East Dorset - Swanage & Purbeck Area
The area known as Purbeck is bounded in the north by the Frome River and in the south by the sea. Between, range the Purbeck Hills and heathlands which run down to the vast expanse of Poole Harbour with a RSPB reserve at Arne. It is hard to imagine a more varied area only 13 by 7 miles.
The usual entry point is Wareham with a rail link to Waterloo (2 hours), a supermarket, good selection of mainly small shops, boat trips on the Frome and Thursday market. Tourist Information: South Street 01929 552740. The ruins of Corfe Castle stand sentinel over the lovely stone village and a steam train links it with Swanage town’s sandy beach and tourist facilities.The Tourist Information Centre is on Shore Road (01929 422885).
The Jurassic Coast Path leaves the Army controlled section (access most weekends and main school holidays) at Kimmeridge whose renowned shale ledges are both haven for watersports enthusiasts and a Marine Nature Reserve.
The Coast Path continues on the cliffs before dropping to Chapmans Pool. Beyond is St Aldhelm’s Head, with its tiny Norman Chapel, limestone cliffs, coves for adventurous swimmers and eventually the sandy beach of Swanage.
After the famous Old Harry chalk stacks, Studland’s long sandy beach stretches all the way to the mouth of Poole Harbour where there is an excellent fish restaurant and a chain ferry to Sandbanks/ Poole. The attractions of Poole include the famous pottery and trips to the bird sanctuary of Brownsea Island.
Villages with one or more Dorset Coastal Cottages:
Arne (cottages: 416, 517, 3404): This tree-filled farming hamlet with a pretty church is 5 miles across the heath from Wareham. The large RSPBSailing Boats at Swanage Reserve has parking, informative nature trails, wonderful views and access to the wild shores of Poole Harbour.
Church Knowle (cottages: 292, 406, 442, 511): A stone village with a popular pub, nestling in the Corfe valley between the Purbeck Hills and the sea.
Corfe Castle (cottages: 277, 435, 602, 901, 3415) An extremely pretty and popular Dorset village with the imposing ruins of Corfe Castle dominating the sky line. Plenty of places to eat and drink, a good bakers, National Trust shop plus many others.
Kimmeridge (cottages: 430, 505, 507): Cradled in the coastal hills with thatched cottages, a church and cafe/restaurant, the famous bay is a mile down a toll road.
Kingston (cottages: 232, 360, 437, 512) : Up a steep hill above Corfe it has a popular pub. The walking from here is some of the finest in England: east or west on the spectacular Jurassic Coast Path.
Langton and Worth Matravers (cottages: 236, 275, 320) : Two former quarrying villages, the former with 2 pubs and a shop, the latter with a shop, old fashioned pub and fabulous Duck Pond (shown left). Both have very easy access to an awesome stretch of the Coast Path, 20 minutes walk away over National Trust Land.
Ower (cottage: 514): A deserted peninsular on Poole Harbour's southern shores. Paths and a track pass through woods, Rempstone Estate BP oil field and extensive heathland to Ower Quay and Bay, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a haven for bird watching.
Stoborough/Trigon (cottage: 379): Stoborough; a small village with a pub and shop; it is surrrounded by water meadows and heaths. Trigon; a small hamlet within Wareham Forest, both are close to the historic Saxon walled town of Wareham.
Studland (cottages: 213, 302, 362, 440, 441, 3405): With the finest sandy beach in the county and the surrounding heath, an unspoiled National Trust nature reserve, Studland is special and benefits from a small shop, excellent pub and restaurants.
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