Poole, Dorset's natural harbour

Poole is the town of the great natural harbour on the Dorset coast, next to Bournemouth, with golden sandy beaches, an island of red squirrels and an old harbour quarter of Georgian houses. It has about 150,000 inhabitants and since 2019 it has been part of a single local authority with Bournemouth and Christchurch, but it has kept a character all of its own: that of a seafaring town of fishermen, merchants and smugglers, which grew rich in the 18th century on Newfoundland cod and today lives from boating, tourism and sailing. Here you will find Sandbanks, one of the most expensive strips of land in the world, and from here the chain ferry leaves for the Purbeck peninsula and the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Trains from London Waterloo take just over two hours. Bournemouth Airport is about twenty minutes away by car, and ferries leave the port for France and the Channel Islands.

One of the largest natural harbours in the world

Poole Harbour is a vast lagoon of shallow water, with almost 160 kilometres of indented shoreline, islands, inlets and salt marshes. It is considered one of the largest natural harbours in the world, and is linked to the open sea by a narrow mouth between Sandbanks and the Studland peninsula. Its sheltered, shallow waters make it ideal for sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and paddleboarding, and they attract thousands of migrating birds in winter, including avocets, spoonbills and curlews.

Several islands lie inside the harbour: the largest is Brownsea, while the others are small and mostly nature reserves. The harbour also has a long history: an Iron Age logboat, carved from a single oak trunk, was found here and is now on display in the museum, and the Romans had a landing place here for their troops.

History: cod, smuggling and flying boats

In the Middle Ages Poole became one of the busiest ports on the south coast, first for wool and then for trade with France and Spain. Its golden age came in the 18th century, thanks to the Newfoundland trade: ships left loaded with salt, tools and provisions for the fishermen of North America and returned with dried cod, which was sold in southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Poole's merchants built the elegant Georgian houses that can still be seen in the old town.

The indented coast and the waters of the harbour were also a paradise for smugglers, who landed tea, brandy, tobacco and silk without paying duty. In 1747 a gang of smugglers raided Poole's custom house to recover a seized cargo of tea, in one of the most famous episodes in the history of English smuggling.

In the 20th century the harbour played a surprising role: between 1939 and 1948 it was the base for Britain's national airline flying boats, which took off from the harbour waters for Africa, Asia, Australia and America. In June 1944 Poole was one of the departure ports for the Normandy landings, with a United States Coast Guard flotilla based on the quay.

What to see in Poole

The quay and the old town

The heart of the town is Poole Quay, the harbour front, with fishing boats, yachts, pubs and restaurants overlooking the water. Here stands the Custom House, the old Georgian customs building with its double flight of steps, a symbol of the town's trading and smuggling past. Behind the quay lies the Old Town, with narrow streets, 18th-century merchants' houses, St James's church, built in 1820 with columns of Newfoundland pine, and the Guildhall of 1761.

The museum and Scaplen's Court

Poole Museum occupies a 15th-century wool warehouse, known as the Town Cellars, and a modern building next door. It tells the story of the town from the prehistoric harbour to the present day: its most famous exhibit is the Iron Age logboat, about ten metres long, found in the harbour in 1964. There are also sections on the Newfoundland trade, smuggling, the war and Poole pottery. Next door, Scaplen's Court is a medieval merchant's house with a fine courtyard and a herb garden.

Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island is the large island in the middle of the harbour, owned by the National Trust: woods, heathland, lagoons and beaches, reached by boat from Poole Quay or Sandbanks. It is one of the few places in southern England where red squirrels still live, and they are easy to spot among the pines; it also has a bird reserve with herons, terns and avocets. The island is known all over the world as the birthplace of Scouting: in August 1907 Robert Baden-Powell held an experimental camp here with about twenty boys, the experience from which the Scout movement was born. A scout campsite still welcomes groups from every country.

Sandbanks and the beaches

Sandbanks is a thin sandy peninsula that closes the harbour, famous for the luxury villas overlooking the water and for property prices that are among the highest in the world per square metre. Its beaches, along with those of Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chine, are among the finest in the United Kingdom, with fine sand, clean water and Blue Flag awards. A long seafront promenade links Poole's beaches with those of Bournemouth, for more than ten kilometres.

Poole Park and the gardens

Poole Park, opened in 1890, is one of the finest Victorian parks on the coast, with a large saltwater lake for rowing boats, a miniature railway, playing fields and cafés. Not far away, the Compton Acres gardens offer several settings, including an Italian garden and a Japanese garden, with views over the harbour. North of the town, Upton Country Park surrounds a 19th-century house with lawns and woods that reach down to the harbour.

Poole Pottery

Poole Pottery, founded in 1873, is famous for its hand-painted ceramics, with floral and geometric designs and bright colours, much sought after by collectors, especially pieces from the 1920s, 1930s and 1960s. In the shop on the quay you can see vintage examples and, at certain times, try painting a piece yourself.

The Twin Sails Bridge

The inner harbour is crossed by two lifting bridges: the old Poole Bridge and the modern Twin Sails Bridge, opened in 2012, with two large triangular panels that rise like sails to let boats through. Watching the bridges open is a sight that always draws a few onlookers.

In the footsteps of Tolkien and the Famous Five

Poole has curious links with two great authors of children's literature and fantasy. J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, moved with his wife Edith to the Branksome Park area at the end of the 1960s in search of peace and quiet; the couple had been coming to this coast on holiday for years. On the other side of the harbour, the Purbeck peninsula and Corfe Castle inspired Enid Blyton, who spent her holidays there: Kirrin Island in the Famous Five adventures closely resembles these places.

The ferry to Studland and the Jurassic Coast

From the tip of Sandbanks the Sandbanks Ferry, a chain ferry, crosses the harbour mouth to Studland in a few minutes, saving a long drive round. On the other side begin the Purbeck peninsula and the Jurassic Coast, recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rocks and fossils, which tell 185 million years of the Earth's history. Studland has very long beaches and dunes, and a walk leads to Old Harry Rocks, white chalk stacks rising from the sea. For more, see the UNESCO sites of the United Kingdom.

A day in Poole

A possible itinerary: start at Poole Quay and the old town, with a visit to the museum. In mid-morning take the boat to Brownsea Island and have a picnic lunch among the red squirrels. In the afternoon head to Sandbanks for the beach, and if you still have energy, take the ferry to Studland and walk to Old Harry Rocks at sunset. In the evening, have dinner on the quay with the catch of the day.

Eating and drinking

Poole is a town of seafood: on the quay and in the old town you can eat fish and chips, crab, lobster and above all the oysters and mussels farmed in the harbour, which have a long tradition. There are refined seafood restaurants in Sandbanks and Canford Cliffs, historic pubs in the old town, some of which tell tales of smugglers, and cafés on the beach. Dorset is also a land of cheese, cider and Dorset apple cake, a rustic apple cake to enjoy in the afternoon.

Events

In summer the quay comes alive with weekly fireworks over the harbour and with motorcycle evenings, when hundreds of classic and modern bikes gather on the waterfront. During the year there are regattas, boat shows and music and arts festivals. The harbour also hosts national-level sailing and kitesurfing competitions.

Sport and the sea

Poole is one of Britain's sailing capitals: the harbour has dozens of sailing clubs and water sports schools, where you can learn to sail, windsurf, kitesurf and paddleboard in sheltered water. The town is also home to the headquarters and training college of the RNLI, the volunteer charity that runs the lifeboats around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. The speedway team, the Poole Pirates, has won the national championship several times.

Around Poole

• Bournemouth, with its pier, beaches and nightlife, a few minutes away.
• Corfe Castle, a spectacular ruin on a Purbeck hill, which can also be reached on the historic Swanage steam railway.
• Swanage, a Victorian seaside town, and Lulworth Cove, with its famous bay and the natural arch of Durdle Door.
• Wimborne Minster, with its medieval church and chained library, and the National Trust's Kingston Lacy estate.
• The New Forest, with its wild ponies, about half an hour away.

Living in Poole

Poole is one of the most desirable towns on the south coast: it offers beaches, harbour, sailing and countryside close at hand, and a very high quality of life, which attracts retired people, families and professionals who also work remotely. House prices, however, are among the highest in southern England, especially near the sea. The economy is based on boating, with the famous luxury yacht builder Sunseeker, on financial services, tourism and the commercial port. For more, see the cost of living in the United Kingdom.

Getting there and getting around

• By train: from London Waterloo in just over two hours, via Southampton and Bournemouth.
• By air: Bournemouth Airport is about twenty minutes away; Southampton and Bristol airports are further away but have more flights.
• By ferry: ferries leave the port for Cherbourg, in France, and for the Channel Islands.
• In town: frequent buses link the centre with Sandbanks and Bournemouth; in summer an open-top bus runs along the coast.

For travel around the rest of the country see trains and transport, and for other cities British cities.

Tips for your visit

• How long: two or three days for the town, Brownsea and the Jurassic Coast; Poole is an excellent base for exploring the whole of Dorset.
• When to go: May to September for the sea and Brownsea, which is closed to visitors in winter; autumn is perfect for walking and birdwatching.
• A tip: for the Sandbanks ferry on sunny summer days, set off early, because the queues of cars can be very long.

Poole on the map

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