The weather is glorious and here at The Outdoor Store we have noticed the influx of visitors attracted to the beautiful Weymouth beaches.

The main Weymouth beach, a 2 minute walk from our store, is a gently curving arc of sand in Weymouth Bay, Dorset. With its beautiful scenery of coastline, cliffs and rolling distant hills, it is no wonder that this superb natural feature has often been called “England’s Bay of Naples”. The beach is ideal for families with its very wide and sheltered sloping contour, fine textured golden sand and shallow gently shelving waters.

Royal favourite

Weymouth beach became a royal favourite with King George III who made his first visit to Weymouth in 1789. The popular king suffered from porphyria, a disease of the metabolism, and bathing in the salt water helped his recovery. He used one of the first bathing machines, a kind of mobile dressing area that allowed discrete entry into the sea. He made many return visits to Weymouth and liked it so much that he purchased Gloucester Lodge on the seafront to be his holiday home. He is credited with making Weymouth a fashionable seaside resort, which helped attract many rich and famous visitors.

Sand sculptures

Sand Sculpture

Today visitors are drawn to Weymouth beach to marvel at Mark Anderson’s amazing sculptures in sand – true works of art. Mark learned the art of sand sculpture from his grandfather Fred Darrington who was considered the best in the world. Fred had begun his passion for sand sculptures on Weymouth beach in the 1920s and continued up until a few years ago. Incredibly these wonderful creations are made using only natural material, just Weymouth sand and water. Mark has his own website Sculptures in Sand with pictures of many of the sculptures that he and Fred have created.

Activities for children on Weymouth Beach

When the children have finished building their own sand castle and moats they can explore other traditional attractions of an English seaside resort, including donkey rides, Punch and Judy, trampolines and a small fun fair. The donkeys on Weymouth Beach are another traditional feature. Young children can ride Maggie’s Donkeys around a designated circuit for an unforgettable experience that is sure to bring a beaming smile to their faces.

Weymouth Events 2010

Throughout the year there are a number of special events held on the beach and seafront, or out in the bay. Here are a few of the events you can enjoy this year.

Weymouth Kite festival

Kite Festival

The 20th Weymouth International Beach Kite Festival will this year be held on Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd May providing a ray of colours on the horizon. The Weymouth Kite festival attracts overseas visitors in addition to UK based kite fliers competing in competitions, demonstrations and free flying.

Weymouth Beach Motocross

This exciting national beach motocross event takes place on Weymouth Beach on the 10^th October 2010 and attracts over 250 top riders from all over England. Machines range from 125cc to 500cc with riders aged 15 years upward, including several top women riders, competing in this annual event. Crowds of over 15,000 pack Weymouth Seafront to enjoy the thrills and spills of this unique spectacle.

Weymouth Beach Volleyball

Weymouth beach volleyball

The 28th Weymouth Beach Classic volleyball, an International Volleyball Championships event, is scheduled to take place the 30^th July to 1^st August 2010. The event will include exhibitions and competitions, with the men’s and women’s finals taking place on the final day. The Weymouth Beach Volleyball event is sponsored by the Royal Air Force.

Weymouth Carnival and Fireworks

Crowds of up to 100,000 flock to watch the popular annual Carnival Day, and this year the event is being held on Wednesday 18^th August. Marvel at the acrobatic Red Arrows display team, and the colourful procession which winds its way from Lodmoor to the Alexandra Gardens and back again. The event culminates with the grand fireworks display on the beach.

Other popular Summer time events held around the Weymouth bay area include veteran vehicle and motorcycle rallies, military parades, handball, volleyball and sailing championships.

If you have not been to Weymouth Beach, you can check out the webcam view from the camera situated outside the Tourism Information Centre overlooking the esplanade and Weymouth Beach towards Greenhill. Or, visit Google Maps and take a tour using the new Google Street map feature.

When next in Weymouth why not visit The Outdoor shop, situated just a short 2 minute walk from Weymouth beaches. We have a large selection of local maps, camping equipment and a range of outdoor clothing to suit all weathers. We will be pleased to offer advice on local facilities, as well as assisting you in all your equipment and clothing needs.

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