Sandbanks Beach
Beach · A wide sandy beach on the spit at the mouth of Poole Harbour.
Poole
A huge natural harbour with a lively old quay, a free museum, an island nature reserve a ferry ride away and three miles of sandy beach.
From King's Cross St Pancras: 2 h 36 min by train · 3 h 6 min by car
Travel times by TravelTime
Time there: 7.5–12.5 h to see all 5 places
Get directionsTownBy the seaBeachesGardens & parksMuseums
Must-see places
Brownsea Island
Nature · A National Trust island in the middle of Poole Harbour, reached by ferry, with woodland, shoreline and wildlife.
Poole Museum
Museum · A free museum in the Old Town telling Poole's story as a port, from shipwrecks to its power station.
Compton Acres
Garden · Five themed gardens on a circular route, from an Italian garden to a Japanese one.
Poole Quay
Waterfront · The historic harbour quay, lined with old buildings, pubs and fishing boats, where the Brownsea Island ferries leave.
Quick facts
Poole Harbour is one of the world's largest natural harbours, and Brownsea Island, a National Trust nature island, is a short ferry ride from Poole Quay.
Poole's beaches run for about three miles along Poole Bay, from Sandbanks to Branksome Dene Chine, and have won the European Blue Flag many times.
Poole Museum in the Old Town is free to enter, and the quayside beside it is lined with historic buildings, pubs and fishing boats.
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