Bowleaze

Bowleaze Cove is a small beach on Weymouth Bay, just north-east of Weymouth and near the village of Preston. It lies on the Jurassic Coast. The beach is mainly shingle and shell with some sandy areas, and a small pier divides it near the outflow of the River Jordan. The cliff-top grass above has views across the whole of Weymouth Bay to Portland and is used for picnics, dog walking and kite flying.

The Oasis Cafe at the cove is open all year, with outside seating in summer. Public toilets are opposite the cafe at the entrance to Bowleaze Coveway, and on-street parking is free. The cliff top is wheelchair accessible, though some of the inclines are steep.

Jordan Hill rises behind the cove. The remains of a Romano-Celtic temple lie at the top, probably built in the 4th century AD, with views inland and out across Weymouth Bay. English Heritage looks after it, entry is free, and it is open at any reasonable time during daylight hours. Roadside parking on Bowleaze Coveway is a few hundred metres from the site, and dogs on leads are welcome. The hill figure of the Osmington White Horse, a portrait of George III cut in 1808, can also be seen from here.

A cliff walk leads east from the cove past the Broadrock cliffs and Redcliff Point to Osmington Mills. John Constable painted the cove on his honeymoon in 1816 to 1817. The Grade II listed Riviera Hotel stands on the cove, an Art Deco building of 1936 to 1937 that has stood closed since 2022 and is awaiting refurbishment.