Great Places to Visit: Bouremouth

When contemplating your first visit to Great Britain, obvious thoughts are set first to London, then with the luxury of a longer stay or second visit the temptation to be predictable is understanding as a call into Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford and Cambridge is hard to argue against.

The warm, near hot, conditions currently being enjoyed across the Isles allow a rare chance to sample our Great British beach fronts (before the sun realises it has taken a wrong turn or we Brits start to 'melt' and complain that it is 'actually, too hot' and that they've not slept for days) the obvious choice will be the Regency splendour of Brighton. However, any newspaper photograph that wants to reflect upon the weekends weather will show Brighton beach giving standing room only and while the smooth round pebbles suit me most 'surf dudes' prefer the soft golden sand they'll get in Bournemouth.

With an drive down through the beautiful New Forest, you arrive at Bournemouth, who are, seemingly, happy to keep its seven miles of golden sandy beach mostly to itself. The front has two historical piers that are still very much intact and all the seaside attractions you'd expect from a coastal resort but without the, well, 'tat'. Bournemouth has the perception of being the God's waiting room with sea views and while there's some of that around it makes for a more gentile visit. That said you'll find plenty of stag and Hen parties filling the plethora of hotels most weekends.

A great base for the Jurassic Coast, New Forest and Stonehenge I'd recommend giving Bournemouth at least a try....send me a postcard. Or better still, book a car down there and I'll come too. To enquire, click here

Chirton Grange Ltd