Dorset

Hive Beach coast path walk

A rear view of a walker on the South West Coast Path, with views along the Jurassic Coast, runs through Burton Bradstock — The South West Coast Path runs through Burton Bradstock | © National Trust/Zoe Stansfield

A circular walk at Hive Beach, West Dorset, following part of the South West Coast Path.

Near to

Hive Beach

Start point

Hive beach car park, Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset DT6 4RE. Grid ref: SY491888

Car park
National Trust car park at Hive Beach (free for members) open all year with information point open March–October.
Toilet
Toilets at Hive Beach Café (opening times vary according to season). Burton Bradstock village has public toilets.
Café
Café at Hive Beach Café (opening times vary according to season).
Play area
Burton Bradstock village has a children's play area.
Shop
Burton Bradstock village has a petrol station with Spar shop, a Post Office and village stores.
Pub
Burton Bradstock village has two pubs.
Total stages: 4
Total stages: 4
Start point
Hive beach car park, Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset DT6 4RE. Grid ref: SY491888
Stage 1
From the car park follow the re-routed coast path signs heading west, marked 'Freshwater and West Bay', where you'll discover panoramic views. To the west is Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast, and on a clear day, Start Point in Devon. To the east is the stretch of Chesil Beach leading to Portland Bill.
Burton Cliff
Burton Cliff is one of the finest examples of the distinctive, alternately hard and soft layered geology of the Bridport Sands, which makes it appear to glow bright gold in the sunlight. The regular rock falls can often expose some important and fascinating fossils, such as ammonites, recognised by their ribbed spiral-formed shell. Look out, too, for the plants that cling to the cliff edge, including thrift, common mallow and wild clary.
Glowing gold in the sunshine: Burton cliffs at Burton Bradstock, Dorset | © National Trust/ Zoe Stansfield
Stage 2
Follow the South West Coast Path until you reach a stile on the right-hand side. Go over the stile and follow the path to the bottom of the field.
Smuggling
Burton Bradstock has a history of illegal seafaring as it offered a key landing stage at the centre of Lyme Bay. In the 1700s smuggling was rife along this coastline and a smugglers' beacon was supposedly sited on Burton Cliff. There are many legends of the activities of smugglers operating in the area including Isaac Gulliver (1745–1822), the 'King of Smugglers' who reputedly used the beaches at Burton Bradstock. According to folklore, a local fisherman or smuggler could tell exactly where he was on the beach at night or in fog simply by looking at the size of the pebbles. This aided him in sneaking ashore, away from the customs men and their patrols.
Stage 3
Go over the stile and turn right along the lane until you reach Cliff Road. Cross over and go up the steps and over the stile. For a village detour, turn left along the main road. Burton Bradstock is an idyllic village well worth exploring, with many of the buildings made from the local stone.
Stage 4
Follow the path diagonally across a large field. Go through the kissing gate at the other end of the field and across the next field and gate. Now head down towards the car park.
Chesil Beach
Chesil Beach is situated on a striking section of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site which, as the largest shingle ridge in the world, is an internationally unique geological feature. The Jurassic Coast covers 95 miles (153km) of truly spectacular coastline from East Devon to Studland in Dorset and is considered to be the only place in the world displaying unbroken evidence of 185 million years of evolution. It yields a steady flow of dinosaur remains, including previously unknown species. In the winter of 1943–4, soldiers poured onto Burton beach from landing craft and scaled the cliff as practice for the invasion of Normandy.
The hills on the Golden Cap Estate boast some superb views along the Jurassic Coast | © National Trust/John Newbould
End point
Hive beach car park, Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset DT6 4RE. Grid ref: SY491888
Trail map
Burton Bradstock coast path walk map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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Hive Beach Office, Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset, DT6 4RF

01297489481

hivebeach@nationaltrust.org.uk

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