Lyndhurst is actually a village – the largest in the New Forest and the ‘capital’ of the area. The New Forest Heritage Centre (free to visit) is here, the New Forest Reptile Centre is two miles east and the New Forest Wildlife Park is five miles to the east. From Lyndhurst, you can do a…
Poole has a famous quay where you can buy fresh seafood, catch a ferry to Brownsea Island (famous for its red squirrels) or organise a sea fishing trip. There’s a shopping centre and a good selection of pubs and restaurants. The Lighthouse is an arts venue with regular theatre, comedy nights and performances.
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site stretching from Studland to Exmouth in Devon. Highlights include Durdle Door, the arched rock formation in the sea, Lulworth Cove, the almost circular bay with unique geology and West Bay cliffs (featured in the TV drama Broadchurch). This picture depicts Kimmeridge Bay, with its wave-cut platform and…
The Isle of Purbeck is a peninsular with stunning beaches, a dramatic coastline, a ruined castle and great seaside towns, forming part of the Jurassic Coast path. Studland Bay is a National Trust nature reserve with unspoilt sandy beaches and a seafood restaurant at Shell Bay. Studland village has a pub and restaurant. Old Harry…
Hurst Castle was part of our coastal defences from Tudor times to WW2. It’s only accessible by shingle bank from Milford on Sea, a lively seaside village with a shingle beach, or by passenger ferry from Keyhaven (runs April to October), a small hamlet with a pub and yachting harbour. There are bird reserves and…
Victorian Gothic castle and cafe on the cliffs above Highcliffe Beach with walks down to the beach.
Famous for its large medieval church (the Minster), this historic Dorset market town has a large Waitrose and Co-op as well as restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Main attractions are:
This headland is at the eastern end of the Bournemouth beaches. It’s an important archaeological site and a nature reserve. Cars are restricted, so you have to walk, cycle or take the land train (if it’s running) over to Mudeford Beach with it’s large, multicoloured beach houses on a sandbank at the entrance to Christchurch…
Historic Christchurch has a famous Priory and a picturesque harbour where the Stour and Avon rivers flow into the sea. In addition to the shops, restaurants and cafes, it’s popular for:
This great seaside town has a lot to offer with miles of sandy beaches, clifftops, two piers, shopping centres, theatres, gardens, new cinema complex, music venues and nightlife. Bournemouth’s highlights include: Seven miles of south-facing sandy beaches stretching from swanky Sandbanks in the west to historic Hengistbury Head in the east. Most are Blue Flag…
