Kimmeridge Bay
Dorset, England
Reef breakIntermediate
On Dorset's Jurassic Coast, Kimmeridge Bay is a fossil-rich cove where Jurassic shale ledges create unexpected reef breaks, a completely unique surf experience on England's south coast where you surf above 150-million-year-old rock.
Typical Conditions
The Surf Window
Swell Window
OptimalW (270°)
WindowSSW–NNW (210°–330°)
Size–S 1–2m at 10–14s
Wind
NW
Light to N under 15 knots
Tide
Mid to high
LowMidHigh
Season
Oct–Mar
JFMAMJJASOND
The Wave
Type
Reef break
Bottom
Shale ledges and rock
Shape
Rights off the shale ledges, fast and peeling
Length
50–100m
Skill Level
- •Who it's for: Intermediate to advanced
- •Why: Shale reef ledges require careful wave reading and tide awareness
Hazards
- •Very sharp shale rock, falls are painful
- •Belongs to Smedmore Estate, access via toll road
- •The oil well pump on the clifftop is an industrial surreality
Local Tips
- •The Marine Conservation Zone has excellent snorkeling and diving, bring a mask
- •The Clavell Tower (moved 25m back from the cliff in 2008) is an extraordinary engineering feat
- •Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door are nearby, worth visiting on flat days
Location
50.6095, -2.1338