Knoll Beach, Studland
Beautiful sheltered sand inside a Marine Conservation Zone — check the current restrictions before you commit.
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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.
Location & launch
Know before you go.
- Launch
- National Trust sand backed by dunes and heath, with a long walk from the car park.
- Wind
- N · NNE · NE · ENE · E · ESE · SE winds work here.
The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.
Local rules, hazards & spot guide
Need to know
The things that catch people out here.
- Studland Bay is a Marine Conservation Zone protecting seagrass and seahorses. Check the current National Trust and MCZ rules before you plan a session — restrictions change.
- The Poole Harbour entrance at the northern end has one of the fastest ebbs on the south coast.
- Long walk from the car park with kit, and very busy in summer.
Conditions
- Best
- Works
- Offshore
- Works in
- N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE
- Best in
- NE, ENE, E, ESE
- Offshore (careful)
- SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW
- Wind quality
- moderate
- Water
- Flat to choppy
- Depth
- standing
- Best tide
- Mid tide
- Spring range
- 1.8 m
Sea breeze · May–Aug
- Beginner
- Good
- Intermediate
- Good
- Advanced
- Workable
Hazards
Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.
- high
wildlife Studland Bay contains one of England's most important seagrass meadows and seahorse populations. It is a Marine Conservation Zone with a voluntary no-anchor and restricted-activity regime.
- high
current The Poole Harbour entrance at the northern end runs an extremely fast ebb.
- high
crowds Very busy National Trust beach in summer.
Access & rules
- Launch
- National Trust sand backed by dunes and heath, with a long walk from the car park.
- Permit
- National Trust kitesurf permit (£5). Kite only in the zone between Knoll Beach and Shell Bay.
- Insurance
- Third-party liability expected
- Tuition
- Recognised schools only
- Facilities
- toilets, cafe, shop
Parking
- Knoll Beach (National Trust)
paid
Seasonal restrictions
- May–Sep
Bathing zones and heavy visitor numbers in season. Marine Conservation Zone measures apply year-round.
Safety
Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.
- Lifeguards
- Seasonal RNLI cover.
- RNLI
- Poole RNLI
- Nearest A&E
- Poole Hospital, Poole (~40 min)
- Water quality
- Designated bathing water — excellent
The spot
Studland is a wide, sheltered, shallow bay behind Old Harry Rocks, owned by the National Trust. The water is flat and forgiving and the setting is exceptional.
It is also a Marine Conservation Zone protecting one of England's most important seagrass meadows and its resident seahorse population, and the rules around what may happen on the water have tightened over time. Check the current position with the National Trust before planning a session here. The Poole Harbour entrance at the northern end carries one of the fastest ebb streams on the south coast.
Sources
Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.
- Poseidon Kite School — Knoll Beach, Studland
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- UK Windsurfing beach guide — Knoll Beach, Studland
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
Verify locally. Coordinates 50.6611, -1.9498. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.