Royal Victoria CP Story Trail

The story trail is called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park” and is one of Hampshire CC’s Story Trails. The trail starts at the chapel,

goes along the seafront

and ends at the Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area.

Bring a Pen!

Along the route, you have to answer questions and enter numbers into Professor Nutrino’s Great Agent Device for Gaining Extraordinary Time (‘GADGET’) so be sure to bring a pen!

Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area is a well-equipped play area with a large wooden castle, slides and a jeep. 

Netley Hospital

Royal Victoria Country Park itself stands on the site of Netley Hospital, a vast Victorian military hospital that was the world’s longest building.

All that remains today is the central chapel section. 

The Beach

The park overlooks Southampton Water and has a shingle beach.

We found lots of tiny shells and a some crabs. 

Other Things to Try

Royal Victoria Country Park has seafront walks as well as a permanent orienteering course, a miniature railway and a fairy garden. They also hold regular family events.

The Cedar Rooms

Next to the play area is the Cedar Rooms, a restaurant and cafe with a large outdoor seating area. We had a delicious, wood fired pizza.

Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails.  These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

Find a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form. 

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail. 

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day.

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seabirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Royal Victoria Country Park, including following the Royal Victoria Country Park Story Trail, in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Netley Park

Royal Victoria Country Park stands on the site of Netley Hospital, a vast Victorian military hospital that was the world’s longest building. 

Today, all that remains of the quarter of a mile long building is the central chapel, but by walking around the park you can get a sense of its enormous scale.

This photo was taken from one end of the hospital building – the chapel was the middle of the building, there was a whole other wing on the other side!

Southampton Water

The country park overlooks Southampton Water, which has a busy, slightly industrial feel – boats of all sizes regularly sail past and there is what looks like a refinery on the opposite shore.

The Beach

The shingle beaches are covered in little shells.

We collected about thirty in ten minutes.

There are ramps down onto the beach for easy access. In other places you have to jump!

Rock Pools and Crabbing

It might not look like it, but rock pools form amongst the pebbles along the beach.

If you look closely, you may spot a crab!

We managed to find quite a few.

Then let them go and watched as they buried themselves again.

Royal Victoria CP Story Trail

The Royal Victoria Country Park Story Trail is called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park“ and follows Professor Nutrino, a Time Agent, as she battles to fix a tear in time…with a little help from your children.

And There’s More

The park also has fields to play in

a miniature railway called the Royal Victoria Railway

a permanent orienteering course (course map available from the Visitor Centre), family activities and a fairy garden…

…with a huge picnic table guarded by a wizard!

The Cedar Rooms

Next to the play area is the Cedar Rooms, a restaurant and cafe with a large outdoor seating area. We had a delicious, wood fired pizza.

The Paths

The fields were dry and the paths were flat and easy to push a buggy along.  

Some still show signs of the past.

Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The Royal Victoria Country Park Adventure Play Area play equipment includes things like:

• a large wooden fort with slides, tunnels, nets, a wobbly bridge and easy to climb ramps
• lots of different swings
• a roundabout
• a music wall
• a multiplay for younger children.

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: The Cedar Rooms cafe and restaurant or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several, good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seagulls, waterbirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The play equipment is for children to the age of 14 years old and includes:

• a large wooden fort with slides, tunnels, nets, a wobbly bridge and easy to climb ramps
• swings
• toddler swings
• a chair swing
• a basket swing

• a climbing wall (but there were no hand or foot holds when we visited)
• a roundabout
• zip wires (but they were not there when we visited)
• flower ‘telephones’

• a sensory garden
• a jeep
• a musical wall
• a small multiplay with a slide.

The Beach

Royal Victoria Country Park overlooks Southampton Water and has a shingle beach and seafront walks.

There is also a story trail called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park”, and a permanent orienteering course

a miniature railway and a fairy garden.

The Cedar Rooms

Next to the play area is the Cedar Rooms, a restaurant and cafe with a large outdoor seating area. We had a delicious, wood fired pizza.

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several, good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seagulls, waterbirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Lymington-Keyhaven Story Trail

The Story of Salterns, Sea Monsters and Saving the Day is a walk of just over a mile that guides you through the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve 

and a little of its history, whilst telling you a story of salt farmers, sailors, smugglers and a huge sea monster. 

Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve

The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve is an expanse of coastal lagoons, mudflats and marshes and an important nesting site for birds.  

In the past it was used to farm salt. 

The Paths

The paths are flat and easy to walk along with a range of surfaces.

Finding the Reserve

To find the reserve, follow the post code to Maiden Lane, where you can park. Where Maiden Lan becomes Normandy Lane, you will see this side road. 

To start the Story Trail, follow the road past the sailing club and you will come to this gate, which is where the story trail begins.

Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails. These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

Find a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form. 

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

Nearest Town: Lymington, near Christchurch in the New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 8AF

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: The paths are flat and easy to walk on.

Parking: You can park on Maiden Lane by the side of the road. 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and seabirds.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve and the Salterns Story Trail in Lymington, in the New Forest, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve

The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve is an expanse of coastal lagoons, mudflats and marshes and an important nesting site for birds.  

The mud flats look very different at high 

and low tide.

Salt Production

To produce salt, coastal lagoons were built into salt docks, called Salterns, which trapped the sea water. 

The sea water was left to evaporate and, once reduced to a salty solution, it was heated in metal pans until only salt crystals were left.  

All that remains of this industry are the lagoons and this building, which was once a salt barn.  You can find this between points 4 and 5 on the Story Trail map. 

The Story Trail

The Story of Salterns, Sea Monsters and Saving the Day is a story trail that takes you back to 1832 and the life of a salt farmer as they meet sailors, smugglers and a huge sea monster. 

The Paths

The paths are flat and easy to walk along with a range of surfaces.

Finding the Reserve

To find the reserve, follow the post code to Maiden Lane, where you can park. Where Maiden Lan becomes Normandy Lane, you will see this side road. 

You can either take the small footpath on your left (next to the green bin in the photo)

or follow the road a little further and enter the reserve through this gate, which is where the story trail begins.

Nearest Town: Lymington, near Christchurch in the New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 8AF

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: The paths are flat and easy to walk on.

Parking: You can park on Maiden Lane by the side of the road. 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and seabirds.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve and the Salterns Story Trail in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

West Wittering Beach

West Wittering is an easy beach to visit with children. 

There is a very large car park next to the beach.  There are also a cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

It can be very busy during warm summer days, with traffic blocking the roads to the beaches. 

East Head

At the very end of the car park is East Head, a wild spit of land managed by the National Trust with shingle and sand beaches, dunes and salt marshes.  

If you are very lucky, you may even spot a seal.

Nearest Town: West Wittering, Near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8AJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, and accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: All day
Buggies: Usual beach issues – some paths are uneven and others are sandy. 

Parking: There is a large paid for car park by the beach.
Cost of Parking: Varies with the time of year.  If you book in advance you receive a discount.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life and seabirds

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to West Wittering Beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Lepe Country Park

If you need an energy busting day then plan on paddling, sand castles and fossil finding before the tide comes in and then fairy door hunts, adventure play and a nature walk.

Or if you just want somewhere to relax, just sit back and enjoy the view.

Meadows

Alternatively, walk towards the east end of the beach past wild flower meadows on one side and the sea on the other.

This is a buggy friendly route that leads you to the beach, Lepe Point and Stansore Point, where the path becomes much sandier.

Lepe Point Nature Reserve

Lepe Point Nature Reserve, is a protected area of woodland and meadows with a boardwalk, pond and bird hide.

Stansore Point

Stansore Point is a good place to sit and enjoy the view, whether you want to watch huge ships cruise The Solent or gaze across at the Isle of Wight.

D-Day Remnants

There are D-Day remnants near Stansore Point, including pier heads, construction platforms and slip ways.

You can see pictures and find further details on the New Forest Remembers website.

Fossil Finding

At Stansore Point it is also possible to find fossils of shells, plants and mammal bones, including mammoth bones. I understand it is best to look when the tide is out and to bring wellies in case the clay is exposed.

Have a look at the UK Fossil Collecting website for full details.

You can also have a look at the western end of the beach where you can find fossil shells and corals. 

Dinosaur Footprint

Inside the Visitor Centre is a dinosaur footprint, which was found at Lepe. It is on the floor on the right of the desk by the window.

Fairy Door Trails

There are two trails to choose from – one through the Sensory Garden and another across the wild flower meadows and cliffs. 

The doors are marked on a map and are each in a different type of tree with a little explanation about the kind of fairy living inside. 

Lepe Beach

There is a family beach area, which is a very short walk from the car park. 

Further down the beach, low tide reveals a spit of land where we found crabs amongst the rocks, dug holes to catch the sea, built up huge sand castles and found interesting stones, including one of the bone shaped ‘fossils’ mentioned above.

Lepe Country Park Adventure Play Area

The Lepe Country Park Play Area is a wooden adventure play area with equipment that includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing
• a basket swing
• insect shaped springers
• a seesaw
• play houses
• a double slide with easy to climb stairs
• an obstacle course with logs, stumps, ropes and nets
• a wooden climbing frame
• a snake balance trail
• picnic tables
• seats.

Nearest Town: Exbury, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO45 1AD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Try the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, picnic area, snacks, ice creams, barbecues, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: There are some pathways that are buggy friendly along the seafront.  The beach itself can be hard to push a buggy along because it is divided by wooden posts, many of which have rotted to near sand level and are splintered in places.

Parking: There are two pay and display car parks – one next to the play area and fairy trails and another next to the beach, Visitor Centre and cafe. These are connected by stairs that lead down to the beach but we drove between the two because we were using a buggy. We parked easily in both but it must be very busy at peak times.
Cost of Parking: For April to September start at £2.50 for one hour and an all day ticket costs £9.50.

Wildlife You Might See: Seaside wildlife, seabirds and other birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: September 2017
Information Checked: May 2023

Our visit to Lepe Country Park in Exbury in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Lepe Country Park Adventure Play Area

The wooden play equipment includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing
• a basket swing
• insect shaped springers
• a seesaw
• play houses
• a double slide with easy to climb stairs
• an obstacle course with logs, stumps, ropes and nets
• a wooden climbing frame
• a snake balance trail
• picnic tables
• seats.

Lepe Country Park

Lepe Country Park has a huge range of activities on offer. 

If you need an energy busting day then plan on paddling, sand castles and fossil finding before the tide comes in and then fairy door hunts, adventure play and a nature walk.

Or if you just want somewhere to relax, sit back and enjoy the view.

Nearest Town: Exbury, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO45 1AD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Try the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, picnic area, snacks, ice creams, barbecues, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: There are some pathways that are buggy friendly along the seafront.  The beach itself can be hard to push a buggy along because it is divided by wooden posts, many of which have rotted to near sand level and are splintered in places.

Parking: There are two pay and display car parks – one next to the play area and another next to the beach, Visitor Centre and cafe. These are connected by stairs that lead down to the beach but we drove between the two because we were using a buggy. We parked easily in both but it must be very busy at peak times.
Cost of Parking: For April to September start at £2.50 for one hour and an all day ticket costs £9.50.

Wildlife You Might See: Seaside wildlife, seabirds and other birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: September 2017
Information Checked: May 2023

Our visit to Lepe Country Park Play Area, near Langley in the New Forest, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Bracklesham Bay

Bracklesham Bay is a beach a little to the East of the better known West Wittering beach.

Finding Fossils

Fossils can be found all over the beach. The best time to start to look for fossils is from about an hour before low tide when the sea starts to roll back, revealing the sand. 

There are lots of different types of fossils you could discover, including shells, shark teeth and ray teeth.

No Equipment Needed!

You don’t need any special equipment to find these fossils. It is a good idea to bring some towels, containers, and kitchen roll to keep them safe. 

Other Things to Look For

As well as fossils, you can find bits of driftwood, seaweed, shells, crabs, and hermit crabs.

The Beach

We always round our trips off with a visit to The Beach, a relaxed, child-friendly beach restaurant and cafe. 

Watch the Sunset

Billy’s has recently been named as one of the top 25 places in the world to watch the sunset – listed with places like Florida, Bora Bora, and Mexico!

Access to the Beach

The car park is next to the beach so access is generally easy but it can be difficult with a buggy because you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

Access is easier from the slipway next to Billy’s.

The Tides

Be sure to check the tide times before you visit. The beach is a sandy expanse (with shingle) when the tide is out

but the sand disappears quickly as the tide comes in. 

Nearest Town: Bracklesham Bay, near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8JH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Billy’s on the Beach. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice creams, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a pay and display car park. It can be very busy on warm days.
Cost of Parking: Various

Wildlife You Might See: Sea creatures and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: February 2023

Our visit to Bracklesham Bay beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Hurst Spit

Hurst Spit separates the sea and the Lymington River Estuary.  

To one side it has mudflats and salt marshes.  

To the other it has the sea and views to the Isle of Wight and the Needles. 

Swimming or using inflatables in the sea here is not recommended as the currents are very strong.

Walking to Hurst Castle

The walk to the castle is about two miles and is part of the Solent Way. It is not the easiest of walks.  Sturdy footwear is recommended and it is hard going with a buggy.

You can pick up the path to Hurst Spit and Hurst Castle from Keyhaven Car Park – just head for the Hurst Castle Ferry and then keep walking.  

Sailing to Hurst Castle

If you would like to visit Hurst Castle but don’t fancy the walk or have little ones with you, then consider the Hurst Castle ferry.  

It is a beautiful 20 minute ferry ride through salt marshes, mud flats and moored boats. 

Hurst Castle

Hurst Castle is an artillery fort that was built in the 16th century by Henry VIII to protect the Solent, Southampton and Portsmouth. 

It is one of the best preserved of Henry VIII’s castles and had an active military role until the mid-20th century.

Nearest Town: Lymington, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 0TP takes you to Keyhaven Car Park and if you keep driving, Hurst Spit. 

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: Hurst Spit is free but there are various costs for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Child Cost Range: Hurst Spit is free but there are various costs for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Free if: Hurst Spit is free. Children under 5 years enter the castle for free.

Where to Eat: Eat at the Hurst Castle cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: There are toilets and accessible toilets inside Hurt Castle. There are no toilets available for people not visiting the castle. There is a cafe outside the castle that is available to all visitors.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Not buggy friendly. 

Parking: Pay and display car park at Keyhaven. 
Cost of Parking: From £3 for two hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Fish, crabs, seabirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: January 2023

Our visit to Hurst Spit and Hurst Castle near Milford on Sea in the New Forest, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Hurst Castle

The castle is strategically placed at the end of Hurst Spit, halfway between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. It can only be reached by a little ferry or on foot. 

It is a coastal fort so it does not look like a traditional castle. It is low to the ground to make the smallest possible target for enemy ships, 

and has thick walls to withstand bombardment.

Inside the walls is a labyrinth of passageways, stairs 

and some enormous guns on display. 

There are also some beautiful views from the ramparts.

The Ferry – Sailing to Hurst Castle

Our favourite part of the trip was the beautiful twenty minute ferry ride on a boat that takes you past salt marshes, mud flats and moored boats.

The ferries were running every 20 to 30 minutes when we visited. 

Hurst Spit – Walking to Hurst Castle

You can walk to the castle along Hurst Spit, which is about a two mile walk along the sea. This walk is part of the Solent Way.

Hurst Spit is a shingle bank that juts into The Solent, linking Keyhaven and Hurst Castle. It separates the sea from the Lymington River Estuary. 

As this walk takes you over shingle, sturdy footwear is recommended. It is hard going with a buggy.

Swimming or using inflatables in the sea here is not recommended as the currents are very strong.

You can pick up the path to Hurst Spit and Hurst Castle from Keyhaven Car Park – just head for the Hurst Castle Ferry and then keep walking.  

Nearest Town: Lymington, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 0TP

Opens: There are various opening times depending on the time of year. Please see the websites for details.

Adult Cost Range: Various costs for the ferry and for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Child Cost Range: Various costs for the ferry and for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Free if: Under 3 years for the ferry. Under 5 years for the castle.

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: There are toilets and accessible toilets inside Hurt Castle. There are no toilets available for people not visiting the castle. There is a cafe outside the castle that is available to all visitors.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Not buggy friendly but you could bring a buggy if you were prepared to leave it somewhere as you explore the castle, which has lots of steps. I wouldn’t take a buggy onto Hurst Spit as it would be too hard to push. 

Parking: Pay and display car park at Keyhaven. 
Cost of Parking: From £3 for two hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Fish, crabs, seabirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: June 2020
Information Checked: July 2022

Our visit to Hurst Castle and the Hurst Castle Ferry, near Milford on Sea in the New Forest, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Mudeford Quay Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing 
• a wooden ship climbing frame with a slide, nets, a rope bridge and a climbing wall
• a spinning cup
• a seesaw 
• a roundabout 
• two wooden springers 
• a little zip wire 
• a sand play area with chutes
• seats and 
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Christchurch, near Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 4AB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic table, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large pay and display car park
Cost of Parking: From £1.70 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds, crabs and other sealife.

Information Written: July 2022

 

 Our visit to Mudeford Quay in Christchurch is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Boats

There are boat trips from the quay, including the Mudeford Ferry, which will take you across Chichester Harbour and to the beach opposite the quay on Mudeford Sandbank and Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve.  

The ferry only takes cash and sails at various times during the year so be sure to check their website before you go. 

Crabbing

People fish for crabs from the quayside using lines and bait bags, which can be bought on the quayside.  You are asked not to use hooks.

Places to Eat

Along the quay there are a couple of places to eat and also to buy crabbing supplies.

Mudeford Quay Beach

Mudeford Quay Beach is next to the car park and is a small stretch of sandy beach that overlooks Christchurch harbour. 

This beach is a good place to launch a boat, kayak, paddle board etc or to play in the sand.  It’s not really somewhere suitable to paddle or play in the water as it is muddy.

Avon Beach

Avon Beach starts next to the car park, where it is a mixture of sand and shingle. Further along the beach it becomes sandier.  

There is a track running alongside the beach that you can use to find the Avon Beach facilities, which include a shop, cafe and toilets.  

Mudeford Quay Play Area

Next to the quay and car park is Mudeford Quay Play Area, a small adventure play area dominated by a huge ship to plunder. 

The play equipment includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing 
• a wooden ship climbing frame with a slide, nets, a rope bridge and a climbing wall
• a spinning cup
• a seesaw 
• a roundabout 
• two wooden springers 
• a little zip wire 
• a sand play area with chutes
• seats and 
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Christchurch, near Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 4AB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic table, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large pay and display car park
Cost of Parking: From £1.70 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds, crabs and other sealife.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Mudeford Quay in Christchurch is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Mudeford Quay Beach

This is a good place to launch a boat, kayak etc or to play in the sand.  It’s not really somewhere suitable to paddle or play in the water though as it is muddy. 

Instead, take the ferry to the beach opposite the quay on Mudeford Sandbank or walk down to Avon Beach. 

Mudeford Quay 

Mudeford Quay is a working fishing harbour at the mouth of Christchurch Harbour. You can ride a ferry, try crabbing or simply relax on the beach.

Crabbing 

People fish for crabs from the quayside using lines and bait bags, which can be bought on the quayside. You are asked not to use hooks.

Mudeford Quay Play Area

Next to the quay and car park is Mudeford Quay Play Area, a small adventure play area dominated by a huge ship to plunder. 

The play equipment includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing 
• a wooden ship climbing frame with a slide, nets, a rope bridge and a climbing wall
• a spinning cup
• a seesaw 
• a roundabout 
• two wooden springers 
• a little zip wire 
• a sand play area with chutes
• seats 
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Christchurch, near Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 4AB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic table, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large pay and display car park
Cost of Parking: From £1.70 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds, crabs and other sealife.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Mudeford Quay Beach in Christchurch is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Highcliffe Recreation Ground

The play equipment includes:

• a multiplay with a big slide and a small slide, nets, a tunnel, bridges and a fireman’s pole
• an obstacle course
• swings
• toddler swings 
• a basket swing
• a wooden climbing frame with nets
• a spinner 

• a seesaw 
• a roundabout 
• a music area
• a duck and a horse springer 
• a zip wire 
• a climbing frame for older children 
• a climbing wall
• seats.

Next to the play area is a basketball net and a field with a football pitch. There are also public toilets.

Highcliffe Beach

Highcliffe Beach is very nearby and you can enjoy spectacular views, playing on the beach finding fossils or eating at the child-friendly Cliffhanger Cafe.

Nearest Town: Highcliffe, near Christchurch and Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 5ET

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try one of the local cafes. 
Facilities: Toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large car park
Cost of Parking: Various depending on the season.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Highcliffe Play Area in Highcliffe near Christchurch is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Highcliffe Beach

The views from the clifftop are spectacular. You can see along the coast for miles in both directions and out to the Isle of Wight and The Needles.

Cliffhanger Cafe

The Cliffhanger Cafe is a child-friendly cafe next to the car park. On arrival the staff gave us a highchair, a colouring book and some crayons.

Double High Waters…

At low tide, the beach is an expanse of sand and shingle. 

At high tide the beach all but disappears.

Be sure to check the tides when planning your trip – I have been caught out on a number of occasions by the unusual ‘Double High Waters’ here. 

Finding Fossils

Along the beach we noticed some lumps of clay lying on the beach that were full of small, grey shells and tubes. Some were visible on the outside of the clay and some were hidden inside. 

In about fifteen minutes we managed to collect 7 fossils. 

They were whole and quite small – most were less than 2cm long.

The Cliffs

The cliffs can be unstable so we do not look for fossils on or near the cliffs. They are also made of clay so you can get very muddy when you visit.

To Reach the Beach

The are two routes from the car park down to Highcliffe beach. 

There is a path down the cliffs, which has a sea view but is steep with some stairs. 

There is an easier route that can be accessed through a green gate on Waterford Road (by Cliffhanger Cafe) at the entrance to the car park. It doesn’t have any stairs and has a smooth and less steep surface (at the bottom left of this photo).

Highcliffe Play Area

If you find yourself waiting for the tide to change, or just fancy a play, then have a look at the nearby Highcliffe Play Area.

Nearest Town: Highcliffe, near Christchurch and Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 5DG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the Cliffhanger Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, picnic tables, cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly if you use the easier route to the beach (detailed above).

Parking: Large car park
Cost of Parking: Various depending on the season.

Wildlife You Might See: Sealife and seabirds.

Information Written: November 2016
Information Checked: July 2022

Our visit to Highcliffe Beach in Highcliffe near Christchurch is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Tout Quarries

This area was once a Portland stone quarry that has now been turned into an open-air sculpture park and workshop with spectacular views across Chesil Beach and Portland Harbour. 

And if you are really lucky, you may even see a sculptor at work! 

The Sculptures 

There are over 60 sculptures around the quarry. Some are enormous and others are much smaller and harder to spot.

There is a map of the sculptures on the information board in the car park. 

We took a photo of it and used it to play Find the Sculpture. 

Quarry Remnants

Tout Quarry was worked as a limestone quarry from about the 1750s to the 1980s. You can look for signs of these quarry workings as you walk around. There are: 

old tramways

tunnel entrances and hidden shelters

dry stone walls and archways.

Nearest Town: Portland, Weymouth 
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: DT5 2LN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and blanket.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: You can use a buggy on the main paths but most of the side paths are narrow and uneven in places and some also have steps.  

Parking: There is a small car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and insects.

Information Written: April 2021

Our visit to Tout Quarries in Weymouth is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Priest’s Way

The walk to Keates Quarry and the dinosaur footprints is an easy 3/4 of a mile along paths with sea views. 

When you leave the Spyway car park head towards the sea and then turn right onto Priest’s Way in the direction of Worth Matravers. 

Keate’s Quarry

Along Priest’s Way you walk past a working quarry that is surrounded by stacks of stone. This is limestone from the local area, which has been quarried for centuries, building places like Corfe Castle and Westminster Abbey. 

“Dinosaur Tracks” This Way

A little way after the quarry you come to a gate on the right with a picture of a dinosaur and “Dinosaur tracks” written on it.

Keates Quarry is then just a short walk across the field.

Be sure to bring wellies! It was very muddy when we visited and we had to make stepping stones to reach the gate.

Dinosaur Footprints

The fossilised dinosaur tracks are believed to have originally been made by Brachiosauruses walking on a lagoon’s beach. 

Brachiosauruses were enormous plant eating dinosaurs that could grow to 30m long. They lived 145 million years ago at a time when Dorset was a tropical area covered in swamps, lagoons and forests. 

The footprints are enormous! 

We think we spotted baby dinosaur footprints too.  

Dancing Ledge and the Cliffs

From the Spyway car park you can also walk towards the sea and cliffs and then either walk down the coastal paths or just enjoy the beautiful views. 

I understand you can also see Dancing Ledge, which is an area of cliff that has been quarried into a flat ledge and has a rock pool that was created for local school children. 

Scratched Arse Ware?

Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore the rest of Spyway and discover what Scratched Arse Ware is or see Dancing Ledge but I will update this post after our next visit.

Instead we drove for 20 minutes to Dorchester to see the Dinosaur Museum.

The Paths

When we visited, the paths ranged from smooth to muddy and bumpy. I used an all terrain buggy and think you might struggle with a normal buggy. 

Nearest Town: Swanage
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH19 3HG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: I used an all terrain buggy without any problems, although I could not push it over the muddy fields. I think some of the paths might be too bumpy for a normal buggy.

Parking: There is medium sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds like puffins, shags, guillemots and sea gulls, cows and insects.

Information Written: February 2020

Our visit to the dinosaur footprints at Spyway in Swanage is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Life

The brilliance of this museum is that it displays the fossils and then brings them to life in multiple ways…

drawing the animals around them to illustrate which body part the fossil came from

providing specimens you can touch

showing you the workroom where fossils are removed from rocks

using CGI to show you what the creatures could have looked millions of years ago

providing hands-on, child-friendly activities like fossil excavation, puzzles, colouring and painting

posing a Mesozoic Murder Mystery for you to solve – can you use fossils to work out who ate the plesiosaur?

Find Fossils For Yourself

It also encourages you to go down to Kimmeridge Bay beach and find fossils yourself.

Great Value

The Etches Collection is interactive, modern, fun and informative. It is also great value, as one ticket gives you free entry for a year, and compact, so there are no problems with short attention spans. 

6 Out of 5!

I asked my children how they would rate The Etches Collection and Kimmeridge Bay out of 5 and they said, “6”, which sums it up perfectly – we love coming here.

Nearest Town: Kimmeridge, near Wareham
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH20 5PE

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Child Cost Range: £0 to £4.99
Free if: Under 5 years or with a ticket bought in the last 12 months.

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Cafe, picnic area and a nearby restaurant. 
Facilities: Cafe, shop, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: November 2019

Our visit to The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Kimmeridge Bay, near Wareham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Rock Pooling

Low tide reveals sandy areas and rock pools where we have spotted fish, crabs and anemones. The rocks can be slippery though so take care.

Be sure to plan your visit around the tides. At high tide there is hardly any beach and it would be easy to become cut off. 

The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and Snorkel Trail

The sea around Kimmeridge Bay is protected as the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve. There is a 400m long snorkelling nature trail around the marine reserve that has good visibility. 

For details, drop into the Fine Foundation Marine Centre, which is run by the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and has exhibits with information on the bay’s wildlife as well as equipment to hire.

Fossil Hunting

It is easy to find fossils at Kimmeridge Bay. 

This photo shows one of two large fossilised ammonite shells that are visible as you walk along the beach. To find these, turn left at the bottom of the stairs that lead down from the car park and keep your eyes peeled. 

It is also possible to find fossils on or inside rocks lying on the beach (but note that you are not allowed to use hammers). 

If you are very lucky you may even find bones from marine reptiles.  

The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life 

The Etches Collection is a brilliant museum that displays and brings to life the fossils you find at Kimmeridge Bay. It is interactive, modern, fun and informative and a must visit if you are going fossil hunting. 

The museum is about a five minute drive from the beach. We visit  during high tide, whether that is before or after we go to the beach.

Accessibility

The beach is accessed by a steep flight of stairs. The beach itself is fairly flat but the rocks can be slippery when wet. 

There are warning signs that the cliffs are dangerous and can be unstable, so we never go near the cliffs.

Nearest Town: Kimmeridge, near Wareham
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH20 5PF

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Portaloo toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: The beach is accessed by a steep flight of stairs that are hard to take a buggy down.

Parking: There is good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free but there is a toll road that operates in high season. 

Information Written: October 2019

Our visit to Kimmeridge Bay and The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Kimmeridge, near Wareham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.