Enjoy a ferry trip to Brownsea Island, a fantastic National Trust site where red squirrels can be spotted.
Second Floor:
Open plan living space.
Living area: 32″ Freeview TV, DVD Player
Dining area.
Kitchen area: Electric Oven, Electric Hob, Microwave, Fridge
Bedroom: Double (4ft 6in) Bed Ensuite: Cubicle Shower, Toilet
Travel cot available on request.
The apartments at Alum Chine are situated a short walk to the sandy beaches and local amenities. They are located in the charming town of Westbourne just next to the well-known seaside town of Bournemouth. Each apartment is finished to a high standard and you can choose from a studio (ref UKC4607), one bedroom (ref UKC4608, UKC4610, UKC5774 and UKC5789) or two bedroom apartment (ref UKC4609) to suit your needs. Westbourne has a delightful high street with a selection of independent shops, cafés and restaurants serving fantastic food. Bournemouth is within easy reach, you can walk the 1½ miles along the seafront, make use of the public transport or drive. In Bournemouth you can wander around the gardens, go shopping, or challenge yourself and see if you can complete an escape room. You can visit the leisure complex called BH2 which has a cinema, virtual reality centre, crazy golf and a selection of well-known restaurants. On the beachfront there is the pier with an arcade and the Oceanarium with fish, penguins, sharks and turtles. Just along the beachfront there is the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum.
In the opposite direction from Bournemouth you can head towards the small peninsula for the highly regarded Sandbanks beach with its spectacular views and fine golden sand. Nearby you can get a ferry to Brownsea Island, a fantastic National Trust site where red squirrels can be spotted. Dorset has many wonderful days out, you can drive to the Jurassic Coast and enjoy many scenic walks. Highly recommend is a visit to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. Or you can go to Swanage and get a steam train to Corfe Castle, a thousand year old castle above the delightful town of the same name. A short drive away is the New Forest where you can go cycling, climb the tree tops and see free roaming ponies, donkeys and cattle. Other nearby attractions include Moors Valley, Monkey World and The Tank Museum. As well as Hengistbury Head, the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, Dorset Heavy Horse Farm, Kingston Lacy House, National Trust, Splashdown or even board a ferry across to the Isle of Wight. One thing is for certain you will not run out of wonderful ways to spend your holiday. Beach ½ mile.
With nearly 90 miles of stunning coastline, vast areas of open heathlands, ancient woodlands, and chalk and limestone grassland, Dorset’s diverse habitats support a rich variety of birds and wildlife.
A visit to the RSPB’s Arne nature reserve situated on the banks of Poole Harbour and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a must. Mainly lowland heath, it’s home to breeding Dartford warblers, while in winter, large flocks of wading birds come to the mudflats including avocets, black-tailed godwits, and spoonbills. There’s also a herd of sika deer and seals can often be spotted along the shoreline. At the visitor centre you can hire binoculars and find out more about the wildlife you might spot.
Nearby, the lesser-known and quieter RSPB Lytchett Fields has been transformed from arable land into a wetland haven where you can see green sandpipers, wigeons, and teal. Peregrine falcons, and marsh and hen harriers can also be spotted in the skies above as they hunt for prey. You might also be lucky enough to see an osprey which have recently been reintroduced to the area.
In the heart of Poole Harbour is Brownsea Island manged by the Dorset Wildlife Trust in partnership with The National Trust where bird hides give excellent views of the wildlife on the lagoon and surrounding reedbeds. Look out for common terns, sandwich terns, and water rails, and it’s one of the few places in England where you can see find red squirrels.
With country lanes, unspoilt meadows, and winding rivers, Kingcombe Nature Reserve hidden away in the Dorset countryside is the perfect place to escape into nature. Resident woodland birds include nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers, and chiffchaffs, while dippers and kingfishers can be spotted along the water’s edge. There are bird hides, an orchard, and wildlife-friendly gardens, all set on a working farm, as well as a café serving locally sourced food.
The open farmland and copses of Durlston Country Park near Swanage are important not only for breeding birds but also migrants passing through in spring and autumn. Breeding birds include yellowhammers, linnets, and skylarks, while the exposed sea cliffs provide nesting sites for shags, fulmars, and guillemots. The park also attracts some rarities blown off course during migration, and in autumn, huge flocks of swallows and sand martins fill the air.
Portland Bill is another great place for migrating birds including dunnocks, chaffinches, and thrushes, as well as a variety of seabirds including Manx shearwaters, Arctic skuas, and kittiwakes. It has an impressive rarity list and is one of the best places to spot hoopoes in early summer. The Bird Observatory is a good place to visit too, with bird feeders, and volunteers can sometimes be seen ringing birds.
Head to Christchurch Harbour where the muddy creeks, mudflats, and marshland are home to a huge range of birdlife including wheatears, little egrets, and gulls. It’s also a another good place to look out for rarities such as golden orioles, wrynecks, and tawny pipits.
For a truly unique experience take a trip to Abbotsbury Swannery located on the stunning Jurassic coast, and the only place in the world where you can get close to a colony of nesting mute swans. During breeding season, you can watch cygnets as they hatch and don’t miss the twice-daily feeds where you’ll have the chance to hand-feed over 600 swans.
