West Bay: The Real Broadchurch Location - Rough Guides

It is these famous cliffs that lure most people to West Bay, and the first thing I want to do after a walk around town is head to the top of them.

It’s a steep climb east out of town, but once up the views are superb. I walk for about an hour east along the coast to the neighbouring resort of Burton Bradstock. The path passes perilously close to the edge at times (and genuine tragedies have resulted from falls here), though my main concern is being hit by a golf ball from the neighbouring golf course at the top: something you don’t see on the TV series.

I return along the shingle below the cliffs back to West Bay’s beach, a steep bank of shingle popular with walkers. I pass the Freshwater Beach caravan site where suspicious character Susan Wright lurked for much of series one. Today the caravans are all eerily shut up and empty, though it is surely a fine spot in summer.

Where to eat and drink

I imagine David Tennant, Olivia Colman et al must enjoy their work stays in the area. For a small place, West Bay is surprisingly well supplied with quality places to eat.

Right on the beach, the Watch House serves superb seafood (try the seafood and chorizo broth or the scallops with samphire). Its wood-fired pizzas also hit the spot. There’s an outdoor terrace facing the sea, though cold winds persuade me to stay inside a cosy canopied area, where a medley of dogs and families build up a pleasantly warm fug. A short stroll along the seafront, Sladers Yard is the place for coffee and cake, with seats inside a spacious eighteenth-century former rope warehouse that now doubles as a gallery and exhibition space.

A railway was built to West Bay in 1879, though it closed in 1962 and all that remains is the old station building and a short section of track by the long-stay car park. The station building now houses a café serving cheap and cheerful tea, scones and snacks. You can also follow the old rail route on foot up to Bridport.

If you’ve got room for more food, the Riverside Restaurant is the upmarket choice, facing the River Brit. It shares a similar outlook to the riverside cabin where David Tennant’s character lives in the second series. Fish is again the highlight: Portland crab tagliatelle, John Dory with mussels or pan fried Turbot are all superb.

I leave thinking that in reality, overeating is the most likely cause of death in West Bay. But let’s wait until the end of series two to see if that is really the case…