Chesil Beach

Chesil Beach is located on the South coast of England in the county of Dorset. It is a natural shingle bank 18 miles long, roughly 160 metres wide and rises to 12 metres in height and stretches north-west connecting Portland to Abbotsbury and then onward to West Bay. For much of its length it is separated from the mainland by an area of saline water called the Fleet Lagoon.

The pebbles along the beach are well-graded, coarsest near Portland (Chesilton) and diminishing in size towards West Bay. It is said that fisherman landing on the bank at night can judge their position by the size of the pebbles. The storm of the 13th and 14th November 2009 has caused a major restructuring of the seaward side of Chesil Beach. It has also brought in a lot of flotsam and jetsam so now is an ideal time for beachcombing!

Walking the South West Coast Path

Walking along the Chesil Beach is made possible using the South West Coast Path that runs along the Fleet shoreline for most of its length; only moving inland to the south east of Abbotsbury Swannery where it is diverted to protect sensitive habitats in the upper Fleet. When walking in this area you are asked to respect this protected area and keep to the way-marked footpath.

There are no car parks along the shore of the Fleet. You can park at Ferrybridge just before you enter Portland Beach Road, and take a leisurely walk westwards along Chesil Beach to Abbotsbury. The beach is made up of a shingle bank leading straight into deep water. In calm conditions the whole beach is suitable for supervised children, but in rough weather it is dangerous for anyone to be near the shoreline and it is advisable to keep to the grassy area at the back of the Beach. At present there are no manned lookouts along the beach, with coverage provided when required from Portland Coastguard.

Dogs are permitted but should be kept under control to minimise their impact on the birds that feed around the shoreline of the Fleet. Please contact the Fleet Warden for more information regarding access.

Dambusters Heritage

As you make your way along the path you will see a military firing range on the headland, and if there is firing taking place you will need to follow the alternate path inland. The Fleet was used as an experimental bombing range by the RAF before and during World War II. The bombs used during the Dambusters raid were tested on the Fleet. More details on this areas maritime past can be found in Portland Museum.

Stone Sign on Chesil Beach

Continue walking along East Fleet towards Gore Cove and the Moonfleet Hotel – an ideal spot to stop for tea. Continue along the path to Langton Hive Point and enjoy the peaceful surroundings and wildlife. Rodden Hive is where the South West Coast Path meets the Fleet. There are no bridges across the fleet to Chesil Beach, so follow the coast path signs as you head north pass Wyke Wood across several fields towards Abbotsbury. From the top of the hill you get excellent views of The Fleet and the swannery below. Abbotsbury Swannery was originally created to provide food for the monks at the Priory. It’s well worth a visit on another day.

Abbotsbury is a pretty village and is worth taking time to look around before heading back to Weymouth. Buses back to Weymouth run every hour from Abbotsbury (timetable available from South Dorset Public Transport).

The Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL15 covers the Chesil Beach area of the coast path and is available The Outdoor Store. Multimap is also a useful online reference to the coast path from Weymouth to Abbotsbury.

Happy beachcombing!

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