Beaches in Christchurch

Avon Beach is a popular resort with plenty of nearby parking, an ice cream parlour and a seafood and lobster restaurant, as well as beach huts and deckchairs to hire and summer-long lifeguards. A flat sandy beach, it’s open to dog walkers all year round apart from during the peak summer months.

Further round to the west is Highcliffe Beach, one of the quietest beaches in the region. Great for bodyboarding and sunbathing, the sand and shingle beach is overlooked by Highcliffe Castle and our Highcliffe hotel. It’s a short scramble up the coast to the car park and Highcliffe village which is 10 minutes’ walk away and home to several cafés, bars and ice cream shops.  

A prime slice of sandy real estate, the secluded Mudeford Sandbank is a gorgeous stretch of golden sand that’s home to some of the most expensive beach huts in the world, some of which have sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Thankfully, there’s plenty of free sunbathing and dog walking to be had here, as well as water sports and a popular café. To get there, you’ll need to walk around 15 minutes from the nearest car park at Hengistbury or you can arrive in style via the Mudeford ferry which leaves every 15 minutes from Easter to October.