This is Shell Bay, Studland Peninsular, Dorset.
(One of my favourite beaches, in the world).
This is what the Dorset Guide says.
https://www.dorsetguide.com/shell-bay-beach/
This is what the beach guide says about Shell Bay:
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-west-england/dorset/studland-shell-bay.htm
Christmas Day, Avonmouth Beach, Near Christchurch, Dorset. (Not Avon Mouth, Bristol).
One of our sons, along with many others, went for a swim on Christmas Day. A charming, gently slowly beach with a life guard.
Or a walk towards Mudeford, crabbing central with a mini ferry across Mudeford Sandbank and it’s charming beach huts, maybe even Hengistbury Head.
The Noisy Lobster Restaurants sits beside the beach so you can either go big at the restaurant, or a snacks at the kiosks.
And heading as far West as you can go in England. Sennen Cove, West Cornwall which combines beauty, wildness, some of the best surfing and outstanding restaurants within ten miles.
This is what https://www.cornwall-beaches.co.uk/west-cornwall/sennen.htm
FINDING A BEACH
SHALLOW. FLAT BEACH. LIFE GUARDS.
For families the priorities are a shallow sandy beach with no drop offs, not too many rocks, where there are lifeguards, no rip tides and currents.
If the children are running into the sea, a gentle incline is idyl. It is better to have to wade out on flat sands for a while than be shocked by a sudden drop off, from calves up to shoulders.
Near Christchurch, Dorset.
Look Up
Obviously, the weather forecast . Whatever your weather station or forecaster, get the picture.
Tide Tables
A beach day can literally be cut short if the tide comes in and halves the size of the beach.
And, if the tide is going out it can sweep swimmers with it. Be ‘care-full’. Watch the tide, if it is going out, get out. If there is a current is running fast, get out.
The RNLI is there to rescue people who have found themselves in trouble, many times because they have read the tides wrongly.
https://rnli.org/safety/know-the-risks/tides
Magic Seaweed
You may not be a surfer but Magic Seaweed has numerous webcams covering beaches in the UK (and internationally). This link is Bournemouth West and Boscombe, two of my ‘local’ beaches. It shows live footage of the beach, swells, weather, the lot.
https://magicseaweed.com/Poole-Surf-Report/7843/
BLUE FLAGS
Blue Flag awards were set up to encourage “pure water, clean coasts and safety”. The Blue flag is displayed in 4820 beaches and marinas and boats in 49 countries, (204 in UK and Ireland).
Blue Flags require:
- to water quality (e.g. no sewage discharges nearby),
- environment management (to us, are there toilets),
- safety, are there lifeguards,
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/best-beaches/blue_flag.htm (for UK and ireland)