Swanage is a picturesque seaside town that hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years. It’s a family-friendly resort that becomes busy for a few months over the summer and then returns to it’s sleepy self out of season.
The beach is gently sloping with clean golden sand and clear unpolluted water. It’s a great choice for a relaxing break and the town makes an ideal base for exploring the nearby Purbeck Hills and Jurassic Coast. There are plenty of more adventurous activities to keep you busy such as walking, cycling, kayaking, snorkelling, sea fishing and diving to mention a few.
#2 Take a walk through the town and along the Pier. Have an ice-cream or fish & chips
#3 Visit the Tourist Information Centre (Google map) – it’s located right on the seafront in The White House along Shore Road. The centre has loads of brochures and maps, information about events, accommodation, boat trips, bus timetables and excursions etc. The staff are also friendly and helpful so if you’ve just arrived in Swanage on holiday and you’ve already dipped your toes in the sea and eaten an ice-cream then this is your next port of call.
#4 Swanage Railway – take a steam train through the beautiful Purbeck countryside to Corfe Castle
#5 Durlston Country Park offers clifftop walks with stunning views and is located only 1 mile away.
Panoramic image showing the beach front and chalky headland beyond called Ballard Cliff.The promenade and seafront. Banjo Pier is the name given to the short stone pier. It actually forms the storm-water outflow from the road drainage system so in times of heavy rain it’s probably not the best place to go swimming. However I have heard that it’s quite a good place to fish from.The clock tower shelter at the entrance to Banjo Pier located about half way along the beach (Google map)View along the seafront back towards town. You can see Swanage Pier in the distance.
Swanage Main Beach Car Park
Sat Nav postcode is BH19 1AP (Google map) . This is the largest and most convenient car park for visiting the beach.
Payment can be made using cash, phone or using an online app (JustPark location 5951).
Charges apply 24 hrs Mon-Sun. Information checked/updated on 27 March 2023
Banjo Pier – always a popular spot with photographers. The pier point east so good for a sunrise but sometimes at sunset you can some really beautiful skies.Punch and Judy show on the beach during the summer monthsThere are quite a few independent shops around the town including art galleries, handicrafts and even a bear shop Corfe Bears https://www.corfebears.co.uk that can be found in the High StreetA visit wouldn’t be complete without fish and chips. The Fish Plaice http://www.fishplaice.co.uk is recommended and can be found on The Square just a few metres from the waters edge (Google map). Eat inside the restaurant if possible. If you order a take-away and go and sit near the sea then you can be sure the seagulls won’t leave you in peace for long.Swanage Museum and Heritage Centre https://swanagemuseum.org.uk (Google map) The museum is located on The Square opposite the fish and chip restaurants. Entrance is FREE. The museum is a great source of information on the history, geology and geography of the town and surrounding area. This used to be the Old Market Building.A view looking up the High Street. At the top on the left you can see the lovely Purbeck House Hotel. If you continue past the hotel for another 150m and turn right into Church Hill you will see St Marys Church and next to the church is the Mill Pond.St Marys Church, Church Hill (Google map) is the ancient parish church that has been entirely rebuilt in 1860 apart from the tower which dates back much further.Just to the left of St Marys Church is the Mill Pond (Google map). This is a particularly attractive and peaceful area. The pond is fed by water from an underground source originating under the Purbeck Hills. Panoramic view of the Mill PondThe Stone Quay. Entrance to Swanage Pier https://www.swanagepiertrust.com Entrance fee Adults £1.50, Child (5-14yrs) Free. Children must be accompanied by an adult.Boats run from the pier to Poole Quay. There are also trips along the Jurassic Coast. For more info see our Boat Trips from SwanageThe Best Swanage Walks https://www.dorsetwalks.co.uk/
