Climbing Forecast › Dorset — Swanage › Durlston Head / Blackers Hole

DORSET — SWANAGE · LIMESTONE · tidal bird ban

Durlston Head / Blackers Hole climbing conditions

Good — dry and climbable

Right now

Temp19°C
Wind22 km/h
Gusts33 km/h
Humidity93.1%
Rain 48h0mm
Last rainNone recent

Assessment

No recent rain
Tidal access: Base ledges are cut off at high tide — climb 2h either side of low water
Humidity 93.1% — potential fog/cloud, rock may be damp from condensation
Breezy — good for drying
Unstable rock on non-climbing tiers — helmets recommended

7-day forecast

Scroll through each day — hourly detail is shown inline.

Today Friday 14 August
Good
Temp29°C
Rain0mm
Wind24 km/h
Gusts33 km/h
Humidity73%
No recent rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
  • Breezy — helps drying
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 19° 0mm 22 0 93.1%
07:00 21° 0mm 21 0 89.5%
08:00 23° 0mm 16 0 81.5%
09:00 25° 0mm 12 0 76.2%
10:00 27° 0mm 13 0 70%
11:00 29° 0mm 19 0 72.5%
12:00 30° 0mm 25 0 77%
13:00 30° 0mm 27 0 75.5%
14:00 30° 0mm 29 0 73.1%
15:00 30° 0mm 28 0 71.6%
16:00 29° 0mm 28 0 71.3%
17:00 29° 0mm 26 0 71.3%
18:00 27° 0mm 25 0 69.9%
19:00 25° 0mm 21 0 67.6%
20:00 23° 0mm 23 0 67.8%
21:00 22° 0mm 24 0 73.9%
Sat Saturday 15 August
Good
Temp26°C
Rain0mm
Wind14 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity59%
No recent rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 19° 0mm 27 0 69.5%
07:00 20° 0mm 26 0 66.9%
08:00 21° 0mm 25 0 63.8%
09:00 22° 0mm 23 0 60.5%
10:00 24° 0mm 18 0 58.1%
11:00 25° 0mm 14 0 59.5%
12:00 26° 0mm 12 0 62.9%
13:00 27° 0mm 13 0 60.5%
14:00 27° 0mm 13 0 57.6%
15:00 27° 0mm 14 0 56.5%
16:00 27° 0mm 16 0 57.8%
17:00 26° 0mm 16 0 58.4%
18:00 26° 0mm 15 0 58.2%
19:00 25° 0mm 14 0 58.1%
20:00 23° 0mm 21 0 54.6%
21:00 22° 0mm 26 0 54%
Sun Sunday 16 August
Good
Temp24°C
Rain0mm
Wind14 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity78%
No recent rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 17° 0mm 21 0 68.2%
07:00 17° 0mm 19 0 66.9%
08:00 19° 0mm 18 0 63.7%
09:00 21° 0mm 14 0 61.7%
10:00 23° 0mm 10 0 63.3%
11:00 24° 0mm 8 0 66.5%
12:00 25° 0mm 12 0 76.5%
13:00 24° 0mm 16 0 85.4%
14:00 25° 0mm 16 0 85.5%
15:00 25° 0mm 19 0 85.1%
16:00 25° 0mm 21 0 84.3%
17:00 25° 0mm 22 0 81%
18:00 24° 0mm 21 0 82.8%
Mon Monday 17 August
Good
Temp25°C
Rain0mm
Wind24 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity86%
No recent rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
  • Breezy — helps drying
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 17° 0mm 14 0 79.3%
12:00 25° 0mm 24 0 86.2%
18:00 23° 0mm 23 0 93.4%
Tue Tuesday 18 August
Good
Temp24°C
Rain0.1mm
Wind26 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity86%
No recent rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
  • Breezy — helps drying
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 20° 0.05mm 20 0 86.9%
12:00 24° 0mm 26 0 86.2%
18:00 22° 0mm 28 0 92.4%
Wed Wednesday 19 August
Poor
Temp20°C
Rain1.4mm
Wind18 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity84%
1.4mm rain forecast
  • Wet limestone is dangerously slippery
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 19° 1.18mm 20 0 91.4%
12:00 20° 0mm 18 0 83.6%
18:00 20° 0.02mm 20 0 79.8%
Thu Thursday 20 August
Poor
Temp20°C
Rain0.5mm
Wind30 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity75%
0.5mm rain forecast
  • Wet limestone is dangerously slippery
  • Breezy — helps drying
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 18° 0.33mm 20 0 75.2%
12:00 20° 0.05mm 30 0 75.2%
18:00 19° 0.08mm 34 0 71.9%
Fri Friday 21 August
Poor
Temp21°C
Rain0.4mm
Wind37 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity71%
0.4mm rain forecast
  • Wet limestone is dangerously slippery
  • Very windy — consider sheltered alternatives
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 18° 0.1mm 33 0 78.4%
12:00 21° 0.05mm 37 0 70.7%
18:00 19° 0mm 31 0 65.5%
Sat Saturday 22 August
Poor
Temp17°C
Rain3.6mm
Wind18 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity77%
3.6mm rain forecast
  • Wet limestone is dangerously slippery
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 17° 0.15mm 16 0 73.7%
12:00 17° 1.03mm 18 0 76.7%
18:00 16° 2.38mm 12 0 84.2%
Sun Sunday 23 August
Caution
Temp20°C
Rain0.2mm
Wind14 km/h
Gusts—
Humidity63%
Drying — 18h since rain
  • Limestone should be fine if dry
Time °C Rain Wind Gust Hum
06:00 13° 0mm 21 0 97.3%
12:00 20° 0mm 14 0 62.7%
Tidal access
Base ledges are cut off at high tide — climb 2h either side of low water
Bird ban (03-01 to 07-31)
Seasonal bird bans affect Blackers Hole and surrounding ledges; check local signs
Durlston Head / Blackers Hole offers wild and steep limestone cliff climbing near Swanage on the Isle of Purbeck. The rock character features layered, fossiliferous limestone with sharp crimps, roof breaks, and pumpy horizontal hand-traverses. Facing due south into the English Channel, the cliff catches full sunshine throughout the day and dries quickly in coastal breezes, though lower caves collect sea mist. The climbing caters primarily to competent traditional teams, dominated by physical E-grade wall routes and adventurously exposed lower-tier testpieces like Blacker's Boys. The approach involves a fifteen-minute walk along the coastal path from Durlston Country Park followed by an abseil down to low-level ledges. Severe tidal cut-offs, sea swell hazards, and seasonal bird nesting bans require careful advanced planning before descending.

About Durlston Head / Blackers Hole

Durlston Head / Blackers Hole offers wild and steep limestone cliff climbing near Swanage on the Isle of Purbeck. The rock character features layered, fossiliferous limestone with sharp crimps, roof breaks, and pumpy horizontal hand-traverses. Facing due south into the English Channel, the cliff catches full sunshine throughout the day and dries quickly in coastal breezes, though lower caves collect sea mist. The climbing caters primarily to competent traditional teams, dominated by physical E-grade wall routes and adventurously exposed lower-tier testpieces like Blacker's Boys. The approach involves a fifteen-minute walk along the coastal path from Durlston Country Park followed by an abseil down to low-level ledges. Severe tidal cut-offs, sea swell hazards, and seasonal bird nesting bans require careful advanced planning before descending.

Region
Dorset — Swanage
Rock type
limestone
Aspect
south-facing
Altitude
25m
Exposure
low
Seepage
medium

Other crags in this region

Anvil PointBlacker's HoleBoulder RuckleCattle TroughsDancing LedgeGuillemot LedgeGuillemot LedgesSeacombe & HedburySeacombe QuarrySubliminalTilly Whim CavesWinspit Quarry