Poole lies next to Bournemouth on the Dorset coast; in fact the two towns have merged to form a sizeable conurbation, along with Christchurch, has a population of around 400,000.  However there is an east/west bypass to the north of Poole which offers some improved access for the visitor.

From London and the east, The M3 becomes the M27, then A3, A348 and finally the A3049 into Poole.  It’s not necessarily the easiest road to follow so watch for the road signs.  From the north and midlands, picking up this route via the A34 down past Newbury is still the most painfree.

Access from the West, Devon, Bristol and South Wales is trickier crossing Dorset or Wiltshire via A roads which are a mix of single lane and dual-carriageway.

The rail network extends through Bournemouth to Poole abnd then out westwards with connecting services to Bristol and further . Travel times are around 2 hours to London Paddington, 2 ½ hours to Bristol and around 3 hours to Birmingham.  Trains are run by South West Trains and Cross Country.

The town centre is busy, as like Bournemouth, there is plenty of commerce in the town.  The population is relatively high at over 130,000, so there is a rush hour, unlike many seaside holiday towns in the South West, which is compounded during the summer with tourists. The town centre has a number of pay and display car parks, so it literally is a case of just choosing one.

Needless to say, bus services criss-cross Bournemouth and the surrounding areas.(more at www.bybus.co.uk www.wdbus.co.uk), while there is a small airport in Bournemouth.

To the west Poole is bordered by Poole Harbour, the largest natural harbour in Europe and there are boat trips available from the Quay which make the most of the location – and offer a more relaxing journey in this corner of Dorset.  The harbour is also the departure point for fast ferries departing to The Channel Islands and northern France, operated by Condor Ferries – www.condorferries.co.uk.

Because of the good public transport, and flat terrain, Poole is one of those holiday destinations, where it is possible to leave the car and make your way around by public transport, or by foot or pedal power as the harbour making scenic routes.

Candlelit Dartmouth runs on the first or second weekend of December. Activities are based around the bandstand in the Royal Avenue Gardens where live music, stands selling local crafts, mulled wine and food combine to create a festive atmosphere.

Can I do my Christmas Shopping there?

Dartmouth already has a good range of gift shops, especially for home decor, clothes and art galleries. The addition of the stalls around the centre adds variety and some unique and unusual handmade products. Hand-painted toys, jewellery and handmade cupcakes are on offer, though the latter may not make it to Christmas Day – they looked delicious.

So the answer would be an emphatic yes. And when the light fades, all the stalls are lit, though not by candles…) adding to the Christmassy feel.

What else happens?

Santa arrives by boat to switch the lights on, while entertainers perform around the town. Musical acts perform on the bandstand throughout the event, including a brass band, drum group, jazz band with the culmination being the lantern procession through the town and carol singing.

For more information about Candlelit Dartmouth visit their website.

Train

London’s train providers have a captive audience, and they’re not afraid to make the most of it. A train ticket to London Heathrow represents one of the most overpriced tickets in the country, and is simply not worth it. To the other airports you can get good deals but only if you book in advance, you also have to be sure to get the right train, otherwise, you may have to buy another ticket on the day, and that could get expensive. The major exception to this is Gatwick, which has a great train service offering good value.

Underground

Heathrow and London City are the only London airports that you can get to on the underground. It’s a really cheap way of getting around, however, if you happen to be staying in a hotel that isn’t near a tube station (particularly south of the river) the underground could be more hassle than it’s worth, as you’ll have to work out the buses, which can be tricky even for a local.

Car

You can rent a car at all of the London Airports, but it’s never really a good idea if you’re then going to head immediately into the city. Central London has a congestion charge, which means you have to pay to use the roads, and it’s a nightmare to get around, don’t bother with a car unless you absolutely have to.

Shuttle

All of the airports, and some of the airlines, offer shuttles into central London, these are really good value, but tickets can be difficult to get hold of and they go fast, so make sure you book ahead on the internet.

Taxi

There are few taxi services more famous than the ones you’ll find in London, and it’s a fair claim that they’re the best taxi drivers in the world. You do have to pay a little more for a taxi to central London from the airport, but if you’ve got a lot of luggage, or if you’re staying a little bit out of the way, it’s definitely worth the money. It’s also a great way of getting around the city, as the London cabbies know every short cut available, and because of a very stringent regulation system, there’s no chance of getting fleeced, or having any problems.

In practice that means Weymouth is harder to reach, though supporters would argue this adds to the ‘escape from it all’ appeal.  And though there are minor roads leading into the town from the east and west, the main artery road is the A354 from Dorchester.  Fortunately this road has been improved in preparation for the 2012 Olympic sailing events in Weymouth and Portland.  Travelling times are around 1½ hours from Southampton and 2 hours from Bristol to the north.

Similarly by train, Weymouth is at the end of the line.  At least there is a rail station of course – it runs along the coast to Bournemouth and Southampton primarily with direct trains from further afield with London Waterloo being around 2¾ hours away.

Parking in Weymouth

As a seaside town, Weymouth is a relatively large town, so has a number of sizable pay and display car parks in and around the centre and the beach, along with restricted seafront spaces and on-road parking slightly further out.  And as with any seaside town, queues build up around the centre and surrounding roads.

Escape by Sea

One way to escape the traffic is to drive down to the ferry terminal where Condor Ferries operate a regular service to the Channel Islands of Jersey or Guernsey.  Foot passengers and cars are accommodated on the crossings which take 2½ hours to Guernsey and 4 hours to Jersey on the fast ferry. See more at Condor Ferries.

The easiest way to reach Bournemouth by car is travelling from the East where the M3 from London 2 hours) becomes the A31 dual carriageway into the town.  From the North, the Newbury bypass provides now provides a faster link from the M4 and the Midlands (2 ½ hours) via Oxford (2 hours).  Access from the West, Devon, Bristol and South Wales is trickier crossing Dorset or Wiltshire via A roads which are a mix of single lane and dual-carriageway.

Being a larger town, Bournemouth is well-connected to the rail network with direct trains to most areas with travel times of 2 hours to London Paddington, 2 ½ hours to Bristol and around 3 hours to Birmingham.  Trains are run by South West Trains and Cross Country.

With a population of over 150,000, Bournemouth is one of the largest seaside towns in the UK and therefore has more traffic and, unusually for a resort, a rush hour.  The town centre has a number of pay and display car parks, so it literally is a case of just choosing one close to the shops or beach.  Parking permits are not available for short stays.

To the East and West of the town centre, there is on-street parking within walking distance of the beach, though is limited, especially in the summer.

Needless to say, bus services criss-cross Bournemouth and the surrounding areas.(more at www.bybus.co.uk www.wdbus.co.uk), while there is a small airport in Bournemouth.

For a more leisurely form of transport, try the Land Train which travels along the seafront from the centre along to Boscombe where the new surf reef is located and westwards to Durley Chine in the Summer.

As with all theme parks and tourist attractions in the South West, the summer is far busier as good weather and school holidays bring visitors out in their numbers. But what is like to visit out of season, by which we mean Spring and Autumn?

Visiting Woodlands in Autumn

The temperature ranged from 12C to 15C on our October visit and some early morning rain had stopped by the time we arrived at the park. This meant that paths around the site were wet and with the combination of Autumnal leaves on the ground, care had to be taken walking on some of the paths between rides (still a nice Autumn walk though).

The Park

The outdoor rides were all operating as usual. Woodlands has a number of water flumes; the Avalanche Ride, Arctic Gliders and the Water Coasters so there are plenty of ‘wet bums’. Elsewhere a lot of the attractions are designed to fit in with the Woodland setting; the wooden forts and slides, pedal boats, zip wires and tornado toboggan all designed to run of energy.

Indoors, there are soft play areas, a huge adventure centre, and an expanding collection of animals (the hedgehogs and chipmunks were particularly popular).

The Queues

Visiting outside the summer means shorter queues, and in October it means no queues. The early morning rain may have detered some people from visiting, but being able to go straight onto rides, such as the tobaoggan run and water sides makes such a big difference to the day where so much more can be crammed in.

Even the indoor areas were quiet enough to easily find a table in the food area, and be served straight away. Indeed there were parents relaxing with a newspaper or coffee which children enjoyed the rides and slides in the Sea Monster Zone.

The Atmosphere

There was an interesting contrast between the screams on the thrill rides and the peace and quiet walking around Woodlands. It felt very relaxed without the queues which definitely added to the day out. As the afternoon wore on, a mist descended over the park which added to the tranquillity and ambience.

The Weather

As mentioned above, the temperature was in the mid-teens, so as the rain stopped, all attractions in the park were perfectly enjoyable. A lack of wind helped, as did the indoor attractions which help to extend the appeal of Woodlands beyond the summer months.

In summary, it was a great day out. The lack of queues meant that the rides could be enjoyed far more frequently and much more can be crammed in during the day.  After October the park opens on a weekend only and some of the rides do not run, but visit in September, October, or in the Spring to enjoy all the attractions.

Favorites:

• The Water Coasters
• Pedal Karts
• The Hedgehogs and the Night Time Creatures
• Empire of the Sea Dragon indoor play
• Tornado Toboggan ride

Woodlands Adventure Park is open throughout the winter during weekends. See which rides are open and find out more.

The diversity of Weymouth’s natural geology, all within a few square miles, makes the area ripe with walks, viewpoints and photo opportunities unlike anywhere else in the South West.  So pack a picnic, fill the flask and choose from the following:

The Beach

Blue Flag winning, safe, sheltered bathing, plenty of facilities and lots of people in the height of summer.  They are the characteristics of Weymouth Beach, centrally located and popular.

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Portland

The large rocky outcrop which sits out from Weymouth and connected by a narrow stretch of land to the mainland alongside Chesil Beach is home to windswept cliff-top views, small communities built from the local Portland stone and Portland Bill lighthouse.  The views looking back across Chesil Beach and towards Weymouth are impressive, taking in the Olympic sailing centre beaing readied for 2012.

Chesil Beach

One of the well-known landmarks of the Jurassic Coast, Chesil Beach stretches for 18 miles from Portland and Weymouth to the West Bay near Bridport.  Iconic and unique, it always seems to quite windswept while the pebbly compostion makes walking along a section quite challenging.  So it’s not quite obvious how it fits into this guide and how visitors can make the most of the beach.  Fly a kite? Find flat pebbles and practice skimming them into the water?

Nothe Fort and Gardens

The gardens are something of a secret in Weymouth, within walking distance of the centre, yet uncrowded with spectacular views towards Portland through the trees.  The Fort itself was built by the Victorians in second half of the 19^th Century to defend Portland Harbour, and now offers a visitor centre with military exhibits and the history of this prominent building on the entrance to the Weymouth harbour.

Offering good value admission prices for adults, children under 16 pay only £1 each and under 5’s are free.

The Harbour and Marina

The layout of Weymouth is unusual in that there is an inlet, a dog leg harbour which sweeps in a around the back of the town centre, which in the past will have served as a prosperous fishing and trading port.  Not quite sure if it is officially classed as a marina, harbour or just an inlet. Today Condor Ferries operate their fast ferry service to the Channel Islands from the mouth of the inlet/marina/harbour, while hundreds of yachts are moored further around.  The banks are lined with inviting bars and restaurants, and gift shops, making for an appealing evening stroll, while there is always river traffic to catch the eye.

The indoor part, The Dolphin Shopping Centre, has the claim to be Dorset’s largest indoor mall. Here you will find department stores Marks & Spencer and Beales, plus the popular fashion, jewellery, chemist and footwear names to list a few.

Outside, the pedestrianised main street extends towards the waterfront and Poole Harbour. One of the longest in the South of England, more well-known high street names gradual mingle with independent shops. The railway bisects the high street causing regular delays as the barriers come down, but the shopping centre is pedestrianised for a good distance.

Continue up the high street and the shops thin out before reaching the Old Town and Quay. Here craft shops are more prominent along cobbled streets and speciality shops can be discovered. Poole Pottery, an art gallery and Dorset Country Fayre, give an idea of the area, mixed with a wide choice of restaurants, bars and coffee shops. The whole area has a relaxed atmosphere as the shooping streets open out onto the Quay front, opposite the Sunseeker yacht factory and views out over Poole Harbour.

Over in Sandbanks, haven to super desireable luxury propertys on the waterfront, a few top end boutiques have sprung up to serve the area’s super rich residents, mixed with convenience and beach shops. And Poole is large enough to support the typical out of town retail centres which line the main road into the town, interpersed with fast food drive throughs and supermarkets.

So Poole isn’t reinventing shopping experiences. However visitors will be able to find anything they need and the Old Town and Quay provide attract visitors with the background of the views over Poole Harbour and the interesting mix of craft shops and waterfront restaurants.

Find out more at www.pooletowncentre.com.

At the top end, there are no Michelin starred restaurants, and Bournemouth has not established a name as a culinary destination, in the way that Padstow in Cornwall and Dartmouth in Devon have through celebrity chef connections. Is it a place to avoid for foodies? Well a number of restaurants boast chefs who have trained and worked in Michelin star restaurants, so there is no doubt quality dining experiences out there.

But with hundreds to choose from, where to go? It would be nice to sample them all, if impractical and bad for the waistline! Instead here is TripAdvisor’s top 5 restaurants in Bournemouth:

• L’Assiette (English, French) – rated 1 of 166 – website.
• Mint Leaf (Contemporary Indian) – rated 2 – website.
• Ciao (Italian) – rated 3 – website.
• Gilbey’s Restaurant – rated 4 – website.
• Casa Pepe – rated 5 – website.

Elsewhere there is a plentiful choice to suit all budgets and tastes, spread across the town in the centre and the many suburbs. National chains can be found in the town centre – everything from Subway to Wetherspoons to Bella Italia as well the mix of national coffee chain shops such as Costa and Caffe Nero and independents, all with pavement tables for the warmer months.

Bournemouth has a vibrant nightlife with a combination of the university students and a reputation as a stag and hen night destination, though no different to any town centre on a weekend night.

Needless to say there are plenty of supermarkets dotted across the area to, some of which are open 24 hours a day except on Sundays, as shown on the map.

 
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In the town centre, which is pedestrianised in part, there are the usual collection of high street names and independent shops, including a sizeable toy shop and plenty of gift shops and beach goods for sale.

There is a nine screen cinema in the center of Weymouth should the weather let you down, plus an indoor soft play centre and the centrally located swimming pool complete with toddler pool.

The beach is an obvious draw, set in a sheltered bay it offers not only golden sand, but also sheltered waters for paddling. Walk along the seafront to Lodmoor Country Park, around a 30 minute walk, where there is a Sealife Centre, children’s rides and a nature reserve.

Further afield, a new link road connects Weymouth to Dorchester and the rest of Dorset, making visiting attractions in the area easier. These include Bovington Tank Museum, a Dinosaur Museum in Dorchester, Monkey World and the Steam train at nearby Purbeck to mention a few.

Weymouth does make a strong case for itself as a family friendly destination, with plenty of attractions and the beach. It gets busy in the summer, especially around the narrow streets of the old quarter, which isn’t particularly fun for children in buggies. But there are plenty of days out in the area too, so you can escape the hustle and bustle of the town centre if necessary.