Swanage.co.uk | Swanage Tourist Information and Local Guide

What makes Swanage special?

Swanage’s stunning coastal location and proximity to many Jurassic Coast gems is what makes it really special.

Swanage Bay, which sweeps from Ballard Down to the north across to Peveril Point in the south, is protected from major southwesterly storms, while the Isle of Wight provides a degree of shelter from easterly storms. As such, the bay is ideal for swimming, sailing, diving and other watersports.

The weather in Swanage is favourably mild, with few frosts and little snow in the winter. During the summer months, the area draws many thousands of visitors for its traditional British seaside feel, and there are numerous festivals, events and things to do throughout the year, making Swanage a year-round destination for families, couples and individual travellers. If you’re a foodie, music fan, or arts and crafts enthusiast, then Swanage is an excellent base to explore the Isle of Purbeck’s culinary and artisan scene from.

If you can’t visit but wish to see, then there are a number of webcams including the one on the RNLI’s boathouse that gives a great view across the sea to the iconic Jurassic Coast landform Old Harry Rocks.

Welcome to Swanage sign with Purbeck Hills behind

Where is Swanage?

Swanage is located in Dorset, on the south-west coast of England. It lies to the west of Poole Harbour and Bournemouth and to the east of Weymouth. It is the only town on the Isle of Purbeck and is famous for being part of the world-renowned Jurassic Coast.

Getting to Swanage

Arrive by car

There are two main routes into Swanage by car – via Wareham or via the Sandbanks Ferry from Poole to Studland.

Buses, taxis and Wareham Railway Station

Buses run from Poole, Bournemouth and Weymouth and you can also get a bus or taxi from Wareham Railway station – Swanage’s nearest mainline station.

Swanage is also served by the heritage line Swanage Railway, which runs from Norden to Swanage.

From abroad – nearest airports

Bournemouth airport is convenient for Swanage if you are planning to hire a car for your holiday. Southampton Airport has a train that goes straight from the airport (Southampton Airport Parkway) to Swanage’s nearest mainline station, Wareham.

Things to do in and around Swanage

People have been drawn to Swanage for generations because of its location in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Dorset AONB) – and especially its beautiful, sandy bay.

Swanage’s Blue Flag beach is one of the town’s main attractions, however there are plenty of other things for visitors of all ages to do both in and around Swanage.

Corfe Castle railway station

Whether or not you’re taking a trip on a Swanage Railway steam train, Corfe Castle station itself is well worth a visit, for its vintage charm and picture-postcard photo opportunities. Once almost demolished, the original 1885 station building has now been restored to its former glory and is a timeless feature of both Corfe Castle village and Swanage Railway. Arriving into Corfe by steam train is also the way to travel in style from Swanage, or from the park-and-ride at Norden, for a day out exploring Corfe Castle itself, and is guaranteed to make your visit truly historic. Step back in time at Corfe Castle station Station Master’s office Meet the volunteers dressed in traditional station attire and see inside the 1950s Station Master’s office and lounge area. A porter can show you around and introduce you to the station’s historic features, as well as give you handy travel information. Ladies’ waiting area The fully restored Ladies’ waiting room evokes a time gone by and is complete with period paraphernalia throughout. Swanage Railway Museum Volunteers for the Swanage Railway worked for thirty years to save and rebuild the branch after it was forced to close and began to be demolished in the 1970s […]

South Beach car park

With its safe, shallow water and slightly more rugged feel, South Beach is a natural haven away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Quieter than nearby Knoll Beach (the main and most popular of Studland Bay‘s four beaches), South Beach is also a great base for exploring Studland village and a good place to set off from if you’re doing the Old Harry Rocks cliff walk. Directions and parking tariffs How to get to South Beach car park For your SatNav: BH19 3AU Situated on Manor Road, just off the main road in Studland, South Beach is easily accessible from Swanage, Wareham, Poole and Bournemouth. South Beach itself is a short, signposted walk down a gentle track near the car park. From Swanage, Corfe and Wareham Leave the B3351 at the turning for Studland Stores, down School Lane and then onto Watery Lane, where the road curves around to the left onto Manor Road. South Beach car park will be on your left, just past The Bankes Arms pub. From Poole and Bournemouth via chain ferry After a four-minute crossing on the Sandbanks Ferry, follow Ferry Road until you reach the village of Studland. Turn left just after the riding stables […]

Studland village

Prepare to get side-tracked on your way to the stunning beaches of Studland Bay as you drive through the charming Studland village. Its back roads meander around thatched cottages and past pretty gardens, and you’ll spot things for your must-do list as you go. Spoil yourself with a meal at The Pig on the Beach, book in a beach ride at Studland Stables, or a grab a restorative drink at The Bankes Arms after a day of walking, swimming or kayaking in the bay. The village is ideally situated for visiting three of Studland Bay‘s four beaches as well as its expansive heathland and sand dunes. It also has a handy shop at its centre for stocking up en route. Studland Stores Find all your daily household essentials at the village shop and post office – such as pet food, toiletries, freshly-baked bread and fresh fruit & veg. It’s also a good place to stop on your way to the beach or a heathland walk for picnic essentials, with its wide variety of local produce and snacks. The shop also stocks a selection of gifts, children’s toys and souvenirs. Opening hours & information Studland Stores is located on Swanage Road (the […]

Knoll Beach

Knoll Beach is the largest and most well-known beach at Studland Bay. Popular with families and watersports enthusiasts, Knoll Beach is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, with its sand dune, wetland and woodland habitats backing the stunning sandy beach. With its National Trust café, Discovery Centre, walking trails and beach-side activities, Knoll Beach has everything for an entire day out. Note that, during the summer there is a dedicated swimmers’ area at Knoll Beach, however lifeguards are not on duty at any of Studland Bay‘s beaches. Watersports Knoll Beach offers a range of water-based activities throughout the year round (weather and sea state dependent). Studland Watersports activities Primarily operating in the summer months, activities include: Kayaking Paddle boarding Sailing Paddle board yoga Windsurfing Waterbikes Studland Watersports also hires out deckchairs and sun loungers in the summer. To find out more check out Studland Watersports’ Facebook page: en-gb.facebook.com/pages/category/Outdoor-Recreation/Studland-Watersports Summer fun activities If you prefer your beach-side fun to be land-based, there are plenty of other ways to explore, especially in the summer months when the National Trust runs various organised activities at the beach, in the woodland and at the Discovery Centre. Past activities include seashore-themed arts and craft […]

Durlston Country Park

Meander through hay meadows, explore quiet woodland trails and be wowed by stunning sea views at Durlston Country Park and National Nature Reserve – just a stone’s throw from Swanage town. Durlston makes for a great family day out in nature in a special spot along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and in the Dorset AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), and boasts some 320 acres of cliff walks and countryside to explore. The coastal path will take you past the Tilly Whim caves (old Purbeck stone quarry caves) and up to the lighthouse at Anvil Point – a perfect spot for sketching the view if you have an artistic streak, or sitting with a picnic as you look out over the expansive sea views. The woodland trails at Durlston have various quiet picnic spots and benches to take in the scenery, which at various points look out over Durlston Bay and across to the Isle of Wight. You’ll find interactive displays and exhibitions at the Learning and Visitor Centres, as well as carved stone tablets dotted around the pathways that take you on an educational walk through time of the Jurassic Coast. The Park is open year-round from sunrise till sunset. Award-winning environment Durlston Country Park […]

Swanage Bay

Swanage is probably most well-known for its superb, sweeping sandy bay. Being sheltered and with relatively calm waters, Swanage Bay has been popular with locals and visitors alike for generations. The bay stretches from Ballard Down – the headland to the north – right across to Peveril Point at the south of the bay. Swanage Bay has both lively sections as well as more secluded spots, meaning there is something for everyone. The bay also serves as a vibrant hub for watersports, with a boat park, boat and kayak hire, diving school, and local sailing and sea rowing clubs. And with its sandy beach with varied sections – from lifeguarded, safe-swimming areas to more rugged areas further from town, and from busy boating areas to the grandeur of the Victorian pier, Swanage beach and bay make the perfect retreat from the bustle of today’s busy world. The bay is also flanked by a promenade, beach huts, a variety of eateries, gifts shops and amusements, giving Swanage that charm we’ve come to expect and love in a seaside town. Walk along the promenade to discover family-friendly fun to sophisticated ‘grown-up’ dining, and dog-friendly cafés to the traditional British fish and chips […]

The local area surrounding Swanage

While a week spending time in Swanage can easily keep a family entertained, there are many more activities and places to discover.

Make Swanage your base to explore the hidden gems of the Isle of Purbeck.

Lulworth Castle and Park

The romantic 17th Century Lulworth Castle set in the grounds of Lulworth Park and Estate makes for a fascinating family day out. Originally built as a hunting lodge for gentry and royalty, Lulworth Castle is now open to the public. You can enjoy its extensive parkland and woodland as well explore inside the castle itself, where you can learn about its captivating history. Within the grounds is 15th Century St Andrews Church and the beautiful Georgian gem, St Mary’s Catholic Chapel. The Weld family have owned the Lulworth Estate for centuries and have restored much of it to its former glory alongside English Heritage, after a devastating fire in 1929. The castle’s tea room serves light lunches, cream teas and ice creams and has seating in the courtyard entranceway. *Note that Lulworth Castle is currently closed to the public due to Covid-19 restrictions. Visitors are still welcome (Sunday – Friday) to explore the castle grounds and playground, and a takeaway café service is available* For admission prices and booking: lulworth.seetickets.com/timeslots/lulworth-castle How to get to Lulworth Castle For your SatNav: BH20 5QS Lulworth Castle is located in East Lulworth. Pay-and-display parking is available in the castle grounds at a cost of £3 […]

Swyre Head

Standing proudly as the highest in Purbeck, you can walk to Swyre Head from various locations. You’ll be treated to commanding views across to Portland and over to Kimmeridge, where Clavell Tower can be seen on a clear day. Swyre Head is classified as a Marilyn – a hill whose peak or prominence is 150 metres above everything else in its immediate vicinity, or in other words, which has a drop of 150 metres on all sides. The term Marilyn was first coined by ‘hill-bagger’ Alan Dawson, in his 1992 book The Relative Hills of Britain. Dawson compiled a list of such peaks, and said the name was inspired after the list of mountains known as the Munros. According to the Relative Hills Society there are 1,557 Marilyns in the UK. The Hill Bagging website has the most up-to-date list of Britain’s Marilyns, which many hillwalkers set themselves the task of attempting to complete them all – or at least 600 of them, which enters the participant into the Marilyn Hall of Fame: www.hill-bagging.co.uk/Marilyns.php Tumulus Climbing the tumulus at Swyre Head will give an even more panoramic perspective of the area, at 208 metres above sea level. It is thought that this is in fact […]

Chapman’s Pool

If your idea of a dream day at the beach involves a wild and secluded bay where you can wile away the hours watching the odd passing boat and reading a good book, Chapman’s Pool is hard to beat. Worth Matravers is the cove’s closest village, where you can warm up at the Square and Compass pub with a pasty and pint by the log fire after a blustery day, or cool off with a cider in the beer garden in the summer after the rewarding walk down to Chapman’s Pool and back. Chapman’s Pool is a bit of a walk to get to and can be fairly challenging in places, so children and some dogs might struggle. A good pair of walking boots is also advisable as the steep path down to Chapman’s Pool can be slippery when wet. (There is an alternative, longer route, which is more gentle, that takes you through the valley.) Chapman’s Pool is a good place to see examples of the Jurassic Coast’s Kimmeridge Clay rock formation – named after nearby Kimmeridge Bay, where the clay with its abundant fossils is most famously displayed. Spend some time rock-pooling and fossil-spotting on the shale ledges […]

RSPB Arne Nature Reserve

The RSPB nature reserve at Arne is perfect for both a short stroll through the woodland or a full day out walking and exploring. Part of the Isle of Purbeck and the Dorset AONB, the 565 hectare reserve is comprised of an array of habitat, which are havens for wildlife, including all six of the UK’s native reptiles. As you explore Arne, you’ll discover ancient woodland, stunning expanses of rugged heathland and even small bays of Poole Harbour with views across to the Purbeck Hills and Brownsea Island. There are various viewing points and bird bides dotted around the reserve. You can also hire binoculars or book onto a guided tour at the welcome area but the car park. A shop and café for coffees, cakes and light lunches can be found a short walk from the car park. Nature trails There are seven trails of varying lengths along which to explore Arne. You can pick up a map at the welcome area, or simply follow the colour-co-ordinated signposts. Shipstal Trails – Follow the red signs from the car park through the woodland to the salt marsh. The full trail is around two miles long and will take just under […]

The Blue Pool

Set in 25 acres of woodland between Wareham and Corfe Castle, the Blue Pool derives its name from the striking turquoise colour the water this disused clay pit can appear. There are trails of varying lengths leading around the Blue Pool and into its surrounding woodland, all culminating at the tearoom and the gift shop – inside which is another unique find: a quirky museum display of over 200 miniature bears. There are two treasure-hunt style trails for children and a play area in the woods, where you’ll also find a viewing point that looks out across the Purbeck Hills toward Corfe Castle. *The Blue Pool is currently closed until further notice* Walking routes There are two main ways to explore the Blue Pool. Both trails offer excellent views of the pool itself, as well as interesting trails along which to spot wildlife. Red route The Red Route is accessible and suitable for both wheelchairs and pushchairs. The path leads you through the woodland, with various impressive viewpoints along the way to view the pool from different angles as it catches the light. Green route The Green Route meanders through the trees and around the base of the pool and […]

Jurassic Coast

England’s only natural World Heritage Site The Jurassic Coast needs no introduction: renowned worldwide for its breathtaking scenery and geological importance, this 95-mile stretch of coastline dominates Dorset’s landscape, history and character. With its countless unspoilt beaches, magnificent panoramic views and endless opportunities for exploration, the Jurassic Coast will take you on a literal walk through time, leaving you planning your next trip before this one’s ended. But where to start? The Isle of Purbeck’s Jurassic Coast Easily explored from Swanage and its surrounding areas, the Purbeck stretch of the Jurassic coastline boasts some of Britain’s most well-loved landmarks and offers a multitude of memories in the making. The epic evolutionary history of the Jurassic Coast Designated a World Heritage Site in 2001 by UNESCO for its ‘Outstanding universal value’ to the study of earth science, The Jurassic Coast is rich with important fossil sites and geological landforms of global significance that span 185 million years – or the Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic Era is made up of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, but as that was a bit of a mouthful, the Jurassic Coast gained its name from the most well-known of these. Planet Earth’s history is beneath […]

Naturist beach

Around 1km of Studland Bay has been set aside for naturism. It’s one of the UK’s most well-known official naturist spots. Although part of Knoll Beach, it is quite separate to the family-oriented main stretch of beach and dunes, and a half an hour walk from either Knoll Beach car park or Shell Bay car park. It is also accessible from Ferry Road, where there may be parking available. The naturist beach has its own dedicated and clearly-marked area and is regularly monitored by National Trust rangers. Users of this long-established naturist beach must adhere to the British Naturism beach code: nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/studland-beach/documents/british-naturism-beach-code.pdf Facilities A refreshment van operates at the naturist beach during the summer months. The nearest public toilets are at Knoll Beach or at Shell Bay car park

Dorset Adventure Park

Purbeck’s only waterpark is located just outside Corfe Castle. Set within 18 acres of woodland, the park boasts boasts a 200m outdoor inflatable course across two lakes, and a 2km-long mud trail assault course. Take a look at the park in action: Waterpark Challenge your friends to complete the Total Wipeout-style course. Complete with trampoline, balance beams and slides, the course is suitable for everyone over the age of six. (Children under 12 need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.) Sessions are one hour long. What to wear at the waterpark Wetsuit (available for hire for £5) Old trainers or sturdy wet shoes (available for hire for £2) No jewellery No glasses Important safety information You must be able to swim 10 metres, or 50 metres with a buoyancy aid, to take part Buoyancy aids (provided) must be worn at all times Lifeguards are on duty and are trained to help you get the most out of your experience Mud trail The mud trail obstacle course is suitable for everyone over the age of four, (children under 12 must be supervised). The course is 2km long and includes over 50 obstacles to pull, climb, jump, crawl and swing your way […]

Swanage Beach

The jewel in Swanage’s crown is its beautiful beach that sweeps around the curve of its sheltered bay. Despite being one, long stretch of golden sand, the beach in Swanage has a different feel to it depending on where you are along it – meaning you can have a different day out each time you visit. The busy hubbub nearest to town – with its coffee shops, restaurants and traditional amusement arcade – has that typical British seaside buzz that gets you queueing up for a 99 ice cream and digging out the buckets and spades. Slightly further along is a more active scene, with various watersports on offer. Hire a pedalo for some shallow-water fun, or a sea kayak to get out on the waves. You can also book a diving lesson off Swanage Pier. For a more relaxed, sophisticated seaside experience, sit on the deck with a drink at The Watering Hole or outside the Cellar Bar, or sample some seafood at Gee Whites and watch the world go by. You can also hire a deck chair, sun lounger or windbreak for the day – the friendly team located on the beach opposite the Swanage Information Centre will come […]

Sports & activities

Whether you’re coming to Swanage for its water sports, coasteering and biking opportunities, or just want to keep up your normal exercise routine, Swanage and the surrounding landscape and coastline of the Isle of Purbeck are guaranteed to keep you active and out in the fresh air whatever the weather. Watersports Swanage Bay and Studland Bay are home to excellent watersports facilities. Book a diving session off Swanage Pier, join an organised coasteering group at Dancing Ledge, or hire a kayak at Swanage Beach or one of Studland’s beaches such as Knoll Beach or Middle Beach. Take a boat trip from Swanage to explore the beautiful bay and coastline from a different perspective. If you have your own boat there are various options for storing and launching watercraft from Swanage. If you’re local and would like to get out on the water more, why not try out sea rowing or sailing at the local clubs? Walking trails We are spoilt for choice in and around Swanage with access to open countryside, stunning cliff walks and sandy bays just a stone’s throw away. Whether you fancy a potter around a picturesque village or explore around a rugged cove, there are plenty […]

Lulworth Cove

Nestled at the foot of the picturesque village of West Lulworth, Lulworth Cove is one of the most photographed beauty spots in Britain and an important geological area of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. With its distinctive horseshoe shape and being surrounded by stunning cliff walks and rich geological history, a visit to Lulworth Cove makes for a full and memorable day out, with many unique places to explore, including Stair Hole, the Fossil Forest, the Lulworth Crumple and the nearby equally famous Durdle Door. Start your day at Lulworth Cove with a stop at the visitor centre for the lowdown on the fascinating history of this special part of the Jurassic Coast, and for tips on where to explore first You’ll discover plenty of places to grab a quick bite to eat or to laze over a long lunch whilst taking in the incredible views just a short walk from Lulworth Cove. Or, if you’re feeling active, Lulworth Outdoors, situated right by the car park, provides an array of beach-related activities from kayaking to snorkel tours in the cove. Round your day off with an ice cream from one of the various ice cream parlours, or a drink at one of […]

Corfe Castle railway station