Dorset
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A walk from Bournemouth to Westbourne
Continuing my series of walks in and around Bournemouth, we recently took a 3.5 mile looped walk along the promenade, through Alum Chine to Westbourne and then returning through the Central and Lower Gardens. The scenery is varied and there are some lovely cafes along the way to stop off for a bite to eat…
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A walk around Christchurch, Dorset
The picturesque riverside town of Christchurch lies a short distance from its larger neighbour Bournemouth on the south coast of England in beautiful Dorset. The town is easily accessible as it is on the main rail line between London Waterloo and Weymouth and is well connected to nearby larger towns by regular bus services. It…
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Bournemouth Air Show 2021
The Bournemouth Air Show takes place at the end of August/ early September each year featuring air displays over four days against a backdrop of the beautiful sweeping bay. There is no admittance charge to the festival and thousands of plane lovers flock to the Dorset resort on the south coast of England to watch…
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A walk around Hengistbury Head, Dorset
Hengistbury Head is a dramatic headland located close to Bournemouth and to the south of Christchurch harbour. It’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a local nature reserve. There are two large car parks near to the start of the walk situated next to the popular Hiker Cafe. For the less energetic, a…
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A day in Weymouth
During our stay along the Dorset coast we decided to spend a day in Weymouth which is the gateway to the Jurassic Coast, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the Dorset and east Devon coast. After parking near to the town’s marina we admired some of the many yachts moored there on our…
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A walk from Bournemouth to Sandbanks
After having recently enjoyed a walk eastwards from Bournemouth pier to Boscombe, we decided it was time to explore the coast along the opposite direction. Our walk commenced at Pier Approach which is the gateway to Bournemouth’s seafront and links the town centre to the beach via the pretty Lower Gardens. Pier Approach has changed…
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A walk around Poole, Dorset
Poole is a coastal town in Dorset close to the larger resort of Bournemouth and is noted for its large natural harbour and historic quayside. I started my tour of the town next to the Dolphin Shopping Centre so I had a little look around the shops there before continuing along Poole High Street. This…
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A day in Dorchester
Dorchester is the county town of Dorset in south west England and on one sunny Sunday morning recently we decided to go along and explore this historic market town. We left our car in the Fairfield long stay car-park which we were pleased to discover offered free parking all day Sunday making this a welcome…
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A walk from Bournemouth to Boscombe
Setting off from Pier Approach on Bournemouth’s seafront we decided to take a circular walk along to the suburb of Boscombe. It was to be a pier to pier walk plus a little more besides. From Bournemouth Pier we set off in an easterly direction along the lower promenade which is known as the Undercliff. …
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Wimborne Minster, Dorset
The attractive small market town of Wimborne Minster lies ten miles north west of the seaside resort of Bournemouth in Dorset. Before setting off we’d consulted the Parkopedia website for suggestions on where to park. We find Parkopedia really useful as it offers up-to-date advice and prices. For Wimborne it had recommended the Westfield Close…
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Corfe Castle, Dorset
Corfe Castle is a small village on the Isle of Purbeck located midway between Wareham to the north and Swanage to the south in the picturesque county of Dorset. Wandering around the village with its charming buildings constructed from the local Purbeck stone we soon arrived in the village square. Here we found a cluster…
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Wareham, Dorset
On arrival in the town we were following car park signs but managed to park on the road which was fortunate. Leaving the car, we walked past the Town Hall and popped into the Town Museum for a little look. Admission is free and its small galleries depict the town’s history and display historic artefacts.…
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Blandford Forum, Dorset
Blandford Forum is a market town in Dorset, 15 miles north of Poole. I’d read the town was noted for its Georgian architecture so I was keen to take a look. Approaching Blandford Forum we passed through pretty villages with quaint names such as Sturminster Marshall and Charlton Marshall. Arriving in the town, we parked…
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Lovely Lyme Regis
It was a sunny day, so we prepared a picnic and drove along the south coast to Lyme Regis which is located on the West Dorset/ East Devon border. Being a popular seaside town finding a parking place wasn’t easy. Just outside town there were signposts for Park and Ride but ignoring these, we pressed…
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Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy is an elegant country mansion set in attractive formal gardens and extensive parkland. The former home of the Bankes family, Sir John bought the estate in the 1630’s, Sir Ralph then built the house in the 1660’s and it was then updated and transformed by William in the 1830’s until 1981 when Ralph…
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A day in Bournemouth
What better way to spend a hot, sunny day than at the seaside. Bournemouth is one of England’s premier seaside resorts being located on Dorset’s south coast. Leaving our car on the East Cliff we walked down the steep incline towards the pier. Overlooking the English Channel we stepped into the gardens of the Russell Cotes…
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Poundbury – a new town with a difference!
As we were visiting the Dorset stretch of the Jurasssic Coast, we decided to take a short detour to Poundbury to see what it looks like for ourselves. Poundbury is a thriving new urban development on the outskirts of Dorchester, West Dorset. The town was commissioned by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales who outlined…
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The Bournemouth Air Festival
The Bournemouth Air Festival takes place in August each year featuring air displays over four days. There is no admittance charge to the festival and thousands of plane lovers flock to this Dorset resort on the south coast of England to watch the extravaganza, so this year we decided to join them and take a…
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Day 1/2. A short break in Dorset
Day 1 On a cold but bright February morning we packed up the car and left our home in northern England at 9.00 am for a half term break on the south coast of England. Our destination was Bournemouth in Dorset, 290 miles away. We stopped for lunch at Bicester Village, an outlet shopping centre…
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Day 3/4. Christchurch and Lymington
Day 3 Another bright sunny morning so we started the day with a walk along the seafront to Boscombe. Walking along to the end of the pier we had far reaching views to the Isle of Wight and along the coast. Boscombe Pier first opened in 1889, but the boomerang shaped Art Deco entrance wasn’t…
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Day 5/6. Wimborne and Dorchester, Dorset
Day 5 It was back to sunshine so we decided to drive inland to the small market town of Wimborne Minster named after its church. It’s a delightful little place with its main square (Corn Market) bordered with fine examples of Anglo Saxon architecture. Both in the square and along its adjacent high street are many…
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Day 7/8. Salisbury and Hengistbury Head
We decided to drive to Salisbury, the journey taking approximately one hour. We noticed signs for Park and Ride but carried on and found car parking in the town centre without problem even though it was a Saturday. The city is located in south east Wiltshire on the edge of Salisbury Plain and 8 miles…
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