West Dorset Leisure Holidays award-winning holiday parks are set in idyllic locations along the South West coast. Our unbeatable location affords guests magnificent views of the Dorset coastline, providing a front row seat to some of the best sunsets around. If you’d like to venture off the parks, there are also plenty of spectacular places to watch the sunset nearby. Here we list just some of our favourite places to watch a sunset in Dorset.

Eype Beach

Eype Beach is a small, yet beautiful, pebble beach on the South West Coast. This quiet beach is an excellent spot for dog walks and relaxing with friends and family – and it is a convenient two-minute walk from our Eype House campsite. Here you can see breathtaking views as the sun dips below the horizon.  Even in the height of summer, it is common to find Eype Beach nearly empty, making it the perfect spot for a private sunset-watching experience. Highlands End Holiday Park is also located on the opposite cliff and there is a fantastic view from here over Eype Beach at sunset.

Portland

The Isle of Portland with its unique coastal views and rugged landscape is an excellent place to catch a brilliant sunset. One of the most popular destinations to watch the sun go down is next to the Olympic Rings Stone Sculpture. This iconic sculpture was relocated to the island in September of 2012 following the Olympic sailing and watersports events, which were held at Portland’s sailing academy.

From this view point you can enjoy far-reaching views across to the Fleet Lagoon, Portland Harbour and along the length of Chesil Beach. This site is an excellent spot for photos, and if you’re lucky, you might be able to snap a picture of the sun as it passes through the sculpture’s rings.

West Bay

West Bay is a hugely popular place to watch the sunset in Dorset. Many West Dorset Leisure Holidays guests spend the evening here before heading back to our parks. Backed by staggering sandstone cliffs, West Bay receives incredible sunshine and is often considered as being ‘The Golden Gateway’ of the Jurassic Coast. This bay is made up of two beaches, East Beach which is a large rocky beach, and West Beach which is the smaller of the two beaches and is hugely popular with families. The harbour is home to plenty of fish and chip kiosks and ice cream parlours, meaning that you can enjoy a sweet treat as you watch the sunset at West Bay.

Chesil Beach

A visit to Chesil Beach is a must during a camping or caravan holiday in Dorset. With an eighteen-mile stretch of pebbled beach and glimmering waters, it’s no surprise that Chesil has been voted one of Country Life Magazine’s best views in Britain. Popular amongst those who love watersports, this shingle beach is an incredibly tranquil spot to watch a gorgeous sunset. There are a small selection of cafes and restaurants offering takeaway within walking distance – we highly recommend Portland Pizza Company at Chesil Cove. So dip your toes in the water, wrap yourself up warm and enjoy a slice of pizza as you watch the golden sunset on the horizon.

St. Catherine’s Chapel

St. Catherine’s Chapel located in Abbotsbury, is a 14th-century chapel with incredible views looking over Chesil Beach and towards the Isle of Portland. The sunsets over St. Catherine’s Chapel are often streaked with vibrant pink and orange clouds, which look incredibly striking in photos. Walk around the historic site and witness the glorious sunset before making your way down to the classic countryside pub that is The Brewers Arms, where you can enjoy a meal or a pint – or two!

Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle is another unmissable location to visit if you’d like to witness an incredibly dreamy sunset. This 11th-century castle rests on top of Purbeck’s rolling hills and is illuminated by the summer sun’s golden light late into the evening. The surrounding ridge-line is the perfect place to base yourself if you’re interested in watching the sunset over these Norman ruins. The best views can be seen from East Hill but prepare yourself as the climb up this hill can be a bit of a hike! We’d recommend bringing your walking boots and warm clothes if you’d like to witness this romantic sunset.

Colmer’s Hill

Colmer’s Hill is a scenic viewpoint topped by trees, which is best viewed at sunset from nearby Allington Hill. Walk from Symondsbury Estate or from Park Road in Bridport to the top of the hill and look west towards Colmer’s Hill. Before you start on your journey, we recommend dropping into The Symondsbury Kitchen on the Symondsbury Estate to treat yourself to a cool cider before walking up Colmer’s Hill for a stunning sunset in the countryside.

Golden Cap

Golden Cap is the highest point of the Jurassic coastline and in fact the entire South coast of England! Whilst walking to the top you’ll see plenty of wildlife including coastal birds and blue butterflies. There’s a circular route that takes you across the golden sandstone hills, through Langdon Hill Wood towards the Thorncombe Beacon. You can base yourself at any point across the sloping cliff to watch the sunset. Our Golden Cap Holiday Park is ideally located to reach any point upon the Golden Cap, and is an excellent park to stay for those wishing to see an incredibly unique sunset.

Durdle Door

When thinking of Dorset, many of us will picture Durdle Door – so it’s no surprise that this iconic location is regarded as one of the best sunset-watching spots in the UK. Hundreds of thousands of people travel to see this geological wonder each year, many of them travelling to watch its legendary sunset and ‘through the keyhole’ sunrise.  For the best sunset-watching spot, we recommend sitting on top of the cliffs or sitting on the bay itself. These spots are accessible from the carpark by following the scenic twenty-minute pathway. Please bear in mind that this route is a little steep and is not advisable for the elderly, or for those with young children. Dogs are welcome on this beach; however, they must be kept on a short leash.

At West Dorset Leisure Holidays, our parks have incredible views of the Jurassic Coast, so you’ll always be witness to a stunning sunset. We have six excellently kept parks with a wide variety of accommodation options to choose from – all of which are ideally located to the surrounding Dorset attractions. If you’re dreaming of the perfect Dorset getaway, simply call us at 01308 426947, email us at bookings@wdlh.co.uk or book online to secure your holiday.