I am a bit hesitant about putting Bournemouth in the “Dorset places I love” galleries, as when I was a child it was in Hampshire and I don’t actually love it that much (I prefer Poole, which is smaller and more manageable and a genuine working town).
However, as seaside resorts go, Bournemouth has a lot to offer. See the tourism site here.
Bournemouth has changed a great deal since my childhood trips there from Poole in the 1960s, with my mother and Auntie May.
In those days it was very much Hampshire while Poole was Dorset. Dorset expanded to include Bournemouth in 1984 and for ceremonial purposes it is still considered to be in Dorset, although the town has had its own borough council again since 1997.
My biggest memory of Bournemouth was its gardens, which in those days seemed to be all along the cliffs and beside the beach. If I am not mistaken, the Lower Gardens have been much diminished over the decades and the remaining area seems hemmed in by major roads and other developments.
I suspect the town’s other gardens are in better nick.
However, when we visited in August 2010 we were there before 9am after the very convenient 10-minute train trip from Poole and had time only for a view of the pier and beach and a bit of shopping.
Thanks for sharing your photos – always interesting.
I was born here in 1964 and the gardens haven’t diminished and yes, my preference is for the gardens that lead away from the beach which lead to Coy Pond and beyond. There is a water tower there in the style of a castle tower which was originally built to power a water wheel using the Bourne stream to water the gardens (which used to be privately owned).
It’s not every often we go to the town now – we prefer Poole ourselves!
Thanks for your comments, Shaz. I follow your tweets with interest as part of my heart is always in Dorset.
great blog and Bournemouth should be in the “dorset places I love”, well done!