Swanage Tourist Information

Swanage Tourism Guide & Attractions

Swanage is on the far south east coast of the Isle of Purbeck. It's a fun family seaside resort bordered by stunning coastline backed by the Purbeck Hills - beautiful countryside great for walking.

Swanage itself was originally a small fishing port until the Victorians descended and turned it into a fashionable seaside resort. Today it is a relaxed family-friendly seaside resort excellent for families. It has a three mile stretch of fine sandy beach with toilets with disabled and baby changing facilities, cafes and shops nearby. Swanage's Central beach is a Blue Flag and its waters are safe for bathing. You're also only a stone's throw from the main town with its shops and banks. Views from the beach looking north over to Old Harry Rocks are beautiful.

Watersports including sailing, diving and windsurfing are popular in Swanage and you can hire boats, canoes and pedalos from the beach. Swanage Pier is popular for wreck diving and angling.

Just across the road from the beach is Swanage's own Tourist Information Centre. You can pick up helpful leaflets all about Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck including heritage and countryside walks. Swanage Tourist Information Centre, Shore Road, Swanage BH19 1LB. Tel: 0870 4420680. Fax: 01929 423423.

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Swanage Pier Scuba Diving

Swanage Pier was originally erected in 1859/60 to ship stone and opened by local businessman John Mowlem. It then became popular when steamers were introduced ferrying day-trippers between Swanage, Poole and Bournemouth. It fell into disrepair after the war but in the 1990s the Swanage Pier Trust took on the restoration work financed purely by charitable donations and funding from English Heritage and the National Lottery.

The Pier is now open to the public and a small charge is made for using the pier to help towards its upkeep.

Scuba diving in Swanage Bay is very popular from Swanage Pier. Dive clubs, diving schools and individuals regularly dive for views of the marine wildlife and wrecks in the area. Check the links right for more information on tuition and dive courses.

The Swanage Boat Charters weblink right has details of a variety of dive sites off Dorset's coast.

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Swanage Railway Timetable

The Swanage Railway is a restored standard gauge steam railway that runs along six miles from Swanage on the coast through the Purbeck countryside to Corfe Castle. The ultimate aim of the Swanage Railway Trust is to restore the rail link up to Wareham where it could connect with main line trains.

The Swanage Railway provides a useful link through Purbeck taking you through some of Dorset's most beautiful scenery and to tourist attractions like Corfe Castle, helping you avoid the summer traffic. You can park your car at the large car park next to the Railway Station in Swanage then take the trip through to Corfe Castle for a good day out.

Special events are organised throughout the year including Santa Specials, themed weekends, Steam Galas and there are on train dining services so you can book a meal on the specially adapted Wessex Belle or The Dorsetman for a different night out.

Check the weblink right for more information. Reservations, Swanage Railway Co Ltd, Station House, Swanage, BH19 1HB. Tel: 01929 425800 (10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday).

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Attractions in Swanage Dorset

A good way to see the sights in Swanage is take one of the three town trails. There's the Stone Trail which takes in the Bankers where the quarried stone was once stacked for shipping to London, the Victorian Trail which takes you up the coast path to Durlston Country Park and the Town Trail that takes you past the town's sights, many of which seem to have pilfered from places in London!

Swanage's Town Hall seems rather grand for a small seaside town. The reality is that the seventeenth century facade was once that of Mercer's Hall in Cheapside, London. George Burt who helped modernise the town in the nineteenth century brought the entire building front to Swanage when the original building had to be dismantled to widen the road!

Following the Trails you'll find all sorts of former London landmarks like the Gothic Wellington clock tower brought back from London Bridge, a stone archway from Hyde Park Corner in Purbeck House gardens and the entrance pillars and bollards that once welcomed you to Millbank Prison in London.

The Town Trail leaflets are available from Swanage's Tourist Information Office for a small fee. There are other sights in the town such as St Mary's Church and Mill Pond where the town's water was sourced and the Swanage Museum & Heritage Centre that houses collections on local history in a three hundred year old barn. Check the links right for more information. Other attractions in Swanage include boat trips and excursions off the Dorset coast for fishing and diving. One such company for boat trips is Swanage Boat Charters, a family run business that provides a friendly and helpful service for all divers, from trainees through to experienced divers. The Swanage coast is ideal for wreck diving, reefs and drift dive sites. Their boats, the Sidewinder and Mary Jo operate 2 day dives and daily shuttles with a maximum of 12 divers.

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Enid Blyton Swanage Purbeck

Enid Blyton set many of her books in Dorset. She often holidayed here with her second husband. They were known to stay at several hotels in Swanage and drew inspiration from some of Dorset's most well known surroundings.

Kirrin Castle in the Famous Five Books was inspired by Corfe Castle and Whispering Island is based on Brownsea Island and is also referred to as Keep Away Island in the Famous Five books - a reflection of its previous owner's attitude to visitors!

Enid Blyton was known to enjoy visitor attractions such as taking the steam train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and swimming around Swanage Pier.

The Ginger Pop shop in Corfe Castle stocks Blyton books and tapes and has produced a handy leaflet and map showing you the Blyton-related sights in Purbeck. Click the link right for more information.

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