The coast
Dorset's Beaches
34 beach guides for planning your Dorset cottage holiday.
Each beach guide covers the rules that change a visit: seasonal dog restrictions set by Dorset Council and BCP Council, RNLI lifeguard cover, parking and the walk down from it. Check the linked council or land-manager page before you travel, because dog zones and car park arrangements change from year to year.
Browse All Beaches
Alum Chine Beach
A Blue Flag beach at the mouth of Bournemouth's largest chine, with a children's play area, kiosk, dog wash and a dog ban from May to September.
Avon Beach
A sandy beach beside Mudeford Quay in Christchurch with beach huts, a cafe, water sports hire, summer lifeguards and a dog ban from May to September.
Boscombe Beach
Sandy beach beside Boscombe Pier with Mobi-Mat access in summer, surfing equipment hire, climbing boulders, RNLI lifeguards and a lead rule on the promenade.
Bournemouth Beach
The sand either side of Bournemouth Pier, with RNLI lifeguards, a dog ban from May to September, a land train, mini golf and electric barbecues.
Bowleaze Cove
A small sand and shingle cove northeast of Weymouth with a cafe, public toilets, free on-street parking, and dogs allowed all year.
Branksome Chine Beach
A Blue Flag sandy beach at Branksome Chine with a car park beside it, a restaurant, electric barbecues, a ramp to the sand and a dog ban in summer.
Canford Cliffs Beach
A quiet Blue Flag beach of sandy cliffs and wooden huts between Shore Road and Branksome Chine, with lifeguards, seasonal volleyball and a dog ban in summer.
Chapman's Pool
A remote shale and shingle cove on the Purbeck coast, reached by about half an hour of steep, muddy steps; fossils in the Kimmeridge Clay, no facilities.
Charmouth Beach
Charmouth Beach: sand at low tide, fossil hunting on a falling tide, a Heritage Coast Centre and a summer dog ban on the West Beach.
Chesil Beach
Chesil Beach: 18 miles of graded shingle from West Bay to Portland. Steep, with a strong undertow and no lifeguards. Walk it, do not swim.
Church Ope Cove
A sheltered pebble cove on the east side of Portland, down a long flight of steps past Rufus Castle, with a ruined church above and dogs allowed all year.
Dancing Ledge
A flat limestone sea quarry ledge on the Purbeck coast with a blasted-out tidal pool, reached by a steep walk from Spyway car park; the open sea is dangerous.
Durdle Door Beach
Durdle Door Beach: shingle below the limestone arch, reached by a steep walk and steps. No lifeguards, no toilets at the beach. Check access first.
Eype's Mouth
A shingle cove below steep steps near Bridport with a small car park, no lifeguards, no toilets and dogs welcome off lead all year.
Hengistbury Head Beach and Mudeford Sandbank
Pebble beach under Hengistbury Head and the sandy Mudeford Sandbank, reached by ferry, land train or on foot; dogs welcome, no lifeguards on the Sandbank.
Highcliffe Beach
Blue Flag shingle and sand beach below Highcliffe Castle with a cliff top cafe, two car parks and a seasonal dog ban between groynes H4 and H8.
Hive Beach
A National Trust shingle beach at Burton Bradstock with a beach cafe, a car park beside the sand, a summer dog restriction and no lifeguards.
Kimmeridge Bay
A rocky Purbeck bay of shale and limestone ledges with a summer snorkel trail, a Dorset Wildlife Trust marine centre and a private toll road in.
Knoll Beach, Studland
National Trust sand and dunes at Studland Bay with a cafe, shop and Changing Places toilet, a lead rule for dogs in summer and an official naturist stretch.
Lulworth Cove
A near-circular cove of white pebbles on the Dorset Jurassic Coast, with rock pools at low tide, a waterside cafe and dogs allowed on one side of the slipway.
Lyme Regis Front Beach
Lyme Regis Front Beach: sand and pebbles beside the Cobb, RNLI summer lifeguards, a summer dog ban and beach matting for wheelchair users.
Man O'War Beach
A sand and shingle crescent east of Durdle Door on the Lulworth Estate, reached by a steep path from the cliff-top car park, with dogs allowed.
Monmouth Beach
A mile of pebble beach beside the Cobb at Lyme Regis, known for ammonites at low tide, with dogs off lead all year and a real risk of being cut off.
Mupe Bay
A shingle bay inside the Lulworth Ranges east of Lulworth Cove, reached on foot only when the Ministry of Defence range walks are open, with a rockfall warning.
Osmington Mills
A shingle and boulder beach below the Smugglers Inn, reached by a path from the pub car park, with limestone ledges, fossil-bearing boulders and a small waterfall.
Ringstead Bay
A long pebble and shingle bay in National Trust care on the Jurassic Coast, reached by steep tracks from the clifftop, with dogs welcome all year on a short lead.
Sandbanks Beach
Golden sand on the Poole Harbour spit with RNLI lifeguards, a promenade, a year-round dog area at Haven Point and a dog ban on the main beach in summer.
Seatown Beach
A pebble and shingle beach below Golden Cap with a large car park, toilets beside the Anchor Inn, no lifeguards and a summer dog ban.
Shell Bay
National Trust sandy beach at the northern end of Studland Bay, reached by a boardwalk from the car park or on foot from the Sandbanks chain ferry.
Southbourne Beach
A Blue Flag beach of wide sand and shingle east of Boscombe, away from the pier, with a pub, kiosk, lifeguards and a dog ban from May to September.
Swanage Beach
A sheltered, gently shelving sandy bay in Swanage with a Victorian pier, beach huts, summer lifeguards and a year-round dog beach at Monkey Beach.
West Bay East Beach
West Bay East Beach: shingle below 43-metre golden cliffs at the western end of Chesil Beach, with summer RNLI cover and winter-only dogs.
Weymouth Beach
Weymouth Beach: three miles of gently sloping sand, summer RNLI lifeguards, beach matting, a summer dog ban and an all-year dog area.
Worbarrow Bay
A shingle and sand bay on the Lulworth Ranges, a one-mile walk from Tyneham and open to the public only when the range walks are open.