Chesil Beach (Dorset)

Chesil Beach is an 18-mile-long shingle beach extending from West Bay to Portland and is one of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks.

Unlike Weymouth’s golden sands, Chesil is not your typical British beach lined with stripy deckchairs and pastel-painted beach huts. Nature rules here, and the dramatic landscape has inspired many writers. Behind Chesil Beach, you will find a saline lake known as the Fleet Lagoon, one of the few remaining undisturbed brackish lagoons left on Earth. It is an essential habitat for many species and a top spot to see little egrets, dark-bellied Brent geese, common greenshanks and mute swans, which is the only place in the world where you can walk through a nesting colony.

Just offshore is a unique strip of unbroken sand that offers fantastic opportunities for catching mackerel. The bank is dotted with anglers and their families in the summer months, cooking their catch on the fire. West Bay is a popular swimming spot in the summer when there is a lifeguard and is also a well-loved site for experienced divers due to its rich marine life. The beach is famous for its sunsets too. A fabulous place to sit and watch the sun go down – best enjoyed with a glass of wine in hand and delicious food shared with friends and family.