Plan a playful visit to Dorset!
All my local tips and ideas on taking a trip to this gorgeous coastline
As a Dorset resident I thought I’d give you all my top tips on visiting here. I’ve never written or shared these before, so hope they’re helpful to any visitors, holidaymakers or locals stuck in a rut!
PLAYGROUNDS
Avon Heath - set in a wood, nice little stream behind the park. Has some big tunnels which I feel are quite rare at playgrounds! Has toilets and a cafe. Lovely spot!
Alum Chine - just off the beach, I adore this playground as it has a bit of beach and woods to it! Up at the top behind the park is the tropical gardens which have some bonkers plants in the spring and summer!
Canford Cliffs - this is a small playground but has good woodland exploring and also has a double swing you can get on with little ones which they love!
HIKES AND DAY TRIPS
Moors Valley - you want to book a day for this place, I think it might be one of the best outdoor play places I’ve ever been around the world! It just works so well. A play trail set in the woods, about 1 mile loop with loads of places to stop and play on the way. Has a tree top trail and 2 big playgrounds and a go ape. I always prefer it more in winter because it has so many pines it feels kind of christmassy! There’s even a steam railway you can go for a ride on. Its great all year round and there’s lots of biking too for cyclists! High up on the must do in Dorset list! I’ve been taking the kids here for 14 years and still not bored of it!
Blue Pool - set around a quarry, the make up of the unique rock makes the pool look blue. It always feel a bit like being in somewhere like Canada here! Sadly swimming is not allowed but the walks around are really nice and it’s an easy one for little kids. They often do fairy trails etc for finding and it’s also really easy to spot deer here if you go a little slow and quiet and it’s not too busy you’ll probably see some! Has a cute chintzy cafe and fire pits with mallows in the winter. They also do camping and glamping here in the summer which I hear is fun!
Hengistbury Head - one of the iconic view points along bournemouth’s beaches. Hengistbury head will give you 360 views of bournemouth and christchurch harbour. We usually like to go over the head and walk toward the beach, but you can also take the flat path for more accesibility. There is a really nice polace to get pizza or paella and of course ice creams near the stunning exclusive row of beach huts on the mudeford spit. This is a special place, I like to hike here early as it does get really busy in summer! Kids also love the little train that takes you back to the car park and you can even catch a little ferry back to mudeford.
Lymington Sea Wall - further into towards the New Forest is Lymington, a super cute harbour town which is resident to the ‘sea wall’. You can walk around this flat trail to see loads of bird life on the wetlands. The town has a lot of cute coffee and pastry places and has an old england feel to it. At the top of the high street is also my favourite charity shop - it only sells kids stuff! And on saturdays there is a street market and at the top there are always a really fun second hand toy stall which has great stuff!
Rockford Ringwood - we go here for the massive sand hill! Run down it - hours of fun, amazing work out, lol. There are also trails around flat areas here for pony spotting and walking. And the Alice Isle nearby has a really great garden (though Ben insists it’s haunted as still has childhood trauma from the ghost stories about it!)
Red Wood Trail - Did you know there are actually massive redwood trees in England?! I didn’t, but there are and I’ve seen them with my own eyes! Park at the Blackwater car park and follow the trail to find some of the biggest trees in the country!
Knoll Beach - You can take the chain ferry over to studland. To your left as you get off is shell bay, this beach is stunning. On the otherside is bramble bush bay, this is a lot quieter, not as pretty but great play for the kids as they can find crabs in the tide pools and play in the dunes. I like to take the open top bus with the kids and get off at knoll beach and then walk back a long to the ferry (heads up a stretch in the middle of this walk is a nudist beach and I’ve seen too many penis getting ice cream as I’d like). There is also a rustic sauna at knoll beach so you can sauna and swim in the colder months. Not far from here is also the pig hotel so you can combine a delicious lunch too!
Brownsea Island - the home of the Scouts and red squirrels. This little island in poole harbour is not far from the mainland but makes me feel like I’ve been on a far adventure everytime I go there! You can even camp and glamp in the warmer months which I have done and is brilliant! Catch a ferry there from pool quay (no cars on the island).
SWIMS
Shore Road - sandbanks is very popular but I’ve always preferred it’s next door neighbour!
Dancing Ledge - we don’t have many tidal pools in Dorset but this a good one. Bit of a scramble down to it.
The Nici - feeling bougie, then bournemouth’s only 5* hotel will have you covered. It’s a Miami south beach themed hotel with an epic 30m outdoor pool overlooking the sea and beautiful spa area. Pool only available to hotel guests.
Branksome Chine - the whole coast is beautiful for swimming, probably one of my regular spots is this one.
HANGOUTS
Dues ex Machina, Boscombe - for your cool casual eats go eat here for brekkie, dinner or a sunday roast. Home to the Deus brand you can also shop for it here. There are a small number of rooms which are brilliant - especially the family ones!
Coast / Skate House, whitecliff - if you want to take your kids to an indoor place but not get a headache and crap food then here’s your answer. Suitable for mostly U7s there is a very small area to skate and skoot and a small soft play - food is brilliant.
Rockwater, branksome chine - this place has changed the area of Branksome Chine quite a bit so we’re not 100% convinced but there’s no getting around it that it’s a really lovely place to get a drink and have some beach eats, something that was massively needed on the coast! There is another one of these set to open in Sandbanks this year too.
I could have written soooo much, as I was doing this was amazed at just how extensive Dorest (and Hampshire) are for outdoor adventuring. Perhaps a part two could be required! Hope that gets you thinking and planning for now! Any Qs let me know!
Emma x
As a fellow Dorset dweller I can attest to this list…..but I think you’ve missed a secret gem that is very playful and probably not that well know. On Portland, Dorset (nr Weymouth) there is a sculpture park in a quarry which is incredible and free. There are caves, a dog, a Viking ship and loads more to discover. The views across Chesil Beach are also amazing!! https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/tout-quarries
This all sounds great. Files for future half term trip.
Does anyone else think of Nigel Slaters response (when a reader basically asked him to write their travel itinerary for Japan) whenever they want to ask a question?! Just me?? 🤣