Tilly Whim Caves

Tilly Whim Caves are three disused limestone quarries cut into the sea cliffs of the Isle of Purbeck, about a mile (1.6 km) south of Swanage in Dorset. They sit inside Durlston Country Park, on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. You can no longer go inside, but the openings and the scars of the old workings are easy to spot from the coast path.

What exactly are the Tilly Whim Caves?

Despite the name, these are not natural caves. They are hand-cut workings where stone was taken from the cliff face above the sea, leaving deep chambers and galleries in the rock. Sources differ on the exact stone (Purbeck limestone in some, Portland in others) and on when work began; the Dorset heritage record admits that the earliest date of working is unknown.

Finished blocks were lowered from ledges to boats waiting below, using a wooden crane known as a whim, which gives the site the second half of its name. Stone from this coast went into fortifications along the south coast during the Napoleonic Wars. Quarrying faded out around 1812, when demand collapsed after the fighting ended, though a few sources put the end at 1820.

What happened after quarrying stopped?

In 1887 George Burt, owner of the Durlston estate, opened the caves as a visitor attraction. It was the same period that produced Durlston Castle and the Great Globe, a 40-ton stone sphere carved with a map of the world. Steps led down into the workings, and visitors went in until 1976, when serious rockfalls made the galleries unsafe and the public was shut out.

Can you go inside?

No. The entrances are closed for safety. The workings are now a roost for bats and the cliffs hold nesting seabirds, so keep to the path and do not try to look past the barriers.

How do you get to Tilly Whim Caves?

The easiest approach is on foot from Swanage along the southern stretch of the South West Coast Path towards Durlston Head. The path passes the measured-mile markers and goes right by the Tilly Whim entrance before climbing towards the headland. You can also start from the Durlston Country Park car park, or come in from the Spyway side for a longer cliff walk. Along the way you pass Anvil Point Lighthouse, finished in 1881 from local limestone and open to visitors on some days.

When is the best time to visit?

Pick a clear day: the route runs high above the Channel and the views stretch along the coast. Spring and summer are best for watching seabirds on the cliffs. The path can be slippery after rain, and near the cliff edge you should stay on the marked route.

Frequently asked questions

Can I enter the caves? No. They have been closed since 1976 after rockfalls. The entrance and the quarry workings can be seen from the coast path.

Are they natural caves? No. They are man-made quarries from which stone was shipped out by sea.

Where does the name Tilly Whim come from? The "whim" refers to the wooden crane used to lower stone down to boats.

How far is it from Swanage? About a mile south of town, in Durlston Country Park. The cliff walk takes roughly half an hour each way.