Studland Bay

Studland bay is four-mile stretch of golden, sandy beach in Dorest. You can get fantastic views of the Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight from the coastline. Studland bay served as the inspiration for Toytown in Enid Blyton's Noddy.

In 1944 Studland Bay was used to host Exercise Smash, a full-scale dress rehearsal for the Allied invasion of Europe. The exercise used live ammunition and was overseen by The King and Sir Winston Churchill. The lessons learned went on to have a direct impact on the success of the D-day landings.

Studland bay was once owned by the aristocratic Bankes family, who also once owned Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy. The family often spent summers at their Studland residence which, still exists now and is a popular hotel called ‘The Pig on the Beach’.
On his death in 1981 Ralph Bankes bequeathed the Bankes estate, including Studland, Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy, to the National Trust.

Studland bay also has a large stretch of beach designated to naturists. The area has a history with naturism stretching back as far as the 1920s. Today, Studland has probably the best known official naturist beach in Britain. There is a cafe and small shop there also owned by the National trust.

We got the open top bus back and on the ferry giving great views of the area, although it was very windy and a bit bumpy!