Cliff Repairs Reshape a Summer on Bournemouth Seafront

The sand is as busy as ever, but behind the beach huts the story of Bournemouth's summer is the cliff face itself. A series of slips in the soft, sandy cliffs has reshaped how visitors move between the clifftop and the shore this year.

The West Cliff Lift, the funicular that normally shuttles visitors between the clifftop and the promenade near Durley Chine, is out of action after a cliff slip, with BCP Council saying it cannot run the lift while keeping visitors and staff safe. On the other side of the pier, the East Cliff Lift has been closed since a major landslide in 2016, and the council has confirmed a 3 million pound, government-funded stabilisation scheme for that stretch, with cliff-safety works expected to get under way from around September.

What it means for a beach day

The land train's westbound route, which normally links Bournemouth Pier with Alum Chine and Branksome Chine, is suspended because of the slips, with disruption expected to continue through the year. The eastbound services towards Boscombe and Hengistbury Head are running as normal.

There is one cheerful survivor: the Fisherman's Walk Cliff Lift in Southbourne, the shortest public funicular in the world, is operating its seasonal service as usual.

None of it stops a beach day. The zig-zag paths and chines still lead down to the sand the way they have for a century, and the promenade remains open along the bay. Our guide to the beaches covers the easiest ways down to each stretch while the engineering work goes on above.