We’re spoiled for gorgeous seasides in the UK. From the bottom of Cornwall to the tip of the Highlands, the country’s entire coastline is dotted with beaches, some sandy, some pebbly. Some are full of tourists, while some are populated with loads of local wildlife such as one particular Dorset beach, which is currently on a mission to become more animal friendly.
A ‘re-wilding’ project by the National Trust is underway at Studland beach in Dorset, which is set to close this winter until a yet-undecided date in 2026. Studland is divided into three distinct stretches – Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, South Beach, and Shell Bay – but only one of them will be closed while construction is ongoing.
Work has already begun to remove some old sea defences at Middle Beach. This includes getting rid of rocks wrapped in metal fencing, known as gabions, as well as taking away concrete slabs in preparation for new wildlife and fauna to be moved onto the shore.
Tracey Churcher, the general manager for the National Trust in the area, said that ‘the gabions are no longer effective against the rising tides, and they are also collapsing and pose a risk to the public’.
A different spokesperson for the National Trust also added that once removed, the cliff edge would appear jagged and steep, but that ‘over the next 20 years or so the cliff will realign to become a gentler slope’.
This removal will also mean that the beach can ‘replenish itself’ of sand. It is the last step in a five-year National Trust project to make Studland a more natural, hospitable environment for the species living there. Rare smooth snakes, sand lizards, and insects have already been moved in.
Whilst Middle Beach is blocked to the public, the car park and beach café will remain open. When people are welcomed back onto the cove will depend on when the exposed cliff-face settles and it becomes safe to do so.
Have a look at Time Out’s list of the 39 best beaches in the UK for 2025.
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