Chesil Beach, West Bexington.

West Bexington, the Lagoon behind the shingle bank.

West Bexington is east of Bridport and West Bay. Turn off the B3157 in the village of Swyre, opposite The Bull at the bottom of a hill. There is a pay and display car park at the beach but its size shrinks year by year due to erosion by the sea. There is a cafe/shop by the carpark and a toilet block at the far end of the carpark. Fishing is fairly constant along the beach but there are those who favour a hike out to where the fresh water, from the lagoon behind the shingle bank, percolates through the shingle into the sea. Walking out to remote points is not too bad here as the coastal path is level and, for the most part, compacted shingle.

West Bexington beach, looking west.

This is a steepish shingle beach and most species can be caught at some time during the year. In winter some good bags of whiting are taken here along with some good codling. Squid tends to be a good bait for all manner of species here. Fish a big bait close in for bass. In the summer the beach is packed with people feathering for mackerel. Serious fishermen tend to stay away during the summer days, prefering to fish during darkness or hiking off in either direction to find a safer spot. The combination of inexperience when casting, lead weights and tinsel covered hooks makes it rather like the Somme battlefield at Christmas. If you want to catch mackerel and enjoy the experience then use a spinning rod and a single lure.
Like all Chesil marks this is not a bathing beach, and like anywhere along here very dangerous place to be with a big sea running after a southerly or south westerly blow.