Bowleaze Cove
A walk along Weymouth Esplanade towards Preston will take you to Overcombe Corner, then continue up the hill to Bowleaze Cove where there’s a small beach and all the facilities you could want for a family day out. The beach is mainly small shingle and sand and ideal for those with dogs in tow as they are allowed on the beach throughout the year. If you are driving, there’s a large car park alongside the beach.
Between Overcombe and Bowleaze is a large area of grass above the cliffs. It’s perfect for kite flying or for just sitting and admiring the views across Weymouth Bay and towards the Purbeck hills.
On the opposite side of the road there’s a footpath leading to the remains of Jordan Hill Roman Temple, a small Romano-Celtic temple dating back to the 4th century AD. Archaeological excavations have revealed a nearby burial ground containing personal items that were buried along with their owners. Some of these artefacts can be seen at the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.
Bowleaze Cove is certainly a hit with the younger members of the family as there are lots of things to do here. As well as all the delights of the beach, there are fun rides, a great ice cream parlour, a gift shop where you can purchase those all-important buckets and spades, rock pools at low tide, and a café with take-away options for when those hunger pangs strike. The area is also dog friendly too - with lots of area for our four legged friends to run around here (and at the area surrounding Jordan Hill Roman Temple), there's lots of fun to be had for our four-legged friends.
The licensed beach bar serves a range of beers, ciders, wines and spirits and also frozen cocktails which are a summer favourite.
Every Monday from Easter to the end of October there’s a market and car boot sale held here, ideal for browsers and bargain hunters.
At Bowleaze you can join the South West Coast Path and take the 3.5-mile walk to Osmington Mills. There’s a convenient pub here where you could stop for a while before heading back or, if you are a keen walker, carrying on in the same direction towards the iconic Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.
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