A west Dorset beach has been named as one of the best places to go for an end of year cold water dip.

Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock has made a list of best beaches to visit in the UK for those wanting to take go for some cold-water therapy.

Many bathers have been taking part in cold water swims during the festive season, with New Year's dips proving particularly popular.

BonusFinder has crowned the finest UK beaches for a year-end dip by analysing Trip Advisor ratings, bathing water quality, rainfall, sunshine hours, and the number of Instagram hashtags linked to each beach to create their final scores.

Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock, which is situated along the world famous Jurassic Coast, may have been battered by storms earlier this  year, but it came out of the study with a rating of 8.8 out of 10.

The quality of water at the beach is given a rating of 'good' whilst it had a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from Trip Advisor reviews and boasted over 6,000 Instagram hashtags.

Cllr Lisanne Mealing of Burton Bradstock Parish Council has taken a dip in the cold waters at Hive Beach before.

She told the News: “I have done it a couple of times but have not had so many chances due to the recent stormy weather.

“It is very invigorating, but I am one of those who goes in and straight out again.”

READ: Charmouth best winter beach in world says Lonely Planet

She also added what a brilliant place to visit Hive Beach is: “It is a beautiful and magical place to come especially when it gets stormy and windy throughout winter.

“You can sit down by the café and enjoy watching the waves crash along the shore. It is also nice to watch the kids all wrapped picking up fossils along the beach.”

Portland’s Church Ope Cove was similarly impressive with a final rating of 8, this was largely down to more average rainfall falling at the beach between the years of 2018 and 2022, however, its water rating was deemed 'excellent' and had a total of 2,650 Instagram hashtags.

Further east, Hengistbury Head and Kimmeridge Bay also made the list to round off the Dorset beaches to make the cut.

As an emerging winter tradition that involves people bravely plunging into December's cold waters, cold water therapy not only promotes wholesome fun, but it also provides health benefits by boosting a person's mood and strengthening their immune system.

Online wellness coach Robyn Hatton said: “Cold water therapy, also known as cold water immersion, involves immersing the body in cold water for a short period of time.

"This practice is linked to a variety of health benefits, including reduced inflammation and muscle recovery, mood enhancement, improved sleep, stress reduction, skin and hair health, increased endurance."