Bridport South & West Bay

West Bay sits at the mouth of the River Brit on the Dorset coast, where two curved stone piers form a narrow channel into a small working harbour. Fishermen land crabs and flatfish from dayboats and a lifeboat station stands close to the harbour mouth. At low tide the beach reveals rock pools and bands of pebbles and sand, while the river leaves mudflats in the estuary. Cliffs rise either side of the bay, their faces showing horizontal beds and small gullies cut by winter streams.

Bridport South stretches from the town toward the harbour, with streets of houses, workshops and independent shops linked to the town’s long history of rope and net making. Former industrial buildings sit alongside boatyards where gear is repaired and stored. The South West Coast Path runs along the cliff tops above the bay, giving access to short walks, viewpoints over the estuary and a practical route between harbour, beach and town.