South West
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A Walk from Bournemouth to Sandbanks: A Stunning Dorset Coastline Route
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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Lymington Travel Guide: What to See and Do in the New Forest’s Coastal Gem
Lymington is a Georgian market town located on the western bank of the Lymington river in Hampshire and is surrounded on three sides by the New Forest National Park. The town has a railway station which is on a branch line to Brockenhurst with links to the south coast main line between London and Weymouth.…
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A Walk Around Poole, Dorset: Explore the Historic Quayside and Coastline
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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How to Spend a Day in Dorchester: Top Things to See and Do
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: A Scenic Stroll Along the Dorset Coast
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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How to Spend a Day in Wimborne Minster: Top Things to See and Do
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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Walking the Basingstoke Canal from Odiham: Tips and Highlights
The Basingstoke Canal was built in 1794 to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge. Its intended purpose was to allow boats to travel between the docks in East London and Basingstoke allowing goods such as flour, timber and coal to be transported. It was never a commercial success and from the 1950’s due…
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A Day at Corfe Castle, Dorset: What to See and Do
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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The Pheasant Inn, Highclere, Hampshire Review
Hotel Review Location This picturesque 17th century inn is located in the village of Highclere, Hampshire close to the Berkshire border. Highclere Castle, where most of the filming for Downton Abbey took place, is just up the road and the attractive market town of Newbury a fifteen minute drive away. The Pheasant has ample parking…
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Travel Guide to Wareham, Dorset – Things to See and Do
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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Discover Blandford Forum, Dorset – Things to See and Do
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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A Day in Andover: Visiting the Mottisfont Rose Garden & Local Attractions
I’d seen an article in a magazine about the Mottisfont Rose Garden and how beautiful it was in mid-summer so one sunny day we decided to visit. The garden is in Hampshire and on our way we stopped in Andover for an early lunch and a little look around the market town. Andover is located…
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A Day in Southampton: What to See & Do
I decided to visit Southampton to explore its rich, maritime history. It’s a port city in Hampshire located on the south coast of England and is now known as the cruise capital of Europe. The Pilgrim Fathers sailed the Mayflower from Southampton in 1620 taking settlers to the new world of America. More recently, in…
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Bristol City Break – Day 1
After enjoying city breaks in London, Edinburgh and Birmingham we decided to head to the south west of England for our next weekend away. My journey on board a CrossCountry train was pleasant, having an interesting conversation with an Edinburgh green keeper, learning about life on one of Scotland’s premier golf courses as we journeyed…
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Exploring Bath
We were up bright and early as we had planned to spend the day in neighbouring Bath, 10 miles (16km) from Bristol. Getting there was easy as trains depart frequently from Bristol Temple Meads taking just over 10 minutes to Bath Spa station, adult off-peak day return fares are £8.60. From the moment we left…
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SS Great Britain & Aerospace Bristol
After the previous day’s glorious sunshine, we woke to grey skies but as we’d planned to spend the day visiting two of Bristol’s top cultural highlights which were both indoors, it didn’t bother us too much. So, after our usual cooked breakfasts and large cappuccinos we felt suitably nourished and ready for a day of…
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The Clifton Suspension Bridge & M Shed, Bristol
Our final day in Bristol, but still plenty of time for more sightseeing, so after checking out of the Travelodge and leaving our luggage to collect later in the day we once again caught the Bristol Ferry Boats 10.00 a.m. service. Unlike the previous day, when we disembarked at SS Great Britain, this time we…
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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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A day in Winchester
Having read that Winchester was taking part in the National Heritage Open Days with over 70 events taking place over four days, we decided to spend a day in this Hampshire city to view a selection of its historic sights. Approaching the city from the M3 motorway, we followed signs to the St. Catherine’s Park…
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Kingston Lacy Guide: What to See and Do at Dorset’s Historic Mansion
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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How to Spend a Day in Bournemouth – The Perfect Seaside Itinerary
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 — Exploring Prince Charles’s Vision for Sustainable Living
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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Bournemouth Air Festival Review: Highlights, Tips, and What to Expect
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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A short break in Dorset
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 in Oxfordshire…
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