Bournemouth Tourist Information Shopping Nightlife Boscombe Surfing Poole Tourism Christchurch

Bournemouth History & Literary Connections

Historically Bournemouth really wasn't much of a centre and even in the mid 1800's there was only a few hundred residents. This soon changed as Bournemouth became known as one of the health resorts around Britain's coast and the Victorians started flocking to the town for recuperation and taking the salt air.

Robert Louis Stephenson was one tuberculosis sufferer who came to Bournemouth for his health during which time he also wrote "Kidnapped". Other literary connections include Oscar Wilde and Paul Verlaine who both taught at Bournemouth prep schools.

Mary Shelley, famed for writing "Frankenstein", also travelled widely as a novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, travel writer and editor of the works of her Romantic poet and philosopher husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. She visited Bournemouth in the 19th century and although wishing to be buried with her parents, who were in St Pancras Old Church, was buried in St Peter's Church by her son and his wife who lived in Boscombe Manor. They considered St Pancras Old Church as being dreadful and her parents were later reburied here as was her husband's heart that Mary Shelley had brought back from Italy and kept wrapped in a page of Shelley's elegy to Keats Adonais along with locks of hair of her children that died.

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Bournemouth Tourist Information

The Bournemouth Coast is the main centre for East Dorset and the largest seaside resort on the Dorset coast. It has everything you might want from independent boutiques, gorgeous award winning gardens and fantastic sandy beaches - excellent for families and surfers alike.

The Square is the centre of the town slightly uphill from the beach which you can reach by taking a stroll through the Lower Gardens. There is a vast array of shops and shopping centres in the town centre - so plenty to keep you occupied on a rainy day.

On the way up to the town from the beach you'll pass Bournemouth's Tourist Information Centre, The Visitor Information Bureau, on Westover Road. Tel: 0845 051 1701. Email: info@bournemouth.gov.uk.

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Shopping in Bournemouth

Shopping in Bournemouth is being rejuvenated with a wide range of shops recently opening their doors.

The tree lined Westover Road is where you'll find the designer labels and independent boutiques. Westbourne is known for its selection of independent boutiques, patisseries and restaurants. There is also a Victorian Arcade where the original designer added gargoyles to the decoration.

On the outskirts of Bournemouth, three miles from the town centre, is the Castlepoint shopping centre with the usual array of high street names and stacks of free parking.

To the east of Bournemouth's centre is Boscombe where you'll find a good choice of antique and bric-a-brac shops amongst the pedestrian streets in Boscombe's Victorian centre.

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Bournemouth Nightlife Gay Bournemouth

Bournemouth is the Dorset centre for restaurants, nightclubs and bars with a lively nightlife stocked by a mix of locals, visitors during the summer, students, hen and stag parties and a thriving gay scene. You'll find a good choice of bars and clubs to suit all tastes and age groups. The Bournemouth tourism website has a search facility for pubs and clubs to help you hone down where to go.

Most of the gay friendly pubs and clubs are around The Triangle in the centre of town including Bent Club and the Xchange. Particular venues include Circus gay night in the Opera House in Boscombe, The Branksome on Commercial Road in Bournemouth that hosts events throughout the week and The Bakers Arms gay friendly pub nearby.

An annually printed Bournemouth Gay Guide is a helpful source of information on the local gay scene and gay friendly shops and accommodation. It is available from GayBournemouth.net, link right.

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West Bournemouth Westbourne West Cliff

The west of Bournemouth is known as Westbourne. The area along the seafront and running up the chines are known as West Cliff. The mix of verdant gardens and fine sandy beaches you find here are a good mix for those hot sunny days where you can seek shelter in the shade of the gardens if the beach heat is too intense.

At the base of the chines and along West Overcliff Promenade you'll find car parks, refreshment kiosks, cafes and restaurants. A popular walk is from Alum Chine along the prom to Bournemouth Pier which will take you past a lot of Bournemouth's attractions.

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East Bournemouth East Cliff

East of Bournemouth Pier is East Cliff. East Cliff's most popular attractions are the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum and the East Cliff Railway that saves the walk up the hill from the beach. Don't miss the seaside themed decoration on the railings alongside the path by the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery.

There's a good choice of hotel and B&B accommodation in East Cliff in the streets parallel to the beach.

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Bournemouth Cliff Lifts Light Railways

East Cliff railway is the oldest of Bournemouth's three cliff railways. It was opened in 1908 by Sir George & Lady Meyrick and is still going strong 100 years later. The cliff railway brings you up 170 feet up the cliffs from the beach to East Cliff hotels and the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery in East Overcliff.

To celebrate its centenary new gondola style cabins were installed. Designed by staff and students from Bournemouth Art Institute the gondolas have bigger windows to make the best of the views across the seafront and coast.

West Cliff railway is slightly shorter than East Cliff Lift. It was built shortly after East Cliff and takes you up 145 feet from the beach up to the Bournemouth International Centre.

Bournemouth's Cliff Lifts run between Easter and the end of October each year. They are usually in operation from 9am-5.30pm. During July and August they open until 6.15pm in the evening.

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Boscombe Area Guide Bournemouth Surfing Dorset Boscombe Pier

Boscombe lies east of East Cliff in Bournemouth and is currently shaking off its tired Victorian facade for modern sea view apartments, rejuvenated gardens and a wholly refurbished seafront and pier. Boscombe is a great shopping centre with indoor shopping at its Victorian arcade, regular street markets and "antique alley".

Boscombe is set to become Bournemouth's surfing capital. The new artificial surf reef is set to make surfing even more enjoyable on the Dorset coast and the associated development of surf outlets, cafes and facilities will make it one of the best in the country.

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Poole Tourist Guide Poole Quay Dorset Poole Pottery Poole Harbour Beaches Sailing Watersports

Although it's difficult to tell where Bournemouth ends and Poole starts, Poole does have a different feel to the family seaside atmosphere of Bournemouth. Poole is all sailing, watersports, sandy beaches, rollerblading and jogging along the beach esplanades and sitting sipping drinks on the Quay while taking in the view of some luxury cruisers in the harbour.

Apart from The Old Town that retains a strong sense of its seventeenth century heyday, Poole is increasingly expanding with a variety of modern retail centres including Dorset's largest indoor shopping centre, The Dolphin Shopping Centre and the developing array of shops and discount outlets on Poole Quay.

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Christchurch Priory, Sailing, Windsurfing, Watersports, Beaches

Christchurch is a mix of historic town and vibrant watersports destination. The old town centre of Christchurch retains much of its Saxon layout. As you walk around you'll find a ruin of a Norman castle, an early domestic dwelling house, a Saxon watermill and museums detailing Christchurch's interesting history.

From wherever you are in Christchurch you'll see the beautiful Norman Christchurch Priory in the centre. From the outside it's impressive being the longest church in England. Inside it's breathtaking with high vaulted ceilings in Norman and Gothic architecture and the miraculous roof beam whose legend gave the church and town its name.

South of Christchurch's town centre is Christchurch Quay - the hub for sailing, windsurfing and powerboating. There are several sailing clubs based here as well as watersports tuition providers and equipment shops.

It's easy to find a family-friendly beach around Christchurch with Avon Beach stretching along the coast to Highcliffe-on-Sea to the east from which you can see The Needles and the Isle of Wight off into the distance.

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Things to Do Around Bournemouth Children's Attractions Places of Interest

Around Bournemouth are several family attractions which are great when you want a change from the seaside attractions. Adventure Wonderland and Snowtrax provide a huge range of amusements for all the family. Adventure Wonderland is specifically geared to families with young children and has a plethora of rides and games that'll make it hard to tear them away! Snowtrax is a ski and snowboarding centre where the mist-lubricated surface means you can use it all year round.

For those wanting a quieter time there is a good range of countryside and nature reserves all around Bournemouth and Christchurch encompassing heathlands, meadows and marshes. The Rivers Stour and Avon flow down through the county ending at Christchurch and there are two long distance walking routes the will take you along their banks and through some beautiful countryside.

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