Explore miles of golden sand, hunt for world-famous fossils, and enjoy safe family swimming at this BBC-nominated beach on the Jurassic Coast.

Charmouth Beach is a premier family destination nominated by BBC Countryfile Magazine as one of the UK's five best beaches in 2017. The beach features expansive sandy areas, especially at low tide, making it ideal for families with young children. Safe swimming conditions, picnic areas, and numerous cafés ensure visitors have everything needed for a full day by the sea. Beach huts are available for hire, including those featured in the television series Broadchurch. The beach is divided by the mouth of the River Char, with the east beach particularly popular for families due to its smaller pebbles and more extensive dry sand. At low tide, the wet sand stretches for several hundred metres, providing an easy surface for walking and enjoying views of towering cliffs and Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast. Charmouth is renowned worldwide for fossil hunting. The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, located near the beach, provides fossil displays and organizes guided fossil-finding walks throughout the year. Visitors of all ages can collect famous Charmouth fossils, with pyrite ammonites and belemnites commonly found amongst the pebbles. The area, alongside nearby Lyme Regis, is the only UK entry in National Geographic's 21 Best Beaches in the World 2017. Dogs are welcome on most of the beach year-round, though restrictions apply to the central area during summer months (May 30th to September 1st). Ample car parks are available close to the beach, with additional parking halfway down Lower Sea Lane.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

☕ Food & Drink

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Nicole Le Monnier

2 months ago

A lovely beach especially if you want to look for fossils or driftwood, a good walk along the shore with beautiful views of the coast. There is a cafe and a shop of stone related curiosities.

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Cot A

2 months ago

Best place to find fossils! - visit the heritage centre first (see my other review) for knowledge…. We were novice fossil hunters & we found about 40 bits of Ammonites, squid-like creatures - 240 to 65 million years old - lots in the mud rock & in the smaller sandy areas. There are 2 fairly large carparks (download JustPark app so you don’t have to return to the car to add tome if needed) - cafe & toilets available. Small seaside shop & a cute fossil/jewellery shop.

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K

2 months ago

Charmouth is beautiful and if you are into fossils, then the best place for beginners to look is in the waterline. Great for dogs and parking is excellent, nice pub as well !!

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Samiul Siddique

4 months ago

Charmouth Beach is a lovely spot that’s perfect for exploring fossils. We even found a few fossils ourselves and well worth bringing a fossil hammer. People were ever so helpful, happily sharing tips, locations, and what to look out for. Even on a slightly wet day, it was absolutely worth the visit. The car park is reasonably priced and right by the beach

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sl

10 months ago

What an amazing beach, its got everything, sand, shingle, rocks, fossils....loads to look at! Well worth the visit and very photogenic! A fascinating place to walk along! Pay on arrival at the carpark. Also has a lovely cafe and a fossil museum.

Reviews last updated: 6 October 2026