the area? Maybe because the effort to get there guarantees that it will always be quiet. But there is more to Worbarrow Bay than this. The surrounding scenery is, simply, stunning. And for swimmers there is no greater pleasure than to slip into its calm waters and quickly go down the steep shelf which puts you in deep water very fast. This is also why the boats come here. They can drop anchor only a few meters from the shoreline knowing that they have the only vehicle that can get here. To the east of the bay Warbarrow Tout dominates. Climb it and look back to the east and you'll get a glimpse of the Purbeck coastline. Down below is another bay - Brandy Bay - which as the name suggest was popular with smugglers in times gone by. In days gone by it was also a popular place for the fishermen who brought the crab and lobster ashore. But there is little of that now. Trade and commerce are left behind down on the beach at Worbarrow Bay.

Worbarrow Bay is within the Army Ranges. It is important to follow the regulations of the ranges and particularly not to interfere with or pick up any metallic object that might be an unexploded shell or weapon of some sort. stay within the official range walks or on the beach. The western side of Worbarrow Tout is important in terms of geology but has higher risk than most parts of the Worbarrow Bay area. There is significant risk of falling rock debris here and the state of the cliffs near examination and consideration at the time. Do not loiter here if there are signs of material having fallen recently, and if any is seen or heard to fall, move away to safety immediately. Note particularly that there are dangerous overhangs in the Purbeck Formation which should be avoided (they are similar to the overhang on the east side of Lulworth Cove where there have been fatalities) . Safety helmets need to be worn in this area. Scrambling on the rocks of Worbarrow Tout can be hazardous and cliff-climbing is not recommended; the westward-projecting promontory of Portland Stone has some features of geological interest at the landward end, but if one proceeds further there is some risk of sliding on the rocks or falling into the sea. Although the tidal range is not great it is frequently possible to be cut off by the tide at the western side of Worbarrow Tout. The danger is greater if the high tide coincides with a rough sea.

Treacherous mud can occur in part of the Wealden outcrop. The steep Chalk cliffs at the northern part of the bay are dangerous for climbing, and there may be falls of chalk here so care should be taken. Pondfield Cove has some risk of falling rock from the Purbeck Formation at the eastern and western sides and some caves and overhangs which not entirely safe. Note that you cannot climb round from Pondfield Cove to the foot of Gad Cliff. There is possibility of falling from cliffs particularly at Worbarrow Tout, but the risk is not high if the walker is careful to stay on the footpath and does not proceed west along the arrete at the tout. It is foolish to run down the hill at Worbarrow Tout because one path approaches close to the cliff edge of Pondfield Cove.

Geology - Worbarrow Bay

In contrast to Kimmeridge Bay, the rocks which outcrop in Worbarrow Bay cliffs are very varied with hard limestone and chalk as well as the much softer shales and sandstones. The rocks also show a remarkable range of colours ranging from whites and greys to reds, yellows and purples.

Originally, most of these rocks were marine sediments, laid down layer by layer in an ever-changing and subsiding shallow sea at a time when the climate was sub-tropical. After millions of years of compression they were eventually uplifted and folded into the form which we see today. The harder limestone resists the sea best and can be seen at Mupe Rocks and Worbarrow Tout. The multi-coloured sands and gravels of the Wealden Beds are rapidly eroded once the limestone barrier is breached, but the sea's erosive power is slowed again once it reaches the chalk.

The numerous fossils that are found in the rocks of Worbarrow Bay reflect the conditions that prevailed when the beds were first formed. The Portland limestone is famous for its giant ammonites, the Purbeck limestone for its fish and turtle remains, crocodile and shark teeth, oyster shells and dinosaur footprints, and the chalk for its sea-urchins. Many of these fossils are fragmentary and difficult to collect but a search among the rocks beneath Worbarrow Tout is often rewarding.