Dorset has a very unique and pretty stunning coastline: The Jurassic Coast! It is about 96 miles long and stretches from Studland Bay in Dorset, all the way to Exmouth in East Devon. The Jurassic Coast is mostly known for its white chalk cliffs, unique rock formations and fossils which can be easily found on hikes along the coastline. You’ll mostly find pebble beaches in this part of England!
Best beaches for fossil hunters
– Charmouth
– Lyme Regis
1. Old Harry Rocks, Dorset
On the most eastern point of the Jurassic coast you will find the three famous chalk formations, called Old Harry Rocks. The only way to visit them is to hike. If you are looking for a short, easy hike of no more than half an hour I recommend parking at the Bankes Arms Inn Studland. And it’s also a very nice pub for lunch with a nice beer garden.
Although the viewpoint looking straight across the Old Harry Rocks is gorgeous, the highlight for me really was the coastal walk overlooking the dramatic white chalk cliffs. The hike from Old Harry Rocks to Swanage is simply gorgeous so if you have more time, pop on your hiking boots and start your hike in Swanage Bay instead. It’s about 10.5km (6.5 miles) so factor in about 3 hours round-trip with breaks.
Sandbanks Ferry
Probably the nicest way to make your way to Studland. The ferry is quick & cheap.
But beware the queues are ridiculously long in the summer during peak times
(Motorbikes can skip the queue and get on right away !!!)
2. Corfe Castle, Dorset
Corfe Castle is a cute little village in Dorset and the site of a ruined castle which sits on top of a hill. Driving into the historic village is really beautiful with stone houses lining the streets and the backdrop of the isle of Purbeck which the castle ruins stand on. Even without paying to go inside, it’s really lovely to drive through the village. The central point of this historic town is a little square with an old church, some independent shops, taverns and inns. If you have visited the Old Harry Rocks and heading further east, you will naturally pass it. It’s definitely worth a quick stop!
3. Lulworth Cove
Lulworth Cove is a pebble beach, particularly popular at low tide when it forms beautiful little rock pools. The beach itself is not the main draw (for me personally) so much as the surrounding countryside and coastal walks. There is a great big car park in Lulworth Cove and the tiny village has a few lovely Inns and restaurants serving seafood. It’s very cute and perfect for lunch! But the highlight, without a shadow of a doubt, is to hike across to Durdle Door!
4. DURDLE DOOR: Dorset’s most iconic and photographed landmark
The most popular destination in Dorset is this natural limestone arch which stands about 200 feet above sea level. There is a huge car park from where you can hike to it. It takes about 15-20 min. to reach the point from where you can overlook Durdle Door. The downhill path isn’t very steep but if you add the further 143 steps to reach the beach, it can be a little exhausting on the way back up. Don’t worry though – it’s worth every step! Durdle Door is absolutely gorgeous but on a hot summer’s day (especially during half term!) this place can get somewhat overrun with visitors, killing a little of its charm. So it definitely pays off to time your visit outside of school holidays and ideally mid week! Durdle Door is magnificent but so are the surrounding coastal walks so I wouldn’t rush your visit here!
5. Chesil Beach
Chesil Beach is a 29 kilometre (18 miles) long beach running from West Bay to the isle of Portland. It is up to 15 meters high and 200 meters wide. It looks especially unique from above as it runs parallel to the coast so bring your drone if you have one! Contrary to other beaches you don’t find any facilities here. No deckchairs, no pastel painted beach huts, no ice-cream stand. If you prefer wild, rugged and quieter places all to yourself then THIS IS IT! And if you happen to enjoy fishing then you are in for a treat. Bexington is a fantastic spot to catch mackerel!
Best view of Chesil Beach
The coastal road above abbotsbury offers stunning views over chesil beach!
The pebbles on Chesil beach around Portland are roughly the size of a potato. But around Bridport you’ll find smaller pea-sized pebbles. Legend has it that smugglers landing on the beach could judge their position just by picking up the pebbles and feel their size. These days, the pebble sizes might help you decide where your camping chair is less likely to topple over!
FLEET LAGOON
the saline lake lies just behind chesil beach and is home to the mute swans
is one of the few remaining undisturbed brackish lagoons left in the world!
– the only place in the world where you can walk through a nesting colony!
(Open april – October)
Chesil Beach is NOT great for swimming due to strong undercurrents. It’s best visited by people who like to get away from the crowds, appreciate rugged nature, a quiet fishing spot or explore the wildlife around!
Looking for a safer beach for swimming?
If you are looking for a beach more suited to swimming, try Westbay. West Bay is a little harbour village with two main beaches. East Beach is a sloping shingle beach with a gorgeous backdrop of the surrounding sandstone cliffs. The cliffs rise 50 meter vertically above the beach and from atop you can enjoy breathtaking views over Chesil Beach. West Bay is a smaller, quieter and more sheltered beach with shallow water. If you are looking for a good swimming beach and coastal walks for fossil hunting close to a town with facilities, then this is a good option!
Are you ready to explore Dorset?
We definitely found that Dorset had more to offer than expected! I’ll remember it mostly for stunning cliff walks overlooking the white chalk cliffs. And secondly for the absolutely fantastic views across the coastline riding down the A35 on our motorbike!
Any questions or simply want to share your thoughts on this blogpost? Please comment below. I’m always happy to hear from you 🙂
