Studland Bay

Studland Bay is four miles of gently shelving sandy beach on the Purbeck coast, running from Shell Bay opposite Sandbanks to the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks and backed by heathland where all six native British reptiles live. The beach was a live-fire rehearsal ground for D-Day, watched from the Fort Henry bunker by Churchill, Eisenhower and George VI, and came to the National Trust in 1981; Enid Blyton took it as the model for Noddy's Toytown. Knoll Beach has the cafe, shop and free beach wheelchairs, Little Sea behind the dunes is a freshwater lake now home to released beavers, and a marked section is Britain's best-known naturist beach. Waymarked walks run from the beach car parks to Old Harry Rocks and across Godlingston Heath. Dogs are welcome all year, on short leads in summer. Reviewers praise the clear, sheltered water and the space even on busy days. Tips from regulars: arrive early on sunny weekends because the car parks fill and close, and members must scan in on every visit.