Durdle Door
Ask a circle of UK wild swimmers to name some of their favourite spots - chances are at least one of them will mention Dorset’s sculpted jewel: Durdle Door…
Courtesy of our happy aquatic community, we'd seen countless photos of this great limestone arch, shaped by the relentless march of the ocean. And yet, we’d never actually been there and visited it ourselves... until now.
On the weekend of September 2nd and 3rd, James Wight and his team at Adventure Uncovered launched their inaugural event: Destination Wild Swim Ft. The Wild Swimming Brothers. A chance for us to join with our friends at Adventure Uncovered - to give beach talks and a few guided swims along the Jurassic Coast. More importantly, it was an opportunity to meet 30 avid wild swimmers and all-round outdoors enthusiasts for a weekend of happy wave bobbing and storytelling.
So, in the early hours, Beth, Calum and myself (Jack) drove South and arrived at Durdle Door Holiday Park, three hours later, where we were hit by a long stretch of sunshine and cloudless skies. The ocean was lit up as the rays caught the crests of low waves… Ideal conditions for our first swims through the iconic arch of Durdle Door.
We wasted no time in getting into the water. After a walk led by a conservation expert and local ranger from the Lulworth Estate, we immediately rushed down to the beach with our gang of swimmers, foregoing the scheduled talk to instead leap straight into the waves and make for the gleaming arch, leading three groups of swimmers on a loop through the clear, greenish water.
When we passed under the arch we stopped to peer at the kelp-covered rocks and little fish. Then we span over and stared overhead at the rugged, white bend of the arch - a sight you don't soon forget!
Everyone seemed to be similarly invigorated in that moment. Before we all headed back to the sunlit beach and collapsed happily amongst the chalky shingles.
Later on, Calum and I gave a talk about a few of our bigger swims, with the best backdrop we've had so far. We also talked about the importance of blubber and the woes of picking up parasitic hitchhikers - like the one Calum found in his ear during our Eden swim. Then we led another, much longer swim around the coast to the shielded waters of Man of War Bay.
Everyone got stuck into the swim (regardless of ability or age) and the blow-up kayaks and paddle-board were kept busy following the group as we threaded the choppy, gleaming surface.
It was great to be among the different characters who joined us for the event - like English Channel swimmer, Lisa Lloyd, who was pregnant at the time. Actually, at the end of the swim, she said that the Man of War steps were much more difficult for her, so instead she opted to swim back around the choppy coast with consummate ease. We all followed in a staggered group, along with surprise guest, Luke, who’d also joined us a few months earlier for our swim in Obonjan.
All in all, it was an exciting, salty baptism to wash away the residue of our respective routines - a great gathering for folk who love the outdoors and being in the water!
That night, in need of some well-earned R&R, we followed a dark coastal path over a hill to a pub and bistro near Lulworth Cove. There we drank a good amount of ale, cider and wine and ate a hearty meal together with a sombre helping of Serious Chocolate.
The following morning we woke to a dreary sky and intermittent showers. After a talk on free-diving with NoTanx, we took an intrepid smaller group down to Man of War Bay, under the white bluffs of the Jurassic Coast, and found the turquoise waters raging, but still no less irresistible.
“...large waves lashed the nearby rocks and spat clustered whorls of froth into the air. It was a wild, spontaneous and exhilarating swim...”
Grinning as they went, our group plunged into the waves and came up rolling and bobbing over peaks and into troughs. While large waves lashed the nearby rocks and spat clustered whorls of froth into the air. It was a wild, spontaneous and exhilarating swim (not too cold either) and a great way to end a fantastic weekend with our motley crew of swimmers.
After returning to London we were met with that usual, reassuring sense of withdrawal - a bittersweet reminder of the fun you've had and the importance of spending time outdoors. And so, we want to say a huge thanks to James, his team at Adventure Uncovered and to all those swimmers who came along to experience this untamed stretch of coastline.
