Swanage Pier

The fully-restored Grade II-listed Victorian pier in Swanage is a must-visit attraction for a sense of the town’s history, as well as giving you a unique perspective of Swanage Bay.

Perfect for a stroll with an ice cream and evoking that nostalgic feeling of stepping back in time, Swanage Pier also has a variety of attractions, including a café, a small exhibition and a gift shop.

Both new and old piers in Swanage, with sailing boats in the bay

A couple sitting on a bench of Swanage Pier looking at the view

Boat and seagulls in Swanage Bay with Swanage Pier

Take time to explore the exhibition space, which explains the pier’s history, and stop for a light bite at the pier’s cafe – the aptly named 1859 (the year the original pier was first built).

And, for the more adventurous, you can even book a dive session or training course with the local diving school Divers Down, which is also based here. Nearby is also Swanage Sailing Club and Swanage Sea Rowing Club.

Both the new and the old pier can be particularly atmospheric in different weathers and seasons, and you’ll often find artists or photographers catching the sun rising or setting behind them.

Walking to the end of Swanage Pier gives you a panoramic view of the town and bay, which reaches from Peveril Point around to Ballard Down, as well as the Purbeck Hills that continue on to Corfe Castle and beyond. On a clear day you can see Old Harry Rocks, as well as Bournemouth in the distance and the Isle of Wight on the horizon.

As with many parts of Swanage you can catch intriguing glimpses into the past from the pier, such as the Wellington Clock Tower and, across the bay, the Mowlem theatre.

Rope and buoy on Swanage Pier with view of Purbeck Hills

The Purbeck Hills seen from the pier

Sailboat by the pier in the evening

Pink buoy in front of the old pier in Swanage Bay

The old pier viewed from Buck Shore

Traditional seating

The pier viewed from the Mowlem

Sailing boats on the water by Swanage Old Pier

The pier is a popular spot for sailors and kayakers

Wellington Clock Tower and old pier in Swanage

Wellington Clock Tower by Peveril Point

Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks

Victorian style seating to take in the views

Swanage Sailing Club is based nearby at Buck Shore

Opening times and admission

Pier opening times

The pier is open every day, with the following seasonal hours:

Old tramway by the entrance to Swanage Pier

Summer

Between April and September, inclusive, the pier is open:

Weekdays 9am – 5pm
Weekend 7am – 5pm

Hours are often extended during the warmer summer evenings to allow people to enjoy the pier at sunset.

Winter

Between October to March, the pier is generally open between 9am – 4pm, but in the darker months it may close at 3pm.

Christmas Eve, New Years’ Eve and New Year’s Day hours are 10am – 2pm (closed Christmas Day).

Boats and watercraft in the sea around Swanage Pier

Admission prices

To take a stroll along Swanage Pier, there is a small charge of £1.80 for adults.

Children (up to 14) are free and must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

An annual Strolling Pass costs £24.

The 1859 Pier Café & Bistro

The 1859 café – named after the date the pier was originally built – offers breakfast, coffee & cake, and lunch in a unique setting.

Seating and umbrellas outside the 1859 cafe on Swanage Pier

Outside seating at the 1859 café

The café is open daily between 9am – 4.45pm.

To book the café for a private evening event, get in touch with the team.

ℹ️ www.swanagepiertrust.com/cafe

📞 01929 500387

🐾 Dog-friendly (there are dog-friendly areas, as well as a dog-free area)

Umbrellas outside the 1859 Café on Swanage Pier

The 1859 Swanage Pier Café

Outside seating in the sunshine

Swanage Pier café exhibition piece in floor

Historic artefacts are displayed in the café's floors

John Braye 1890 quote on Purbeck stone in Swanage

Interesting quotes on the walls

Breakfast menu outside the café

Victorian quote about Swanage on the Pier's café wall

The Victorians knew Swanage was the place to be

Historic pier pictures framed on wall of Swanage Pier café

Swanage Pier's history on the walls...

...and in the floor

Exhibition space and pier shop

Exhibition

The pier exhibition space, located between the café and the shop, is a must-visit little attraction in itself.

It brings the story of the pier to life with displays, which include artefacts from shipwrecks, an aquarium and images and videos that give a visual history of the pier.

Swanage Pier Visitor Centre activity box

Swanage Pier Visitor Centre 'Go Crabbing' sign

Swanage Pier Visitor Centre photographing plaques activity

Miniature model fishing boat, part of a display at Swanage Pier

Salvaged clay pipes and pens, Swanage Pier exhibition

Salvaged perfume bottles on display by the Swanage Pier Trust

Old lab bottles and pipettes, Swanage Pier Trust

Shop

Entrance to the Swanage Pier shop

The Swanage Pier shop sells souvenirs as well as children’s toys, accessories and books.

It’s situated on your right, and is attached to the café.

The shop is open daily between 11am – 3pm.

Boat trips

If you’re staying in Swanage in summer, the pier offers an exciting and memorable way to experience the bay – take a short return trip on a passenger cruise to Poole Quay, where you can alight for a few hours to explore, shop and eat.

Alternatively, you can book onto a longer, full-day cruise, from which you can experience this part of the Jurassic Coast from a unique perspective.

Cruises have a fully-licensed bar, on-board snacks and facilities, allowing you to soak up the stunning views across the sea toward Swanage Bay, Old Harry Rocks, Studland Bay and Sandbanks in style.

Find out more on the operator City Cruise’s website: www.cityexperiences.com/poole/city-cruises/sightseeing-tours/

Keep an eye on the Swanage Pier website for special boat trips: www.swanagepiertrust.com/boat-trips

Note that you can also hire a small, self-drive motorboat from just outside the pier, for a short, fun family adventure (dogs included) in the bay. You’ll find the kiosk a short walk from Swanage Pier. Boats run between Easter and October, and trips are weather-dependent.

Divers Down

The relatively sheltered dive site off Swanage Pier attracts thousands of visitors each year – and has been since 1958, making it the UK’s oldest dive school.

Explore under the sea with Divers Down

There is a Diver Training Zone for coaching people new to scuba diving or, if you’re an experienced diver, there’s plenty to see under the water either off the pier or out to wrecks beyond Swanage Bay.

The centre also offers PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) dive training. Both youth (12+) and adult courses are available.

Divers Down also has a shop where you can hire equipment, buy diving gear and find out about boat charter trips.

Contact details

To find out more or book a dive visit the Divers Down website:

ℹ️ www.diversdownswanage.co.uk

📞 01929 423565 or 07977 142661

Divers Down is located at Swanage Pier

The Divers Down boat going out from the pier in Swanage

Divers going out from the pier

Map of wreck sites outside Divers Down in Swanage

A map of nearby wreck sites at Divers Down

Information board outside Divers Down in Swanage

What you might find under the sea

Location and parking

You’ll find Swanage Pier at the southernmost end of the bay, close to Peveril Point.

There is a small amount of parking at the pier itself, as well as a larger long-stay car park (Broad Road car park BH19 2AP) a couple of minute’s walk from the pier.

Google Maps

The history of Swanage Pier

Swanage old pier

The first pier in Swanage was erected in 1859 for quarrymen to ferry Purbeck stone. Stone was loaded into vessels off the pier after being hauled by horse-drawn carts by way of a tramway.

The pier’s skeletal remains stretching out into the sea make up one of the last remaining wooden piers in Britain.

You can also still see what remains of the tramway that runs around 100 metres along the seafront.

What remains of the original 1859 pier

Swanage's old tramway by the entrance to the pier

The old tramway

The old pier with newer one behind

Swanage’s second pier

The last sea-going paddle steamer Waverley visiting Swanage (Picture credit: tsbl2000)

A second pier was later commissioned due to increased demand after paddle steamers and passenger ships to Swanage became more commonplace.

Work began in 1895 and this new pleasure pier was highly popular with visitors arriving by paddle-steamer and processing up and down the promenade until its decline in 1966 (along with the decline in the use of paddle steamers), and subsequent disrepair.

Now owned and maintained by the Swanage Pier Trust, who worked to raise over £1m to repair it, the pier has been rejuvenated as a tourist attraction and base for diving, angling and boat trips.

Watch this charming, illustrated video made for the Swanage Pier Trust with National Lottery Funding for a fun four-minute history of the pier:

Volunteering on the pier

The Swanage Pier Trust relies on volunteers for its continued maintenance, and must raise some £200,000 a year.

If you would like to donate or help with volunteering opportunities, visit the Trust’s website to find out more: www.swanagepiertrust.com/volunteering

Sponsor a plank

Celebratory and memorial plaques on the planks of Swanage Pier

Plaques dedicated to loved ones on Swanage Pier

As you walk along the pier you’ll notice that many of the planks have plaques with messages and dedications engraved on them.

Anyone can sponsor a plank, which aids the ongoing upkeep of the pier, and leaves a lasting memory in this special part of Swanage.

The commemorative plaques have a maximum message length of 30 letters and come with a certificate.

Many people leave a message for a loved one, or sponsor one to mark a special birthday or anniversary.

To find out more, email plaques@swanagepiertrust.com or visit the Swanage Pier Trust website: