South Beach is a small sandy beach at the southern end of Studland Bay, close to Studland village and overlooked by the chalk cliffs leading towards Old Harry Rocks. Owned and managed by the National Trust, it is one of the most picturesque of Studland’s beaches and has a quieter, more secluded character than Knoll Beach.
The beach is sheltered by the surrounding headland and has gently shelving water suitable for swimming and paddling. Traditional beach huts line parts of the shore and there are views north across Studland Bay towards Poole and Bournemouth.
South Beach is also particularly well placed for combining a visit to the beach with Studland village or a walk to Old Harry Rocks.
Address: South Beach, Studland, Dorset (Google map)
Parking: National Trust car park – charges apply to non-members (see below for charges)
Facilities: Toilets nearby at bottom of Manor Road
Dogs: Allowed all year, with seasonal restrictions
South Beach
South Beach lies at the southern end of Studland Bay and is smaller than both Knoll Beach and Middle Beach. The beach is predominantly sandy and backed by woodland and low cliffs, giving it a more enclosed feel than the long open stretches of beach further north.
The sheltered waters of Studland Bay make South Beach popular for swimming, paddling and family beach trips. There are no lifeguards, however, and swimming conditions can vary.
One of the attractions of South Beach is its setting. Traditional beach huts sit among the trees and along the shoreline, while the chalk cliffs around Old Harry Rocks rise beyond the southern end of the beach.
From the shore there are extensive views across Studland Bay towards Poole Harbour and Bournemouth and, in clear conditions, towards the Isle of Wight.
At the northern end of South Beach is a surviving Second World War pillbox, built as part of the wartime defences around Studland Bay. Its position immediately beside the shoreline makes it one of the most easily visible reminders of Studland’s wartime history. The bay was initially fortified against possible German invasion and was later used for training exercises in preparation for D-Day. For more information, read our Fort Henry and Studland Bay During World War II page.
South Beach is reached from Manor Road via a pedestrianised lane leading down to the seafront. The path is approximately 250 metres long, so allow a few minutes to walk between the road and the beach, particularly if carrying beach equipment. (total of around 350m from the car park)
The entrance to the lane is close to the Bankes Arms, with public toilets located nearby at the bottom of Manor Road.
Walking to Old Harry Rocks
South Beach Car Park is one of the most convenient starting points for walking to Old Harry Rocks, with the famous chalk sea stacks around 1 mile away. Allow approximately 25–30 minutes each way.
From South Beach Car Park, turn right and walk down the hill, passing the Bankes Arms on your right and the lane leading down to South Beach on your left. At the bottom of the road, walk past the public toilets and follow the signposted footpath to Old Harry Rocks.
The path climbs gradually onto the chalk headland at Handfast Point, with increasingly impressive views back across Studland Bay towards Poole Harbour and Bournemouth.
The relatively short walk makes it easy to combine Old Harry Rocks with a visit to South Beach or Studland village. Take particular care around the headland, as the cliff edges are high and unfenced.
Studland Village
Studland village is only a short walk from South Beach and is worth exploring while you are here.
St Nicholas’ Church has Norman origins and is one of Dorset’s oldest churches. Nearby, the Bankes Arms is a traditional pub with a large garden overlooking Studland Bay and makes a convenient stop before or after a walk to Old Harry Rocks.
Middle Beach is also within easy walking distance, making it easy to explore several of Studland’s beaches during the same visit.
Joe’s Café South Beach
Joe’s Café is a small family-run café located directly on South Beach, serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and a selection of homemade food.
The café places an emphasis on fresh, local produce and offers vegan and gluten-free options. It also tries to reduce disposable packaging, serving hot drinks in mugs and reusing glass bottles and jars where possible.
Its beachfront location makes it a particularly pleasant place to stop for a drink or something to eat while spending the day at South Beach.
Address: Joe’s Café, South Beach, Studland, BH19 3AL
Opening hours: Typically 9am–5pm
Website: https://joescafesouthbeach.com
Opening hours can vary, so check with Joe’s Café before making a special journey.
Dogs at South Beach
Dogs are welcome at South Beach throughout the year, although National Trust seasonal restrictions apply.
From 1 May to 30 September, dogs must be kept on a lead of no more than 2 metres while on the beach. From 1 October to 30 April, dogs can be exercised off the lead.
Dogs must also be kept on leads across the heathland and dunes from 1 March to 31 July to protect ground-nesting birds.
Getting to South Beach
South Beach is reached from Studland village, just off Ferry Road.
From Swanage and Corfe Castle, follow the B3351 towards Studland. Visitors travelling from Poole and Bournemouth can reach Studland via Sandbanks and the Sandbanks chain ferry, which carries vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians across the entrance to Poole Harbour.
The Purbeck Breezer 50 bus serves Studland village, providing connections with Swanage, Sandbanks, Poole and Bournemouth.
South Beach Car Park
South Beach has a National Trust car park a short walk from the beach.
Sat Nav postcode: BH19 3AU (Google map)
National Trust members can park free but must scan their membership card on every visit. Blue Badge holders can also park free when a valid Blue Badge is clearly displayed.
Payment for non-members can be made at the parking machines or using JustPark. Overnight parking and camping are not permitted.
South Beach Car Park Charges
| Parking time | Cars |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 hours | £6 |
| Up to 4 hours | £12 |
| All day | £16 |
Seahorses at South Beach
The waters off South Beach are particularly important for seahorses. Seagrass beds beneath the shallow waters provide a sheltered habitat and breeding area for the protected long-snouted or spiny seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus), making Studland Bay one of Britain’s best-known locations for these rare marine animals.
Studland Bay is now a Marine Conservation Zone, with the seagrass beds and long-snouted seahorse among its protected features. A voluntary no-anchor zone extends from South Beach towards Old Harry Rocks to help prevent anchors from damaging the sensitive seagrass habitat.
Although seahorses live here, visitors should not actively disturb or pursue them. Anyone swimming or snorkelling over the seagrass should take particular care not to touch or damage it, and activities likely to disturb or photograph seahorses may require a wildlife licence. Flash photography should not be used, as it can cause stress and potentially harm the animals.
