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Beaches in Dorset written in white text over a photo of a pebble beach with small waves crashing on a sunny day.

Welcome to our complete directory of all beaches in Dorset! From bustling seaside towns packed with attractions to secret little coves that can only be reached on foot, this part of the south coast has no shortage of incredible beaches to discover.

Explore our curated guides below to discover the perfect beach for your needs. We’ve also highlighted a few of the county’s most famous beaches at the top of the page to help you get started. Further down the page, we’ve listed every single beach in the area by location (in order from east to west) – we’ll be adding more detailed guides for each location in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for those.

Button: Best Sandy Beaches
Button: Family-Friendly Beaches

Button: Dog Friendly Beaches
Button: Beautiful Beaches

Button: Fossil Hunting Beaches

Top Beaches in Dorset

Durdle Door: Famous for its rock arch, this shingle beach at the foot of a cliff is one of the most visited on Dorset’s coast!

Bournemouth Beach: A 7-mile stretch of soft, white sand packed with amenities make Bournemouth’s beach ideal for families.

Sandbanks: A peninsula jutting out across the mouth of Poole Harbour, home to a gorgeous white sandy beach and some of the most expensive seaside properties in the UK!

Weymouth Beach: Weymouth’s calm, sheltered bay is ideal for swimming and watersports. With lots of amenities and tourist attractions nearby, it’s a big hit with families!

Studland Bay: A wide bay on the Isle of Purbeck (a peninsula, not an island) with soft white sand, a nearby nature reserve, and views of Old Harry Rocks.

Beach Round Ups and Specific Guides

Beaches in Dorset: Map

All Beaches in Dorset – by Location

A complete list of all Dorset’s beaches, by geographical location running from East to West…

FYI: We’ve highlighted beaches that allow dogs all year round. The other beaches listed may allow dogs in specific areas or only outside of summer. Click here for a complete list of all dog-friendly beaches and designated dog areas in Dorset.

Christchurch

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Christchurch Beach Guide.

  • Highcliffe Beach: Sand and shingle.
  • Avon Beach: Sand.
  • Mudeford Sandbank: Sand. (Can only be reached by ferry from Mudeford Quay, or by 1-mile walk (or land train) from Hengistbury Head Car Park).

Bournemouth

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Bournemouth Beach Guide.

  • Mudeford Sandbank: Sand. (Can only be reached by ferry from Mudeford Quay, or by 1-mile walk (or land train) from Hengistbury Head Car Park).
  • Hengistbury Head Beach: Sand and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Southbourne Beach: Sand.
  • Boscombe Beach: Sand.
  • Bournemouth Beach: Sand.
  • Durley Chine Beach: Sand and shingle.
  • Alum Chine Beach: Sand.

Poole

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Poole Beach Guide.

  • Branksome Dene Beach (aka Branksome Chine): Sand.
  • Canford Cliffs Beach: Sand.
  • Sandbanks Beach: Sand.

Swanage & Isle of Purbeck

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Isle of Purbeck Beach Guide.

  • Studland Bay Beaches (Shell Bay, Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, South Beach): Sand. Dog-friendly all year. Managed by the National Trust.
  • Swanage Beach: Sand.
  • Dancing Ledge: Not technically a beach, but a man-made tidal swimming pool carved into the rock face at the foot of the cliffs.
  • Chapman’s Pool: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year. (No car park or facilities – only reachable by walking).
  • Kimmeridge Bay: Rocks. Dog-friendly all year.

Jurassic Coast (East of Weymouth)

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our East Dorset Jurassic Coast Beach Guide.

  • Worbarrow Bay: Pebble and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Mupe Bay: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year. (No car park or facilities – only reachable by walking).
  • Lulworth Cove: Pebble and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Man O’War Bay: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Durdle Door: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Ringstead Bay: Sand and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Osmington Mills: Rock and pebble. Dog-friendly all year.

Weymouth

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Weymouth Beach Guide.

  • Bowleze Cove: Sand and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Preston Beach: Shingle and pebble. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Greenhill: Shingle.
  • Weymouth Beach: Sand.
  • Newton’s Cove: Pebble.
  • Castle Cove: Sand. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Sandsfoot Beach: Sand. Dog-friendly all year.

Portland

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Portland Beach Guide.

  • Chesil Beach: Pebble and shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Little Beach: Pebble and shingle. Dog-friendly all year. (No car park or facilities – only reachable by walking).
  • Church Ope Cove: Pebble. Dog-friendly all year. (No car park or facilities – only reachable via a steep staircase).

West Dorset (between Weymouth and Bridport)

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our West Dorset Beach Guide.

  • Chesil Beach West (Abbotsbury Beach): Pebble. Dog-friendly all year.
  • West Bexington Beach: Shingle.
  • Cogden Beach: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Hive Beach: Shingle.
  • Freshwater Beach (in front of Freshwater Beach Holiday Park): Shingle.
  • East Beach, West Bay: Shingle.
  • West Beach, West Bay: Shingle.
  • Eype Beach: Shingle. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Seatown Beach: Pebble and shingle.
  • Charmouth Beach East: Sand and pebble. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Charmouth Beach West: Sand and shingle.

Lyme Regis

Read more about all of the below beaches (including a list of facilities, parking info, and more) in our Lyme Regis Beach Guide.

  • East Cliff Beach (aka Back Beach): Pebble. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Church Cliff Beach: Sand and pebble. Dog-friendly all year.
  • Front Beach: Shingle and pebble.
  • Sandy Beach: Sand.
  • Monmouth Beach: Pebble. Dog-friendly all year.

All Dorset Beach Guides