Studland beach and heath
Recommended by
Our view
"Easy walking through a significant nature reserve over beach and heath"
Walk directions
From the car park go past the Discovery Centre to the sea. Turn left and walk up the beach for about 2 miles (3.2km). Marram-covered dunes hide the heath on your left, but you have views to the Isle of Wight, and the golden cliffs of Bournemouth curve away ahead. Continue round the tip of the sand bar into Shell Bay. Poole opens out ahead – more precisely, the spit of Sandbanks, with the Haven Hotel facing you across the harbour mouth. There are good views of the nature reserve Brownsea Island.
Turn inland at South Haven Point, joining the road by the phone box. Pass the boatyard and toll booth, then bear right at a barrier (‘Emergency Exit’) on a track leading down to some houseboats. Turn left along the inner shore of Poole Harbour. After Bramble Bush Bay and a row of concrete blocks in the sea, bear left on any path to rejoin the nearby road. Cross and then follow the verge until the end of some woods on your left, when you can pick up the broad, muddy track on the heath alongside the road. After 0.5 miles (800m) the track and road bend left. Where the track bends sharply right to meet the road, stay ahead on the footpath for another 100yds (90m) to a fingerpost at the roadside.
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Additional information
Terrain
- Sandy beach, muddy heathland tracks, verges
Landscape
- Sandy Studland Bay, heath and views over Poole Harbour
Dog friendliness
- Dogs on leads are allowed on the beach from May to September
Parking
- Knoll Beach car park, by Discovery Centre just off B3351
Toilets en route
- By Discovery Centre and near ferry toll station
About the walk
The glorious sands in Studland Bay are justly famous, attracting over one million visitors a year, so you’ll need to get up early to have the beach to yourself. You’re unlikely to be alone for long, and local horse-riders are often the first to arrive. As you progress up the beach, getting warmer,...
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Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
About the area
Dorset is made up of rugged coastlines, high chalk downlands and a chain of picturesque villages and seaside towns that make up Britain’s Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, noted for its layers of shale and numerous fossils embedded in the rock. Hidden gems of Dorset can be found down winding, country lanes that lead to snug villages hidden from view.
Nearby places to stay
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Nearby places to stay
Mimosa Cottage
Mimosa Cottage is a delightful detached bungalow in very good order with spacious living accommodation for eight people. It is comfortably furnished and centrally heated and so is suita...
Mimosa Cottage
Mimosa Cottage is a delightful detached bungalow in very good order with spacious living accommodation for eight people. It is comfortably furnished and centrally heated and so is suita...
THE PIG-on the beach
THE PIG on the Beach is a former summer house set in beautiful grounds in a dramatic coastal location. The grounds feature hotel livestock, including pigs and chickens, and there's a wa...
Ulwell Holiday Park
Sitting under the Purbeck Hills and surrounded by scenic walks, this park is only two miles from the beach. It is family-run and caters well for families and couples, and offers a newly...
Burnbake Forest Lodges
Burnbake Forest Lodges in Dorset’s beautiful Isle of Purbeck is situated between Corfe Castle and Studland on the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The luxury lodges provide...
Flat 8 Sandringham Court
This homely, two-bedroom, ground-floor flat sleeps four and is furnished to a very high standard with many personal touches and also offers undercover, allocated parking space. Situated...
8 Sandringham Court
This homely, two-bedroom, ground-floor flat sleeps four and is furnished to a very high standard with many personal touches and also offers undercover, allocated parking space. Situated...
Belvedere Lodge
Belvedere Lodge is a Georgian Grade II listed 2 bedroomed ground floor apartment with a romantic cottage feel and dramatic sea views over Swanage Pier. The beach is a short stroll away,...
Places to eat nearby View all
