Exploring the Bournemouth Coast Path

Investigation work for  a possible coastal defence scheme at Barton-on-Sea can now start following a £300,000 government grant.

New Forest District Council will attempt to reduce the speed of erosion caused by the flow of inland water.

This news comes just after someone spent a night halfway down the cliff due to falling when climbing. This should be  a warning not to stray from the path.

Someone who knew much about the erosion at Barton was the former council coastal warden Robert Dunn who has died suddenly aged just 64. His work at Barton included making handrails.

See page 71.

To  leave the Borough of Poole on the coast path you climb out of Branksome Dene Chine and turn into Sandbourne Road. The first striking building is number 37 across the road.

It is a Cape Dutch-style house with a blue roof and a beautifully carved window frame on the first floor.

I am told that it was built in the Thirties by an English woman who had lived in Holland but fearing war wanted to come home. She planned a green roof but in 1932 the builder had difficulty sourcing any green tiles quickly.

After the Second World War her sister lived at the house which, unusually for the area, has a garden running to the top of the cliff.

Now the house is empty and looking neglected. Worse news is that there is  a planning application to replace it  with a modern building. The official deadline for objections is the end of this week.

See page 27.

There is no Sandbanks ferry service during November.

The vessel is being towed to Southampton for a refit.

There appears to be no alternative crossing available. Wilts & Dorset has an temporary timetable for the 50 route which is running from Bournemouth Square to Studland via Wareham and Swanage. Note that the bus is not starting at Bournemouth Station during November.

See page 20

BBC South Today is reporting growing local anger over an empty hotel on Bournemouth’s West Cliff.

The St George Hotel at the south end of West Cliff Gardens has beautiful red hanging tiles but the only occupants are pigeons. Neighbours running other hotels feel that it gives a bad impression.  John Warwick, who owns the Hotel Riviera on the east side, says it puts off potential guests.

You see the hotel with missing windows when passing along the coast path between Durley Chine and the Highcliff Hotel. The views from the St George are as good as those from the Highcliff.

The St George has 25 bedrooms, most with a bathroom, and was a two star hotel with AA and RAC listing.

The building needs to be restored.

This enclave of reasonable tariff hotels across the grass from the cliff top is also handy for walkers.

See page  30.

Yesterday Bournemouth’s Mary Shelley Festival ended with a performance of a play at the Mary Shelley pub and a brief poetry reading at the Shelley tomb at St Peter’s.

At the end of this month there will be an opportunity to see another play about Shelley performed at the cliff top Shelley Park in Boscombe. The house was home to the poet’s son Sir Percy who built an indoor theatre where he staged his own plays. He even painted scenery.

Frankenstein – The year without a summer is being performed by candlelight in the as yet unrestored theatre on Wedesday 27 to Saturday 30 October. Booking is via the Regent Centre at Christchurch. The rest of the building, part of the town and coast path heritage, has recently been restored.

See page 46 and 47.

Following improvements to the cliff exit from Highcliffe Castle there is now news of a new surface for the Christchurch Coastal Path in front of the car park to the east. Work started last month on laying a long lasting surface to the path linking the top of Culmore Steps to the Cliffhanger Cafe.

See page 69.

In The Guardian this weekend Simon Hoggart deplores the fact that this year no party conference is at the seaside.

He seems to have enjoyed coming to Bournemouth and although he is rude about the seafront (meaning the IMAX) he speaks highly of “one of the finest coastal views in the country” from the cliff top.

Sandbanks Ferry will be out of action during November.

There will be no service from Monday 1 November for at least three weeks.

Wilts & Dorset bus route 50 has a special November timetable.

See page 20.

The Bankes Arms at Studland is named today by Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz as one of his top ten brew pubs

“Alongside the pub is the Isle of Purbeck Brewery, a substantial 10-barrel plant that started life as the Poole Brewery before moving to Studland. Other pubs are supplied but the complete range is on sale in the Bankes Arms: Best Bitter, Fossil Fuel, Solar Power, Studland Bay Wrecked and IPA, with Harvest Pale Ale in autumn and Thermal Cheer in winter.

“In good weather, you can drink and eat in a large beer garden over the lane from the pub, with stunning views of the sea, Old Harry Rocks and Bournemouth across the bay.”

The 2011 Good Beer Guide includes the Ship in Distress and the Nelson Tavern on the Southbourne-Mudeford winter route.

See pages 16, 60 and 61.

This weekend comes the astonishing news that the Point House Cafe building is to be demolished.

Permission for a replacement in the form of  a block of flats has come from a planning inspector who says that a new building will be an improvement.

The Bournemouth Daily Echo has the story.

See page 52.