Second-floor apartment. Three bedrooms: 1 x super-king-size (zip/link, can be twin on request), 1 x double with en-suite bath, walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x twin (zip/link, can be super-king-size on request). Shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC. Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining and sitting area with balcony
Swanage is a small, family-friendly coastal village on the Isle of Purbeck, located on Dorset’s famous Jurassic Coast. It is perhaps best known for its lovely, gently shelving golden dunes. The small town is home to many stores, fine pubs and restaurants, some of which specialise in locally caught seafood, and it is also well-known for its annual jazz festival held in July. If you’re in the mood for some fresh air, you can take a stroll or try your hand at fishing from the Victorian-style wooden pier, which is also popular with divers. The ancient Swanage Railway station is located in town, and nostalgic steam engine tours take passengers on a magnificent 6-mile journey through lovely countryside to stop just beyond the romantic ruin of Corfe Castle. To reward yourself for all that exercise, the nearby Durlston Country Park has a well-stocked cafe and scenic coastline walks where you can see dolphins and other animals.
Drive to Studland, which features one of the country’s best beaches surrounded by heathland, and take the regular chain ferry that across the mouth of Poole Harbor to Sandbanks. An enjoyable vacation spot any time of year, this is undoubtedly.
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.
