Some posts on this site contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Take a look at my privacy policy for more information.
Escape the crowds with these remote, hidden and (almost) secret beaches in Dorset…
Despite the summer crowds, it’s surprisingly easy to find a beach all to yourself in Dorset – as long as you don’t mind a bit of a walk! There are miles and miles of well-kept coastal trails to explore, many of which lead to remote beaches where very few people ever go.
If you want to escape it all, these hidden spots are perfect for an off-grid beach day. Most have no facilities, and require a bit of a walk to reach – so bring everything that you need for the day and wear sensible shoes. And remember to take all your litter home with you, so we can preserve these beauty spots for all to enjoy!
Hidden Beaches in Dorset
WARNING: There are no lifeguards on duty at any of these beaches. Do not enter the water if you’re unsure of conditions. If you do swim, stay near the shoreline and know how to spot rip currents, so you can avoid them. Read more in the RNLI’s guide to open water swimming.
Worbarrow Bay
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Tyneham Village Car Park (1 mile walk – cash-only donation)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: None on beach. Toilets and (sometimes) a pop-up cafe in car-park.
FYI: Tyneham and Worbarrow Bay can be accessed only when the Lulworth Range Walks are open (as the MOD uses this area for firing practice). Click here to check the timetable.
This stunning bay, surrounded by tall white cliffs, can only be reached by a one-mile walk from the ruined village of Tyneham. The walk is easy and mostly flat, but it still seems to be enough to deter most beachgoers – so it’s not uncommon to find this beach fairly empty! Bring a snorkel, as the crystal clear waters are great for spotting fish. At low tide, this is also a great spot for rockpooling.
Chapman’s Pool
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Renscombe Car Park, Worth Matravers (approx 1 mile walk)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: None.
Be warned: the path down to the beach is steep, uneven and can be very slippery!
Chapman’s Pool is a wild, unspoilt beach that can only be reached on foot. The most direct walk is from Renscombe Car Park, which is a little steep in places. Alternatively, there are plenty of longer walks in the area – like the walk via Houns Tout. Keep an eye out for seals in the bay and fossils, including ammonites, along the foreshore!
Eype Beach
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Eype Beach Car Park (FYI – access is via a narrow single track lane)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: None.
Eype (aka Eypemouth) beach in West Dorset is a bit of a local secret. Although, if I’m honest, it’s not quite so secret as it once was! There’s no walk required to reach it, only a short set of steps from the car park above the beach. A long stretch of shingle surrounded by dramatic cliffs, this beach is the perfect spot to get awayfrom it all.
Bramble Bush Bay, Studland
Beach Type: Sand and shingle
Nearest Parking: Shell Bay Car Park. There is also limited free road parking along Ferry Road.
Dogs Allowed: All year – must be kept on a lead.
Facilities: Toilets in Shell Bay Car Park.
The white sandy beaches along Studland Bay are stunningly beautiful and, as a result, seriously popular in summer. But just across the road, on the Poole Harbour side of the headland, is one of Dorset’s best-kept secrets: Bramble Bush Bay. Loved by locals, this wild little beach is backed by a protected heath and has fantastic views of Brownsea Island. It’s also an excellent spot for paddleboarding thanks to the sheltered waters of the natural harbour.
Church Ope Cove, Portland
Beach Type: Pebble
Nearest Parking: Church Ope Car Park (approx 1/4-mile away)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: Toilets on beach.
The cliff path down is seriously steep – but it’s worth the climb to reach this deliciously rugged little beach on Portland’s east coast. Although popular with locals, the beach is usually pretty quiet. There’s a bit of a bay, so the water can sometimes be calm enough for paddleboaring – but be aware that the waves can be large on rougher days.
Shipstal Beach (Arne Beach), Studland
Beach Type: Sand and shingle
Nearest Parking: RSPB Arne Car Park (approx 1 mile walk)
Dogs Allowed: All year – must be kept on a lead.
Facilities: None on beach. Toilets, cafe and visitor center in car park.
Set within the RSPB nature reserve of Arne, Shipstal Beach is fairly remote – so it’s not unusual to have the place to yourself! It can only be accessed by walking through the nature reserve – a gorgeous landscape of heaths and woodlands. Like Bramble Bush Bay, the beach sits on Poole’s vast natural habour, so the water is usually very calm.
Dancing Ledge, Purbeck
Beach Type: Rock (not technically a beach)
Nearest Parking: Spyway Car Park (National Trust) in Langton Matravers (approx 1 mile walk).
*You can also walk from Durlston Country Park or Worth Matravers Car Park
Dogs Allowed: All year (but keep them away from the cliff edges)
Facilities: None.
FYI: Dancing Ledge is a 2.5m climb/drop down a rock face and there are no steps. Also, only the tidal pool is safe for bathing, swimming in the sea is not advised.
Dancing Ledge isn’t technically a beach; it’s actually a large, flat rock ledge roughly at sea level. At low tide, it forms a kind of “beach”, with a small, man-made pool perfect for swimming. The pool was blasted out of the rock by quarrymen in the early 1900s for local school children! Today, it’s a secret swimming spot with epic coastal views. The area is rich in local wildlife, and it’s not uncommon to spot dolphins off the coast!
READ MORE: Dancing Ledge Walk
Osmington Mills, near Weymouth
Beach Type: Pebble and rock
Nearest Parking: Small car park opposite the Smugglers Inn pub
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: Toilets in car park, pub nearby
FYI: The sea can be rough here and may not be suitable for swimming. Exercise caution.
Tucked away near the coastal hamlet of Osmington Mills, this unique beach has a small waterfall which tumbles directly onto the rocks! With it’s rocky, boulder-strewn shoreline, it’s a great spot for rockpooling – but not ideal for sunbathing. Perfect for adventurous types, this rugged beach has beautiful views across Weymouth Bay towards the Isle of Portland. There’s also an excellent historic pub nearby: the Smugglers Inn. As the name suggests, it was once used as a hideout by local smuggling gangs!
Mupe Bay
Beach Type: Sand & shingle
Nearest Parking: Lulworth Cove Car Park (approx 2-mile walk, quite challenging)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: None.
FYI: This beach can only be reached on foot via the South West Coast Path, and only when the Lulworth Range Walks are open (as the MOD uses this area for firing practice). Click here to check the timetable.
If you want to really get away from it all, Mupe Bay might be the perfect place. You can only get here by following the South West Coast Path either from Lulworth Cove (approx 2 miles) or from Tyneham (approx 3 miles). Either way, the walk is pretty tough, so bring sensible footwear and plenty of water!
Cogden Beach
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Cogden Beach National Trust Car Park (5-10 minute walk)
Dogs Allowed: All year, off lead
Facilities: None.
FYI: This beach shelves steeply and the sea can be rough, so may not be suitable for swimming.
Chesil Beach is an 18-mile-long stretch of uninterrupted shingle connecting the Isle of Portland with the mainland. Towards its western end, you’ll find the National-Trust-managed beach at Cogden, where the shingle is strewn with wildlflowers like thrift and sea poppies. Although only a short walk from the car park, this remote beach is usually surprisingly quiet.
Newton’s Cove Weymouth
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Nothe Car Park
Dogs Allowed: All year – must be kept on lead
Facilities: Toilets in Nothe Car Park. Cafe and pub near the car park.
Tucked away on the southeastern side of Weymouth‘s harbour, this secret little cove is a far cry from the crowded sands of Weymouth Beach. It’s a tiny, shingle beach in the Nothe Gardens nature reserve, great for rockpooling and birdwatching. And, thanks to the protection of Portland’s harbour wall, the waters are often very calm – ideal for paddleboarding.
Hidden Dorset Beaches: Map
- Worbarrow Bay
- Chapman’s Pool
- Eype Beach
- Bramble Bush Bay, Studland
- Church Ope Cove, Portland
- Shipstal Beach (Arne Beach)
- Dancing Ledge, Purbeck
- Osmington Mills, near Weymouth
- Mupe Bay
- Cogden Beach
- Newton’s Cove, Weymouth
READ MORE: 10 Quiet Beaches in Dorset
Do you know any other hidden beaches in Dorset for some peace and quiet? Scroll down to leave a comment!
