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Museum
Bridport Museum
Museum in a 16th-century building on South Street known as the Castle.
A mini guide to
Bridport & West Bay
A market town, a small harbour and the cliffs of Golden Cap
Photos
1 / 6Welcome to the area
A market town, a small harbour and the cliffs of Golden Cap
Bridport is a market town in west Dorset with a museum in a sixteenth-century building and an arts centre in a former chapel. West Bay, originally Bridport Harbour, is a small harbour settlement about 1.5 miles to the south, on the River Brit, and is part of the Jurassic Coast.
East of West Bay the shingle of Chesil Beach begins, and Burton Bradstock has Hive Beach. To the west the coast path climbs to Thorncombe Beacon and Golden Cap, the 191-metre hill that Wikipedia calls the highest point within a mile of the south coast of Great Britain. Eype, Seatown and Colmer’s Hill are all close to Bridport.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Cliff and hill
Golden Cap
Hill and cliff between Bridport and Charmouth, 191 metres high and the highest point on the south coast.
Harbour
West Bay Harbour
Small harbour settlement at the mouth of the River Brit, 1.5 miles south of Bridport.
Sandstone cliff
East Cliff, West Bay
Cliff on the east side of West Bay beach. Official advice: stay away from cliff tops and bases, where falls can happen at any time.
Beach
Hive Beach
Shingle beach at Burton Bradstock on Chesil Beach, run by the National Trust.
Arts centre
Bridport Arts Centre
Arts centre in a 19th-century listed former chapel, with the Marlow Theatre, the Allsop Gallery and a cinema.
Directions Website Report a problem with Bridport Arts Centre
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Bridport & West Bay and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Stay away from the cliff base
Visit Dorset advises staying away from any cliff edge and from the base of cliffs, because rock falls can happen at any time. Heed the warning signs at West Bay and Burton Bradstock. Check current advice before fossil hunting or walking below cliffs.
2
Take the bus along the coast
First Bus’s X53 links West Bay, Burton Bradstock and Abbotsbury with Weymouth, and Bridport with Lyme Regis. Check the current timetable.
3
Walk Golden Cap
The National Trust site covers Golden Cap, between Bridport and Charmouth. Paths are steep in places, so check the National Trust page before you go.
4
Check the harbour edge
Visit Dorset warns that harbour walls and sea walls are often not fenced, so take care near the edge.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Bridport & West Bay (area photo): Martinvl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bridport Museum: Jo and Steve Turner, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Golden Cap: Kevin Walsh, CC BY 2.0, source
- West Bay Harbour: John Stephen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- East Cliff, West Bay: Martinvl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hive Beach: Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bridport Arts Centre: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Colmer’s Hill: Rude Health, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Thorncombe Beacon: Gary Rogers, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Eype Mouth: Mr Eugene Birchall, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Seatown: Alan Walker, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Symondsbury Estate: John Stephen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Burton Bradstock: Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lyme Regis & Charmouth: Martinvl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Seaton, Beer & Sidmouth: michael cooper, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Swanage, Studland & Purbeck: Bob Harvey, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door & Wareham: Brian Deegan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Weymouth & Portland: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring the Jurassic Coast