Swanage
A Victorian seaside town on the Isle of Purbeck with a beach, a wooden pier and a steam railway station. It makes a good base for the eastern part of the coast.
Swanage was once a shipping port for Purbeck stone and is now a relaxed resort town with a gently sloping beach that suits families. The Victorian wooden pier is a pleasant walk and a popular spot for watching divers. The town has fish and chip shops and seafood cafés. It is the starting point of the Swanage Railway. A walk north leads to Old Harry Rocks, and a walk south leads to Durlston Country Park. You can reach Swanage from Poole by bus or by chain ferry.
Opening hours
Open all day; pier about 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Durlston Country Park
- Swanage Railway
- Studland Bay
- Dancing Ledge
- Old Harry Rocks
- Brownsea Island
- Corfe Castle
- The Etches Collection