Anchoring at Worborough Bay, Chapmans Pool and Lulworth Cove

[C08]

I have promised wifey a relaxing, sun bathing and site-seeing sail around Dorset. We plan to take in the above anchorages, weather permitting as I understand the Lullworth Range does not operate in August. Any tips on these places will be appreciated. Having two dogs to take ashore and being a cat we tend to go close in or dry out. Also plan to go down the Isle of Portland, perhaps walk down to the Bill Lighthouse.

 

[Dockhead]

Lulworth Cove is very tight and often full of boats. I have never managed to anchor there, although I take my dinghy in from time to time.

Mupe Bay (the West end of Worbarrow Bay) is one of my favourite spots -- dramatically gorgeous anchorage under high cliffs, wonderful walking up to the ridgetop, and a nice place to swim or have a picnic on the beach. But the holding is not particularly good, and it is exposed if there's any South in the wind. You'll want to anchor there (if overnight) when there's a W to N wind, and settled weather.

It is also possible to anchor in the East end of the bay, but the holding is even worse and it's not as pretty.

Beware the Army landing spot in the middle -- you are not allowed to land there yourself. We were once buzzed by a blacked out RIB full of soldiers, in the middle of a dark night, doing a practice beach assault. It was terrifying until we realized what it was.

 

[C08]

Lulworth Cove is very tight and often full of boats. I have never managed to anchor there, although I take my dinghy in from time to time.

Thanks for that I feared as much from the photos I have seen-is it usually too crowded even to dry out on the beach?

 

[Tranona]

Chapmans Pool is probably the least crowded as it is difficult to access - or rather a long haul if you are going outside St Albans. So use the inside passage coming from the east, best at neaps as low tide is late mornings so good for lunch stop and the race is usually quieter. Take care with the rock ledges that come out from either side. Not good in south winds.

 

[Tranona]

Lulworth Cove is very tight and often full of boats. I have never managed to anchor there, although I take my dinghy in from time to time.

Thanks for that I feared as much from the photos I have seen-is it usually too crowded even to dry out on the beach?

The beach is mostly pebbly and steep to.

 

[ip485]

Found that position in the cove good for anchoring. Obviously a fair bit of swell can find its way in depending on the direction. The pilot guide says it all.

 

[TrailerSailer]

This is my local sailing ground. Lulworth is OK for a short stop but overnight I've always found it uncomfortable. I've skated across the Cove dragging as you can get strong katabatic winds here. I'll often anchor close into the western end as I find it most "comfortable" there.

Last weekend I was in Mupe Bay (west end of Worbarrow). The weather was quite rough (2-3m waves and F6 W-SW) but tucked in close to the beach it was fine. There is a reef that gives protection at most states of the tide. There is a lot of weed on the bottom at the moment so be prepared for a couple of tries to get the anchor to bite.

The opposite end of the Bay is also quite nice for anchoring. Again you can get close into the beach. Generally I find one end or the other of Worbarrow good in most winds.

I've not been in Chapman's Pool as my draft is too much to feel comfortable for the effort.

You can walk to Lulworth along the coast path from Mupe Bay. There are steps up from the beach. At the other end there is a walk form the beach to Tyneham Village. Worth the walk to see the remains and interpretation of life.

In very calm weather you can get really close into Durdle Door. I've almost put the bow in the arch, but watch out as there is a ledge that could catch you out. Further down the coast Ringstead Bay is OK for a lunchtime stop. I love Weymouth for an overnighter as it is full of character on the quayside. I calm weather you could anchor off the beach. We are currently in Portland and that is a lovely marina (you could also anchor in the harbour). However unless you have transport it is a little isolated. The walk out to the lighthouse is a good few miles from there, but I'm sure there is a bus.

 

[ip485]

Peter - enjoyed your post - I would only disagree with regard to Portland - it is indeed very smart, but for me signs of faded glory and just about the most soleless marina I have ever visited - but perhaps just unlucky. Weymouth would be my preference every time which against the wall south of the bridge was great.

 

[LadyInBed]

Contrary to the above I've never had any problem in 30 odd years finding a place to anchor in Lulworth.
It can be full in the day, but most B off in the evening and being a cat you can go a lot closer in.
If there is any swell, put a stern anchor out to hold your nose to the swell, but don't cats cope with swell better than keelers?

 

[C08]

Contrary to the above I've never had any problem in 30 odd years finding a place to anchor in Lulworth.
It can be full in the day, but most B off in the evening and being a cat you can go a lot closer in.
If there is any swell, put a stern anchor out to hold your nose to the swell, but don't cats cope with swell better than keelers?

That is more encouraging we will give it a try, weather being suitable. Been past close by several times but always dashing somewhere. Got to slow down
and chill. Good idea to use stern anchor for swell but you are right we tend not to notice swell but drying out with swell would not be fun for us or the boat hulls.

 

[C08]

Peter - enjoyed your post - I would only disagree with regard to Portland - it is indeed very smart, but for me signs of faded glory and just about the most soleless marina I have ever visited - but perhaps just unlucky. Weymouth would be my preference every time which against the wall south of the bridge was great.

I would agree that Weymouth is lively place and full of character but I am surprised that you find Portland more soulless than other marinas. It is very sheltered being a harbour within a harbour, it has more room for manoerving than any other marina I have been in, it is well laid out although visitor are a long way from the shore, staff seem friendly and helpful and shore facilities are top class. Charges are reasonable and well placed for going east or west with no locks to bother with-what is not to like apart from that it is a marina!
I

 

[colingr]

Re the comment above about Ringstead. It is a pretty and interesting bay but watch the tide. It is very rocky and at low tide virtually dries out at springs.

I've done a lot of diving around there and would not like to anchor in the bay. We did see a yacht come in for a lunchtime stop ending up on it's side bouncing very painfully on the rocks. They got stuck with the keel wedged in the rocks and suffered some pretty nasty damage.

 

[C08]

Re the comment above about Ringstead. It is a pretty and interesting bay but watch the tide. It is very rocky and at low tide virtually dries out at springs.

I've done a lot of diving around there and would not like to anchor in the bay. We did see a yacht come in for a lunchtime stop ending up on it's side bouncing very painfully on the rocks. They got stuck with the keel wedged in the rocks and suffered some pretty nasty damage.

Thanks for the warning-I would normally watch the depths closely but you can always get caught out. I nearly dried out on an enormous rock
in the Isles of Scilly last year. Anchored in dusk, looked all around and ok visual and bottom/depth, just settling down with a bottle of wine and daughter
asks me "should there be all that weed around the stern?"

 

[mobeydick]

I have anchored, close-in, in a cat in Chapmans Pool. Seemed good holding, pleasant and easy to get ashore. However, when I went there last there was what looked like the remains of a fishermans net and floats right in close to the narrowest part, which you might need to watch out for. (around 1M chart depth)

MD

 

[Spuddy]

If you do park at Portland or even Wmouth, its worth making a trip up to the sculpture park in the quarry at top of Portland - quite an experience if you scramble off the main trails to find the little gems

 

[VicMallows]

I have anchored, close-in, in a cat in Chapmans Pool. Seemed good holding, pleasant and easy to get ashore. However, when I went there last there was what looked like the remains of a fishermans net and floats right in close to the narrowest part, which you might need to watch out for. (around 1M chart depth)

MD

Yes, holding can be very good ....if you get it right ..... or extremely poor if you happen to hook on one of the rock ledges closer inshore. Cats do seem to drag quite often at Chapmans .... presumably because they tend to anchor close in; have high windage; and often have very light anchors

Fishermen are indeed very active in the pool with pots/nets. Often a lot of interesting maneuvering in the morning to free them!

The really essential factor for any visit is of course the wind direction . Chapmans Pool itself is OUTSIDE the firing ranges, so always accessible, unlike Worbarrow.

 

[eddystone]

I would agree that Weymouth is lively place and full of character but I am surprised that you find Portland more soulless than other marinas. It is very sheltered being a harbour within a harbour, it has more room for manoerving than any other marina I have been in, it is well laid out although visitor are a long way from the shore, staff seem friendly and helpful and shore facilities are top class. Charges are reasonable and well placed for going east or west with no locks to bother with-what is not to like apart from that it is a marina!
I

And not forgetting the Cove House Inn overlooking Chesil Cove - reservation needed to eat inside.

Just wondered about Mupe Bay and weed - I've got a choice of CQR or Fortress - presumably the former.

 

[RobBrown]

Stayed in the Cove in Weymouth a no of times, but now find the old brewery area over developed & constantly busy, so we were in Portland Marina for the first time for 4 nights in early July and found it very convivial, with good facilities & reasonable charges. The Harbour Lights is the Marina Restaurant & Bar and meals were very good, varied and extremely well priced. Nice little coffee bar just round the corner too. Portland castle, Henrician, English Heritage, is a 5 minutes walk away and very interesting. Good walks over/round the Isle of Portland and you can get the 1 bus from near there (Victoria Square) up to the rest of the Island or into Weymouth every 10-15 mins throughout the day/night. Church Ope Cove well worth a visit (ruined castle & church) as is the little musuem close by ( started by Marie Stopes of all people!)

 

[eddystone]

Stayed in the Cove in Weymouth a no of times, but now find the old brewery area over developed & constantly busy, so we were in Portland Marina for the first time for 4 nights in early July and found it very convivial, with good facilities & reasonable charges. The Harbour Lights is the Marina Restaurant & Bar and meals were very good, varied and extremely well priced. Nice little coffee bar just round the corner too. Portland castle, Henrician, English Heritage, is a 5 minutes walk away and very interesting. Good walks over/round the Isle of Portland and you can get the 1 bus from near there (Victoria Square) up to the rest of the Island or into Weymouth every 10-15 mins throughout the day/night. Church Ope Cove well worth a visit (ruined castle & church) as is the little musuem close by ( started by Marie Stopes of all people!)

But watch out for Harbour Lights not serving food when you would expect it to - like Sunday evening. Also, nothing to stop people wandering into WPNSA next door for breakfast/lunch.

 

[Pleiades]

Mupes at the western end of Worbarrow is one of the very finest for scenery and surprisingly good shelter even from a fresh WSW if you tuck in behind the ledges. Make sure you dig the CQR in as I have had to take a couple of drops to get the Delta snuggled down there and watched another yachtsman repeatedly failing to get a grip with a Delta near the same spot.


The Eastern end of the bay is great if there is any east in the wind and Tyneham is not to be missed for a toddle shore. Chapman's has served me ok in a northerly blow but is a lesser spot than Worbarrow.
I have only been in Portland in a Eastery gale mid winter - when it was as bleak and bare harsed a marina as one could imagine but no doubt fine in fine weather.
Lulworth is pretty as a picture but much less wiggle room than Worbarrow and I would pull out of there and head round to Worbarrow at the slightest hint of a blow or an adverse wind shift.
Robin