Middle Bottom is Dorset's 'secret' beach. About a mile long, it lies between the headlands of White Nothe (to the west) and Bat's Head. On a busy summer's day when neighbouring Durdle Door is packed, there will be few, if any, people on this beach. Backed by high cliffs of chalk with nodules of marcasite, it's inaccessible from the coastal path, but it can be easily reached by a short swim through the cave known as Bat's Hole at the western end of Durdle Door beach. There is considerable kelp growth on either side of the cave, so the swim is best done around high tide. It's also possible to reach it by a longer swim from the rocky eastern end of Ringstead Bay, but this will also involve swimming around rock falls.
The shore consists of a storm bank of shingle with a few rock-falls towards the western end. A small bay here (in the foreground - third photo) is known as Angel Bay.
