Tilly Whim Caves are not natural caves but a series of large square chambers cut into the cliff face below Anvil Point — the workings of a Purbeck stone quarry that operated from the 18th century into the early 19th. The stone was dressed and lowered straight out of the cliff into waiting boats below. The quarry has been closed to entry since a rockfall in 1976, but the openings and platforms in the cliff face are dramatic seen from the coast path above and from the sea.
Reach them on foot along the South West Coast Path through Durlston Country Park, about twenty minutes' walk from Durlston Castle. The path passes the cliff above the caves with a viewpoint and an interpretive panel. The waters below are popular for seabird watching — guillemots and razorbills nest on the cliff in the breeding season.