Bournemouth to Poole Coastal Walk
This walk takes you along the coastal path from Bournemouth to Poole Head near Sandbanks. It's about a 3 mile walk along the flat path, passing Branksome Chine and Canford Cliffs on the way.
The walk starts at Bournemouth Pier, located close to the attractive Winter Gardens which are worth exploring before you start the coastal section. The wide, surface path heads along the popular Bournemouth beach in a westerly direction. You'll pass below the pretty West Cliff Gardens which are well worth a detour from the front. You can climb up to the cliff top gardens for great views along the coast in both directions.
This route continues along the beach to Branksome Chine where there's the option of leaving the front again and taking an elevated path up towards Canford Cliffs village. There's some nice gardens up here with sculptures and more great views.
The walk passes the striking red cliffs at Canford Cliffs before coming to Poole Head at Shore Road. There's a nice cafe here where you can stop for refreshments before heading back up the coast.
You could also continue along the beach to Sandbanks where you can catch the ferry over the water to Shell Bay. If you'd like to head into Poole Town then follow the road along the harbour north to the wonderful Evening Hill viewpoint. You can then continue along the road through Lilliput to Whitecliff where there are coastal paths along Parkstone Bay through Baiter Park. This leads to Poole Quay where you can catch boats to the National Trust's Brownsea Island.
For a longer walk from Bournemouth try the Bournemouth Coast Path which heads in the other direction to Lymington in Hampshire.
The surfaced path is also open to cyclists, making up part of National Cycle Route 2. Please note cycling is not allowed at peak times during July and August.