The
area between Southampton and Swanage is quite a special area
and contains some of the best countryside and coastlines in
the UK. All these Places to Visit shown on the map are within
reasonable travelling distance from Lymington.
To the east of the map we have the New Forest
with a large area of heathland and forest to explore. If you
are driving, the Forestry Commission has 134 car parks to start
your walk from. Or if you are using public transport, there
are two Cycle Hire businesses based along the south side of
Brockenhurst station and many miles of
well-maintained and signposted trails nearby.
To the south of this we have Lymington,
famous for it’s
sailing and historic High Street. From Lymington you can catch
a ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. People say that the
island has the feel of England as it was in the 195Os. A popular
destination is to catch a bus from Yarmouth to Freshwater and
walk along the coast to Compton Bay. This coastline in the
south of the island, is remote, quiet and stunning.
Lymington also has a coastal Nature Reserve
that extends for five miles down to the small coastal fishing
village of Keyhaven. Next to Keyhaven is a large shingle spit
that extends one and a half miles out into the Solent, at the
end of which is Hurst Castle originally built in 1544 by Henry
XIII.
Farther along the coast where the Rivers Stour
and Avon meet is the historic town of Christchurch. Then along
the Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole and Studland Bay coastline
are 14 miles of some of the best sandy beaches in the country.
Poole Harbour (west side of the map) is the second biggest
harbour in the world and offers plenty of watersports in its
shallow waters. Also there are ferry trips from Poole Quay
to Brownsea Island, one of the islands in the harbour and run
by the National Trust.
Inland from Poole and in the beautiful
dorset countryside are the historic market towns of Winborne
Minster and Blandford Forum. To the south of Poole is the
Isle of Purbeck which has some of the best countryside in
the UK, including Arne Nature Reserve and a World Heritage
coastline running along from Swanage. |
