This stunning slice of the UK coast looks like something out of a film – and has somehow avoided the tourist radar. Finding a decent beach in dreary England can sometimes feel like an impossible feat – with far too many becoming a sewage dumping ground for water companies.
Then, when you find a beautiful shore with golden sand and crystal-clear water – they become insufferably busy with droves of tourists the second the sun comes out. If you’re not keen on rubbing shoulders with a complete stranger while trying to soak up some rays, you have to check out Chesil Beach.
This 18-mile long shore stretches from West Bay to Portland, and is often touted as one of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks. However, there is a little bit of a catch.
“Contrary to Weymouth’s golden sands, Chesil is not your typical British beach lined with stripy deckchairs and pastel painted beach-huts but wild, rugged and at the mercy of Mother Nature,” explained Visit Dorset. “Forming part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, the sweeping, shingle ridge stretching for miles into the distance is a sight to behold, in fact, the view of Chesil Beach from the coast road above Abbotsbury has been voted by Country Life Magazine as Britain’s 3rd best view.”
So, if you’re willing to head to the beach with a good pair of shoes (going barefoot won’t end well), you may get Chesil Beach entirely to yourself. On Tripadvisor, the natural wonder is filled with five-star reviews, with many travellers vowing to return.
“The beach stretches so far that it’s absolutely huge,” one Brit raved. “Whilst there were other people there, at times it was so quiet and peaceful it felt empty. All you could hear were the waves on the shore and the light breeze whistling.”
Another agreed, commenting: “I didn’t have any expectations in advance and it was stunning. A huge bank of stones, like a giant sand dune, that stretches as far as the eye can see with the sea on either side,” while a third wrote: “We walked up and along Chesil Beach on a very windy day. The sea was crashing down on the stones and it looked magnificent. The banks of stones go on and on out of sight and what a journey all those years ago.”
Want the latest travel news and cheapest holiday deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Travel Newsletter
Chesil Beach is some 139 miles from London, meaning you’ll have to prepare yourself for a three-hour and 38-minute drive to get there. However, direct trains from the Big Smoke to Weymouth slash the journey time down to two hours and fifty minutes. If you’re flexible with dates, you can bag single adult fares for as little as £16.
From Weymouth, you’ll be able to get a 16-minute taxi ride down to the beach, or can hike along the coast and take in the breathtaking views of the West Dorset Heritage Coast. However, this 10-mile walk will take around three-and-a-half hours.
*Prices based on Trainline listings at the time of writing.
Where do you think the UK’s best beach is? Let us know in the comments section below
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
