Stop by Swanage Bandstand for a quick bit of truly local history – or plan your visit for when an event is taking place to experience some good, old fashioned entertainment. The first Swanage Bandstand was installed in 1923 by cast iron manufacturers Walter Macfarlane & Co. After falling into disrepair due to weather damage over the years, the community banded together to raise the £145,000 needed for it to be restored to its former glory and was reinstated in 2019. You can find the charming green and white structure on the grassed area by Horsecliffe Lane where it overlooks Swanage Bay. There is a children’s play park alongside it, we well as the Sante-Fe fun park, which features a crazy golf course, small rides for young children and seasonal bouncy castle. Parking The closest car park is Mermond Place, SatNav BH19 1HB

One of the most iconic landforms on the South Coast – Old Harry Rocks – is just a stone’s throw from Swanage and an important feature of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast history. There are various walking routes to Old Harry Rocks from both Swanage and Studland, each offering breathtaking views of this unique rock formation. The white chalk promontory and ‘stacks’ that make up Old Harry rise from the sea between Swanage Bay and Studland Bay at Handfast Point on the headland of Ballard Down. They were once part of a chalk ridge that connected to The Needles on the Isle of Wight.  On a clear day you can stand up on the cliff and see across to The Needles – three chalk stacks, similar to Old Harry Rocks, which rise from the sea off the island twenty miles away. Legends in the landscape – who was Old Harry? So how did Old Harry Rocks get their name? There are various stories that like to make the claim… If you’ve been to see Agglestone Rock, you’ll be familiar with the local legend associated with the devil – who, it’s said, tried to throw the 400-tonne rock from The Needles on the Isle […]

Challenge your friends and family to a round of pitch and putt at Swanage Golf Games. Located close to the centre of Swanage at the friendly Kirkwood Park, and right by King George’s playground and skate park, Swanage Golf Games is a handy and fun way to spend an hour or two.   Set across a 1,000 metre plot with views of the Purbeck Hills and a peek through to the steam train as it passes on the Swanage Railway, Swanage Golf Games offers traditional pitch and putt as well as more unusual ways to play. Golf games: Pitch & putt – Choose from either a nine or 18-hole game for a fun yet challenging round of golf for both children and adults Footgolf – For something a bit different, take up to six friends around the course with a football each and try to get them in the oversized holes Frisbee Golf – See if you can reach the target in the lowest number of throws There is also the option to play a ‘nine and nine combo’ of two different types of golf games. See what the park looks like in this short video: Facilities A variety of basic […]

You might discover this expanse of shingle and sand beach by chance on a visit to the abandoned village of Tyneham. Tucked away at the foot of the Purbeck Hills this stretch of coastline is a quiet, sheltered bay, perfect for picnicking, beachcombing, and soaking up the stunning views. A gentle one mile walk from Tyneham village car park, and also accessible via the South West Coast Path, Worbarrow Bay (occasionally erroneously referred to as Tyneham Beach) is a stunning natural setting, untouched by modern development – as such, you won’t find many facilities here. There are, however, public toilets at Tyneham Farm. Swimming and safety information You can swim in Worbarrow Bay, however the water can shelve quite steeply so isn’t recommended for young children or novice swimmers. Lifeguards are not on duty here. Pondfield Cove Just to the left of Worbarrow Bay, as you walk down the path, is the small, rocky Pondfield Cove, where you can see fine examples of the ‘folds’ of sedimentary rock, characteristic of this part of the Jurassic Coast. The cove and the bay are separated by the promontory Worbarrow Tout (meaning ‘lookout’), which makes for some far-reaching sea views if you climb to the […]

Some people hike out especially to see it; others happen upon it on their walk, bike or horse ride across Godlinsgton Heath. Whether you’re expecting it or not, the story of this imposing rock that looks like it fell out of the sky is as mysterious as it is big – around 400 tonnes in fact. The legend Legend has it that the Agglestone was thrown over from The Needles on the Isle of Wight by the devil himself (‘Agglestone’ means ‘Devil’s Anvil’. The rock was once was anvil-shaped but has eroded over many years.) Some say the devil was trying to hit Corfe Castle (luckily he missed!) Do you dare to touch it? One thing is for sure, if you keep walking, once you’ve seen it you can feel it at your back as you go. Luckily the stunning scenery in this area will make you forget even the spookiest story.

The poignant story behind the ‘ghost village’ of Tyneham, abandoned during World War II, will stay with you long after you have walked around its crumbling homes and forgotten farmland. Evacuated in 1943 so that the British Army could use the area for training purposes, the village soon fell into disrepair. However the church and school room are still mostly intact, having been carefully restored. You can walk around them, discovering their history, including the last pages of schoolwork and children’s names on pegs preserved in this village that simply stopped in time. Information is displayed throughout the village about the families that once lived in Tyneham, and what life was like for them in this seemingly idyllic, yet remote spot. Nestled deep within the Purbeck Hills the story of these villagers who never returned and their now deserted homes is an interesting insight into this area’s past. *Note that seven of the buildings are currently cordoned off to the public due to safety concerns. (You can still walk around the outside of most of the buildings). The MoD is investigating whether or not they can be repaired and reopened.* Tyneham’s history preserved A short walk from the village will lead […]

This towering hexagonal monument was brought to Swanage from London by George Burt – a local businessman and founding father of much of the town’s heritage – in 1892. It stands upon a prehistoric barrow (a mound of earth typically situated over an important grave) on North Hill and commemorates the provision of a new water supply to Swanage. You can walk to it from Victoria Avenue car park for stunning views across Swanage Bay from this unique standpoint. For a shorter walk, there is a parking area on Ulwell Road at the foot of the hill up to the Obelisk.