Top Beaches Day Trips from Weymouth
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Beaches Day Trips from Weymouth include Eweleaze Beach, Ringstead Bay, Church Ope Cove, White Nothe Beach, St Oswald's Bay Beach, Dungy Head Dorset, Mupe Bay Beach and Worbarrow Beach.
Weymouth makes a natural base for exploring the Jurassic Coast, with a run of coves and cliff-backed bays lying mostly to the east. Closest to hand is Eweleaze at Osmington, followed by the quiet curve of Ringstead Bay beneath the chalk headland of White Nothe, where a remote shore waits at the foot of the cliffs.
South of town, on the Isle of Portland, the sheltered pebbles of Church Ope Cove sit below a ruined castle. Push further east, past the great arch of Durdle Door, and you reach secluded St Oswald's Bay and the clifftop viewpoint of Dungy Head.
Beyond Lulworth Cove, inside the army firing ranges and open only on certain days, lie the wilder shingle beaches of Mupe Bay and Worbarrow, the latter sharing its walk with the abandoned village of Tyneham. Some of these beaches have cafes and car parks; others ask for a steep descent or a long range walk with no facilities.
Here are eight beaches for a day trip from Weymouth.
Eweleaze Beach
Photo: Jim Champion via Geograph.org.uk
Eweleaze Beach Only a few kilometres east of Weymouth at Osmington, Eweleaze sits below Eweleaze Farm on the Jurassic Coast. It is a stone and pebble shore reached down steep steps from the clifftop, with the Isle of Portland out across the bay for company.
Worth knowing before you go: this is a private beach, and the farm above runs a well-loved summer campsite, so the shore is mainly for its guests rather than casual visitors. The South West Coast Path passes along the top of the cliffs, which gives walkers the view even when the beach itself is reserved.
Ringstead Bay
Photo: Nigel Mykura via Geograph.org.uk
Ringstead Bay A little further along, Ringstead Bay is a quiet, curving beach of shingle and sand set between Weymouth and Lulworth, below the great white chalk headland of White Nothe. At low tide sand and rock pools appear over an offshore reef, and it feels clearer and less busy than the resorts nearby.
This is National Trust land, with a clifftop car park, a beach cafe and the coast path running on toward Durdle Door. Fossils turn up in the rocks, and the site of a medieval village, lost after the Black Death, lies just inland, making it a rewarding stop for more than a swim.
Church Ope Cove
Photo: don cload via Geograph.org.uk
Church Ope Cove For a change of direction, head south from Weymouth onto the Isle of Portland, where Church Ope Cove hides on the eastern shore, ringed by cliffs on three sides. The footpath down to it passes beneath the arch of the ruined Rufus Castle and by the remains of the old church of St Andrew, giving the walk a real sense of history.
A row of traditional beach huts lines the edge of the shingle. The smooth white and grey pebbles underfoot come partly from natural erosion and partly from old quarry waste, a reminder of Portland's long stone-working past.
It is a sheltered, characterful spot.
White Nothe Beach
Photo: Nigel Mykura via Geograph.org.uk
White Nothe Beach At the eastern end of Ringstead Bay rises White Nothe, a high chalk headland on the Jurassic Coast between Ringstead and Durdle Door. On top stand a row of former coastguard cottages and a wartime pillbox, reached on foot along the coast path, with a steep zig-zag known as the Smugglers' Path dropping down the cliff.
Below lies a landslipped undercliff and a remote shingle and rock beach at sea level. Take care with timing, as the shore can only be reached on foot from Ringstead around low tide.
The chalk here is known for its fossils, so it draws a patient sort of visitor.
St Oswald's Bay Beach
Photo: Robin Webster via Geograph.org.uk
St Oswald's Bay Beach Beyond the great rock arch of Durdle Door, St Oswald's Bay is a secluded cove of pebble and sand, sitting just west of Lulworth Cove. Cliffs back the shore, and you reach it by a steep descent on foot from the coast path or the Durdle Door car park.
It makes a quieter alternative to its much-visited neighbours while taking in the same dramatic folded cliffs. There are no facilities on the beach, so this is a place for a swim and a scramble along the shore rather than a lazy day with amenities.
Rock and sand open up at lower tides, roughly thirteen kilometres east of Weymouth.
Dungy Head Dorset
Photo: David Smith via Geograph.org.uk
Dungy Head Dorset Strictly speaking, Dungy Head is a viewpoint rather than a beach, but it earns its place on any coast walk east of Weymouth. This small, grassy headland sits high on the South West Coast Path between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, looking out over the sea and along the folded cliffs.
Below it the ground drops away to the boulder-strewn shore of St Oswald's Bay, while a steep grassy path leads down toward the sands at Man o' War Cove nearby. Come here for the outlook and the walking, then drop down to one of the neighbouring coves if you want your feet in the water.
Mupe Bay Beach
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
Mupe Bay Beach Further east again, Mupe Bay is a sheltered shingle beach in a wide, cliff-backed inlet just beyond Lulworth Cove. A line of sea stacks called Mupe Rocks stands at one end, with a rocky reef running out offshore, and it feels far quieter than the busy sights close by.
One important catch: it lies inside the Lulworth army firing ranges, so you can only reach it when the range walks are open, on foot from Lulworth Cove along the coast path, passing the fossil forest on the way. Check the range opening times before setting out, and be aware there are no facilities at the beach.
Worbarrow Beach
Photo: Chris Downer via Geograph.org.uk
Worbarrow Beach The furthest of the group, Worbarrow Bay is a broad, shallow curve of shingle and coarse sand on the Purbeck coast east of Lulworth, with the pointed headland of Worbarrow Tout at its eastern end. The folded rock strata in the cliffs are striking.
Like Mupe Bay, it sits inside the army's Lulworth firing ranges, so it opens only on certain days, reached on a walk of about a mile down the valley from the Tyneham car park. There are no facilities at the beach.
The same walk passes the abandoned village of Tyneham, emptied of its people in 1943 and never given back to them.
FAQs
Which beaches near Weymouth are easiest to reach?
Ringstead Bay has a clifftop car park, a beach cafe and a fairly gentle approach, making it one of the simplest for a day out from Weymouth. Church Ope Cove on nearby Portland is also straightforward.
Do I need to check anything before visiting Mupe Bay or Worbarrow?
Yes. Both lie inside the Lulworth army firing ranges east of Weymouth and open only on certain days, so check the range walk calendar first. Neither has facilities, so take supplies.
Are there good spots for fossils on a day trip from Weymouth?
The Jurassic Coast around White Nothe and Ringstead Bay is known for fossils weathering out of the chalk and rocks, both a short drive east of Weymouth.
Conclusion
From the pebbles of Eweleaze on Weymouth's doorstep to the far shingle of Worbarrow deep in the Purbeck ranges, the coast east of town offers an unusually varied day out. Ringstead Bay and Church Ope Cove come with car parks, cafes and an easier walk in, ideal for a relaxed afternoon, while White Nothe, St Oswald's Bay, Mupe Bay and Worbarrow reward those willing to tackle steep paths, tides or range-walk opening times.
Dungy Head throws in a fine viewpoint to link them together. Wherever you choose, check the tide tables and the Lulworth firing range calendar before you leave, and carry your own food and water where facilities are lacking.
Rich in fossils, folded cliffs and history, these are the beaches for a day trip from Weymouth.
