Bournemouth architecture - the railway station
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 - view from the pier
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.
Bournemouth Lower Gardens and balloon
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.
The beach, a short yellow-bus ride from the station, is big and sandy, there are department stores in the town centre and I admit I was impressed by the architecture. Here are some of my pictures…
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier - click on the picture to go to my aquarium gallery...
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier - beach huts
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth Pier - helter-skelter...
Bournemouth Pier - helter-skelter...
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth Pier - small merry-go-round
Bournemouth - view from the pier across to Old Harry Rocks - zoomed in. Click on the picture to go to my Old Harry Rocks gallery...
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - the Marriott Highcliff Hotel on West Cliff
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth - view from the pier
Bournemouth beach
Bournemouth West Cliff
Bournemouth beach - a lifeguard
Bournemouth Pier from the beach
Bournemouth - surely the Tregonwell statue deserves a better position? It's in a grotty shrub bed at the foot of an office block beside the road near the pier. Tregonwell was the founder of Bournemouth in 1811
Bournemouth - plaque on the Tregonwell statue
Bournemouth architecture - St Peter's Church
Bournemouth architecture - main shopping street
Bournemouth architecture - main shopping street
Bournemouth architecture
Bournemouth architecture - this looks very French
The Squirrelbasket 
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!
Interesting blog Pat.
Thanks for your comments, Shaz. I follow your tweets with interest as part of my heart is always in Dorset.
Bournemouth is very different from my childhood memories, as I always seem to remember it with gardens within sight of the sea. But maybe my memory plays me false…
I have lots of pictures of Poole (especially the Quay and Old Town) I haven’t posted yet. But soon…
Best wishes
x
great blog and Bournemouth should be in the “dorset places I love”, well done!