Plan a visit to Branksome Chine Beach in Poole with essential information on parking, facilities, accessibility, lifeguards, dog restrictions and places to eat. This popular Blue Flag beach offers golden sand, a promenade, accessible beach facilities and seasonal RNLI lifeguards, with Rockwater Branksome providing beachfront food and drink overlooking the sea. Discover everything you need to know before visiting Branksome Chine, whether you are planning a family beach day, coastal walk or morning beside the water.
Branksome Chine Beach is a popular Blue Flag beach in Poole, combining golden sand and coastal views with excellent facilities just a short distance from Sandbanks and Bournemouth. Visitors will find toilets, a beach shop, seasonal RNLI lifeguards, accessible facilities, parking close to the seafront and Rockwater Branksome overlooking the beach. With swimming, beach walks, places to eat and a promenade connecting neighbouring beaches, Branksome Chine is a great choice for a relaxed day by the sea in Poole.
Address: Branksome Chine Beach, Pinecliff Road, Poole, Dorset, BH13 6LP
Admission: Free
Nearest car park: Branksome Chine Surface Car Park, BH13 6LP
Nearest railway station: Branksome - approximately 1.5 miles
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, beach office, beach shops, restaurants, drinking water, electric BBQs and dog wash
Branksome Chine sits on the Poole coastline between Sandbanks and Bournemouth, with the promenade making it easy to continue along the seafront in either direction.
Branksome Chine is a wide sandy beach backed by the wooded chine and surrounding residential area. It holds Blue Flag status and is popular with both local residents and visitors looking for somewhere slightly removed from the busiest central Bournemouth beaches.
Its location is particularly useful for longer coastal walks. Follow the promenade west towards Canford Cliffs, Shore Road and Sandbanks or head east towards Branksome Dene, Alum Chine and Bournemouth.
One of Branksome Chine's biggest advantages is having a substantial beachfront food and drink venue directly overlooking the sand.
Rockwater Branksome sits on Pinecliff Road at Branksome Chine Beach and includes a Bar & Kitchen, Roof Terrace and beachfront Shacks. Rockwater describes the venue as a place to eat, drink and spend time beside the coast, with views directly across Branksome Beach.
The beachfront Shacks are particularly suited to a beach visit, serving visitors directly beside the seafront and operating subject to weather conditions. The larger venue provides the option of sitting down for food or drinks while overlooking the beach.
This makes Branksome Chine particularly convenient if you want to combine a beach day with breakfast, lunch, drinks or an evening meal without having to travel away from the seafront.
BCP Council currently lists the following facilities at Branksome Chine:
Public toilets are located at Branksome Chine car park. During the main summer period they are scheduled to open from approximately 7am until 10pm, with shorter opening hours outside summer.
RNLI lifeguards operate seasonally at Branksome Chine Beach, generally from the end of May until the beginning of September between 10am and 6pm.
When lifeguards are present, swimmers should follow the beach flag system and swim between the red and yellow flags where provided.
Branksome Chine Beach can be accessed by ramp, making the promenade and beachfront easier to reach for wheelchair and pushchair users.
A beach-accessible wheelchair is available from the Branksome Chine Beach Office between May and September, from 9:30am until 4:30pm, on a first-come, first-served basis. BCP Council currently requires a refundable £50 cash deposit.
Accessible public toilets are available, and some of the beach's electric barbecue hotplates are wheelchair accessible.
The closest option is Branksome Chine Surface Car Park, immediately behind the seafront at BH13 6LP.
The car park is open 24 hours and currently has a maximum of 104 spaces. Payment can be made by card, cash, phone or app.
If Branksome Chine car park is full, BCP Council recommends Beach Road Surface Car Park as an alternative. Parking charges vary according to the season, so visitors should check current BCP Council tariffs before travelling.
Dogs are not permitted on the main section of Branksome Chine Beach between 1 May and 30 September. During this period, dogs must also be kept on leads on the promenade, paths and zig-zags.
There is, however, a nearby year-round dog-friendly stretch of beach running east from Branksome Chine Beach Office towards Branksome Dene and the Bournemouth boundary.
Branksome Chine has fixed electric barbecue hotplates available for visitors to use. BCP Council also confirms that wheelchair-accessible barbecue hotplates are provided at the beach.
These make Branksome Chine a useful option for longer summer beach days, although visitors should always check current BCP Council barbecue rules before using them.
Branksome Chine Beach is free to visit and offers considerably more facilities than many of the smaller beaches along this stretch of coastline. Its combination of parking close to the sand, toilets, accessible facilities, seasonal lifeguards and beachfront food and drink makes it particularly suitable for family beach days as well as shorter walks or meals beside the sea.
The promenade also connects directly with neighbouring beaches, making Branksome Chine a convenient starting point for exploring the wider Poole and Bournemouth coastline.
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