Ringstead Bay Beach is a quiet beach surrounded by farmland. It’s a shingle and pebble beach often covered with seaweed. The water is usually very clear and good for swimming. The beach is quite popular in the summer especially with visitors staying in the nearby caravan parks but, unless you are trying to escape the crowds at Weymouth Beach then it’s not one of Dorset’s big attractions and generally not well known. The beach does, however, lie on the South West Coast Path and dogs are also allowed on the beach all year round so this is a popular little place for walkers. There is a small car park, a beach cafe/shop and toilets.
SAT NAV postcode DT2 8NG (Google map)
At the eastern end of the Ringstead Bay is White Nothe headland. It takes about 40 minutes to walk there and you’ll be rewarded with great sea views and in summer you’ll see loads of wild flowers and butterflies. If you continue along the coast path for another hour you’ll eventually arrive at Durdle Door. In my opinion White Nothe to Durdle Door section is best done by starting at Durdle Door. There’s easy parking at Durdle Door and White Nothe can be included as part of a circular walk. You can then come to Ringstead and walk out to White Nothe picking up from where you left off, completing the Dorset section of the South West Coast Path bit by bit. There is a map showing the various walks in the car park near the cafe. The walk west from the car park towards Osmingston Mills is also a pleasant stretch of the coastline.
Related Pages: Lulworth Cove / Durdle Door / Osmington Mills / Weymouth Beach / Weymouth