunny summer weekends and school holidays, when the car park fills early, so arriving in the morning or visiting in spring and autumn is quieter. Winter storms bring big waves and can close the steps to the beach.
Hotels and where to stay
West Lulworth has a few inns, guesthouses and holiday cottages, and a holiday park with caravans and lodges sits on the clifftop near Durdle Door. Wider choice is found in Wareham, Swanage and Weymouth, generally within about 20 to 45 minutes by car.
Signature hotels: Lulworth Lodge (Lulworth Cove)
Airport and getting there
The nearest railway station is Wool, about 8 km away, with journeys from London Waterloo taking roughly 2.5 hours on suitable services; for the last stretch, arrange a taxi or check whether a seasonal bus runs on your travel date. Bournemouth Airport (BOH) is about 45 km east, and London Heathrow (LHR) about 3 hours by car. Durdle Door has a large paid car park on the clifftop.