Neighbours
Adjoining Bournemouth on the south coast is the historic town of Poole, built around one of the largest natural harbours in the world (second in size only to Sydney harbour in Australia). It combines the lively atmosphere of a holiday resort with the bustle of a working port. Like Bournemouth, Poole has a number of beautiful beaches, including the unspoilt Studland and Shell Bay, and the harbour itself is home to watersports, bird-watchers and boat trips.
On the town's Quay, the famous Poole Pottery offers a glimpse of craftsmanship at work, and local history is revisited, with restored buildings and museums giving a flavour of Poole's colourful nautical past, stretching back to the thirteenth century. Nearby Tower Park is a huge leisure complex, offering a ten-screen cinema, bowling alley, water slides and the Venue nightclub. Central Poole also offers a range of facilities. Cultural events, from theatre to rock music, are catered for at Poole Arts Centre, for example, and the 100-shop Dolphin Centre offers indoor shopping, as well as a sports centre, bus station and library on a single site.
Immediately to the east of Bournemouth on the coast is Christchurch. Situated at the confluence of the Stour and Avon rivers, it takes its name from the magnificent 11th century Priory Church which still dominates the town. Smaller than either Poole or Bournemouth, it has retained its Saxon street layout and many of its ancient buildings. The town has its own harbour, overlooked by the picturesque Town Quay, and there are five sandy beaches within the borough. Christchurch also boasts one of the area's main economic development sites - Bournemouth International Airport, which is expanding rapidly, and offers flights to an increasing range of destinations.
...and more to see beyond
Though Bournemouth and its coastal neighbours are blessed with a full range of facilities and attractions, it is the town's unique setting which makes it a special place to live. To the east lies the New Forest. Its acres of rolling heath and woodland, today studded with rural villages, were first protected as a hunting forest for William the Conqueror, and remain popular with visitors. To the west lie the picturesque towns and villages of rural Dorset, immortalised in the Wessex novels of Thomas Hardy. Along the coast to the west is the confusingly named 'Isle' of Purbeck - actually a peninsula - with dramatic coastal scenery and clifftop walks. Further afield is the ancient market town of Salisbury. Famous for its magnificent early English cathedral, with the tallest spire in the county, it is only 30 miles away from Bournemouth. Southampton too is accessible, with its historic port and modern shopping and leisure facilities.
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