Current Forecast & Tides

About this spot

Kimmeridge Bay is a horseshoe-shaped bay on the Jurassic Coast in the Isle of Purbeck, flanked by dramatic mudstone cliffs and carved into UNESCO World Heritage coastline. The bay is surrounded by the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve — the first voluntary marine reserve in the UK — and a watersports permit (available from the Weymouth and Portland Kitesurf Club) is required before you ride here. It is strictly an advanced spot.

The bay has three distinct riding areas. The central bay works in S and SW winds, which blow onshore and generate wave conditions — it can be quite flat at low tide. The Ledges to the east provide jumping and wave riding in NW and W winds and are always more exposed than inside the bay. The Bench to the west suits a NW direction and is consistently the windiest part of the bay. NW and SE are the cleanest cross-shore angles overall, giving good jumping and wave riding. In a big SW storm swell the whole bay can produce powerful, well-shaped waves on the reef.

Tidal state is critical for safety. Mid to high tide provides enough water over the submerged rocks and ledges that run across the bay. At low tide many rocks are barely covered — fin strikes are a serious risk, and the bay can go almost completely flat, draining much of the wave energy. Access to the beach is pinched off at full high tide by the cliff base, so plan to arrive and leave at mid tide. The typical window is two hours either side of mid tide.

The best season for strong conditions is autumn and winter (October to March), when Atlantic southerly and south-westerly groundswell arrives with consistent NW winds to create genuinely world-class wave conditions. Always check the Lulworth Ranges MOD firing schedule before visiting — when the red flag flies, the Bench area is closed to all access.

Hazards

Getting there & parking

Access is via a private toll road managed by the Smedmore Estate — the £5–6 toll covers parking for the day. Entry on foot or by bike is free. The road and main car park are open 8am to dusk daily. You can book parking in advance at the Kimmeridge Bay parking page. From Wareham take the A351 south then follow signs via Church Knowle and Kimmeridge village.

Nearby spots

Also worth checking: Sandbanks (15 miles north-east — Poole Harbour flat water for a change of scene), Chesil Beach (20 miles west — extreme shingle beach wave spot for expert riders), and Portland Harbour (25 miles west — sheltered flat water when you want the opposite of Kimmeridge).

Water quality

Storm overflow data for Kimmeridge Bay is monitored in real time by Wessex Water via their telemetry network. Current water quality status — including active sewage discharges and recent spill alerts — updates automatically in the live forecast app.