Swanage

Photo: Swanage

This small town surrounds a beautiful curved bay and offers a seaside experience with a difference. Enjoy the soft sand and the award winning beach front whilst being surrounded by Purbeck’s natural beauty and wildlife. Make your first port of call the Tourist Information Centre on Shore Road.

Although the area is now known as Swanage, it used to be home to dinosaurs and Viking invasions. The town itself grew from the stone industry and all around Purbeck Stone was quarried. At one point if a man wasn’t a quarryman he would have been a sailor.

One Victorian (George Burt) made the trade big business working in high profile areas of London and took an interest in street furniture that was being removed in the city. He brought it back using it as ballast and now Swanage is dotted with lots of old London landmarks including frontages and columns from such buildings as Billingsgate Fish Market and the structure of Wellington’s Clock Tower. You can find out more by walking the town trails, leaflets for which are available at Swanage Museum and Heritage Centre in The Square.

Photo: Swanage Pier Swanage has many attractions including the pier, the beach, watersports and diving, boat trips, amusement arcades, beach gardens, heritage centre and Swanage Railway. There is also the Purbeck Way walking route and South West Coast Path to explore Purbeck's countryside and the Jurassic Coast.

One of the area’s greatest attractions, Durlston County Park, is also adjacent to the town. This is a large National Nature Reserve with lots of activities for children plus it is one of the best bird and dolphin watching areas in the country.