Studland Bay

Four miles of beautiful beaches line the sheltered waters of Studland Bay – ideal for beach games, sandcastles, watersports or simply relaxing.

Old Harry is an iconic feature on the East Dorset coastline, and it's also a great spot for sports, walking and admiring some lovely views.

The largest expanse of lowland heath remaining in Dorset recalls the landscape of Thomas Hardy's Wessex.

The views from the Purbeck Hills in Dorset represented the best of the English countryside for novelist E. M. Forster.

No overnight camping or parking is allowed at the places we care for. More information on why we don’t permit visitors to stay overnight at our car parks can be found here.

Due to a high risk of wildfires at the moment, we're asking you to please not bring a barbecue or light a campfire when you visit the coast and countryside. To help protect wildlife, please also take any litter home with you.

Our food outlet is open and will initially be serving a limited range of takeaway hot and cold drinks and light snacks. We’ve introduced new safety measures including closure of our seating areas, screens at our till and collection points, and waymarked routes. We’ll also only be accepting card payment. We look forward to welcoming you back and know that you’ll support us to make this a safe experience for everyone. In line with government guidelines you'll be required to wear a face covering in our shops, cafés and food outlets in England. Please bring one with you.

Knoll Beach shop is open 10am-4.30pm, daily. For the safety of staff and visitors we've introduced social distancing measures and changes to payment, which will be via card only. In line with government guidance visitors to our shop will be required to wear a face covering from July 24. Please bring one along with you. It is through your purchases that we are able to continue looking after Studland Bay for everyone, for ever.

For centuries a cornerstone of our wetland ecosystems has been missing. Now we’re exploring the reintroduction of beavers to Purbeck — 400 years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain.

The National Trust and our farming partners use traditional methods to keep the diverse landscapes of Purbeck beautiful and rich in wildlife.

Providing great days out for more than a million visitors a year while protecting the delicate ecology of a national nature reserve is no mean feat.

At the end of the Jurassic Coast, beyond Dorset’s wildflower meadows and pretty villages, lies a place known as Studland Bay. Famous for its sandy shores and calm waters, it hides a secret behind its busy beach front. Studland’s wild dunes. A playground of sandy hills and endless adventure. A land of constant change with bare ground, long grasses, dry heathland, dense scrubland and scattered trees. A home for special and rare life. And a place that is in trouble.

We know that big steps are needed to create landscapes where people and wildlife can thrive. This is why we've joined forces with like-minded organisations to form the UK's first 'super' national nature reserve at Purbeck Heaths in Dorset.

We want to create a sustainable future for Middle Beach and its facilities, which are both impacted by coastal change. We are working with the Studland community to achieve this.

As we gradually and safely open more of the places we care for, there’ll be more opportunities to explore gardens and parklands near you. If you’re a member, you can access all these places free, together with most National Trust car parks. It’s so important for everyone to have fresh air, birdsong, big skies and open spaces to enjoy. Your membership will go towards looking after all of this for generations to come.

For 125 years, people like you have helped us protect some of the UK's best-loved places. Everyone needs nature, beauty and green spaces now more than ever. But our income has dropped sharply due to the coronavirus crisis, and our essential conservation work is at risk. Please give what you can to help us look after these places, so people and nature can thrive.

The golden sands of Studland Bay surround a national nature reserve where heaths, wetlands and woodlands are home to a fascinating array of wildlife. The downlands stretching inland from Old Harry meanwhile host their own unique natural communities.