Cogden Beach, Dorset
Stroll down from the car park, across the field to Cogden Beach, a quieter part of Chesil Beach on the West Dorset coast just a few miles on from Bridport. If you want shops, cafes and loos, Cogden isn’t for you; it’s a mix of sand and shingle, sky and countryside but it’s a popular spot for dog walkers, anglers and fossil hunters who regularly find bivalves and brachiopods.
What Cogden isn’t good for is bathing as the beach shelves steeply and there’s a strong undertow – and there are no lifeguards. There are also no facilities, but it's still a lovely place to be. You can walk over the cliffs on the South West Coast Path to Burton Bradstock and have lunch or a cream tea at the well-known Hive Beach Café. There are also some good shortish circular walks along the cliffs and back through field footpaths. The coastal air does you the world of good and the scenery, on a clear day, is spectacular.
The car park is free to National Trust members and Blue Badge holders. Dogs are welcome all year.
All information correct at the time of writing