VERDICT: WE GAVE 4 OUT OF 5 TICKETS AND HERE’S WHY!
Branksome Chine – perfect beach for couples or families
A peaceful wooded gorge leading to golden sandy beaches on the Dorset coast. Loved for coastal walks, sea views, and a quieter escape between Bournemouth and Poole. Ideal for relaxed seaside breaks and nature lovers.
Set along England’s celebrated south coast, Dorset is a county defined by dramatic coastline, sandy beaches, and timeless seaside towns. Famous for its Jurassic Coast World Heritage landscapes, Dorset blends natural beauty with classic British holiday charm — from chalk cliffs and heathland to long, golden beaches backed by dunes and pine forests. Among its standout coastal highlights are Studland Beach, known for its sweeping sands, dunes, and views across to Old Harry Rocks; Branksome Chine, a peaceful wooded gorge leading to a quieter stretch of shoreline; and Bournemouth Beach, one of the UK’s most popular beaches, prized for its wide sands, promenade, and classic resort atmosphere. Together, they showcase why Dorset remains one of England’s most appealing coastal destinations — varied, accessible, and effortlessly scenic.
Daytrip from Trowbridge, Wiltshire to Branksome Chine Beach.
About a 2 hour drive from where we’re staying in Trowbridge in Bradford on Avon, is this fantastic velvet sand beach, called Branksome Chine in County Dorset. We were lucky enough to hit a beautiful day with a temperature of 27 degrees & the perfect breeze. When you dipped a toe in, the water was cold for the first moments & then felt so refreshing!
We had hoped to do a little body surfing but the usual 3 foot waves were more like 1 foot, so just had some fun swimming & splashing. If you wander down the boardwalk a ways there is a little hut that had delicious traditional (& not so traditional) Cornish Pasties, fresh sausage rolls, ice cream + hot & cold drinks.
There was another restaurant where you could sit inside or on the patio overlooking the sea to have your fish & chips + across the parking lot, a walk up window with snacks & drinks We noticed on our trek that there were tons of chalets you could rent for the day, with a sink & small fridge, patio set + a few more luxuries to enjoy your day at the beach. Though most beachgoers, like us, decided to bring a small tent/shelter & mats to lay on the sand.
We always make the effort to spend time on this beach. It is absolutely lovely!
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
