Bournemouth

Bournemouth is a great resort if you have children.  The sandy beach stretches miles with its paved promenade, eating places, entertainment, pier, and all the facilities necessary when you have young children. (Photos taken in January)



Hengistbury Head
Quieter than Bournemouth, Hengistbury Head has a lot to offer with its nature reserve, land train and Beach House Cafe.  You can walk East along the beach (the beach has been built up with pebbles to stop the sea eroding the cliffs).  After a 30 minute amble along the beach you will reach the sought after beach huts.  Refreshments can be found in the Beach House Cafe.  You can then visit Mudeford by ferry, or walk back over the cliffs and nature reserve or along the estuary.  Too tired to walk back, then take the land train!




Highcliffe Castle (If the Castle car park is full, turn right out of the entrance and drive through Highcliffe you will be directed to another larger car park)

Highcliffe Castle has regular exhibitions and has an adjoining cafe.  The cafe serves superb homemade lunches and cakes.  You can take the steps from the Castle car park directly down to the beach, or take a stroll along the nature reserve in a westerly direction.



There is an alternative route down to the beach via a staggered path which would be suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.  If you follow this route you can walk along a promenade, where the beach is divided into small bays by large stones.  The beach is naturally sandy, but you need to walk over the stones and down a slope to reach the sand and sea.  Continue along the promenade and you will eventually reach the main car park in Highcliffe where there is a restaurant on the cliff top with wonderful views out across to the Isle of Wight.