Osmington Mills

A rocky beach below the Smugglers Inn

Osmington Mills is a hamlet about five miles north-east of Weymouth. Its beach is reached from the Smugglers Inn, a thatched pub that dates from the 13th century and was the base for a smuggler known as French Peter in the late 18th century. The shore is shingle with ledges and large boulders, not a sunbathing beach.

Rocks and fossils

The South West Coast Path calls the beach one of Britain’s most important geological sites. The cliffs and ledges are Osmington Oolite limestone, many weathered slabs hold trace fossils, and the large boulders known as doggers are Bencliff Grit sandstone. A small waterfall drops onto the beach. John Constable spent his honeymoon in the area in 1816. Cliffs along this coast crumble, so keep clear of their base.

Getting there

From the Smugglers Inn, South West Coast Path guidance is to carry on through the car park and follow the path to the beach, and to take the same path back up to the pub. The Coast Path lists the inn as the parking point for its walks here: check the current car park terms with the pub.

Swimming and dogs

No lifeguard is listed, so treat any swim with caution. Osmington Mills is not named in Dorset Council’s list of beaches and their dog rules, so check the council’s beach dog page and the signs on the day.

Along the coast

The South West Coast Path’s 3.6 mile walk links Osmington Mills with Bowleaze Cove, covered on the Bowleaze Cove page. To the east, Ringstead Bay is a different kind of beach, in National Trust care.