The Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock is a well known ‘honeypot’ in the summer – the combination of swimming beach, stunning views across Lyme Bay and a beach cafe make it a popular place for families and foodies alike. But take a closer look as there’s a lot more to this area than the sun & sea, coffee & cake you first see.

Bind Barrow is a short uphill walk from the National Trust car park but the perfect place to get a new perspective on life. Dating back to the Bronze Age, this bowl barrow has been a significant place for local people for thousands of years – and we’re sure the stunning view across Lyme Bay has a lot to do with it’s popularity.

English Heritage has protected Bind Barrow as a Scheduled Monument, one of many round barrows in the west Dorset landscape “Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early prehistoric communities.”

On your way up to Bind Barrow, keep an eye out for birds, butterflies and wildflowers – the National Trust manage the grass and scrubland for an amazing mix of wildlife and you’ll see a blackboard at the car park showing what has been spotted that day.

The Hive beach is part of the Jurassic Coast’s ‘Chesil Beach’, a unique shingle ridge that stretches 18 miles between West Bay and Portland.  The pebbles on Chesil Beach are graded in size from potato-sized near Portland to pea-sized at Bridport and are made up of mainly flint and chert from the Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks, along with Bunter pebbles from Budleigh Salterton. It is believed that smugglers landing on the beach at night could could judge their position along the coast simply by picking up a handful of shingle!

The opportunities for walking in this area are almost endless – you can have a gentle stroll with sea views or a whole day hike. Here are some suggestions:

• Short walks: If you have an hour or less, the National Trust recommend some short circular walks, starting at Hive beach – both with stunning views guaranteed! FIND OUT MORE
• South West Coast Path: This National Trail follows the coast from Old Harry’s Rocks in Purbeck right round to the north Somerset coast – well marked, you can head off from the Hive Beach in either direction. Go east for birds, wildflowers and butterflies along the Chesil Beach and Fleet Lagoon. Or head west for a cliff top walk to West Bay then Thorncombe Beacon. FIND OUT MORE
• Jurassic Coaster: If you want to walk just one way, check out the X53 Jurassic Coaster bus route as there’s a bus stop close to Hive beach. FIND OUT MORE
• Bride Valley: Head inland to Burton Bradstock village then up North Hill for sweeping views of the Bride Valley – the chalk-fed River Bride meeting the sea at Freshwater Bay. FIND OUT MORE