In today’s Independent Simon Calder looks at hidden gems for stay-at-home travellers.
He describes Mudeford Sandbank as “one of the most strangely wonderful locations in Britain” and just as good as Venice Beach, California.
See pages 55 and 59.
Moses Dock on Pennington Marshes has not only Creek Cottage but two Tudor buildings which may have been sea salt boiling houses.
Now the ground around them is being excavated over two weerks by volunteer archaeologists as part of the Festival of British Archaeology which starts on Monday 19 July.
The New Forest National Park Authority’s Archaeologist Frank Green says: “Salt was often said to be worth its weight in gold and has played a vital role in nearly every civilisation since the beginning of time. It has been used to preserve and improve the taste of food, for tanning hides to make leather and treating wounds. It wouldn’t be over-emphasising it to say that you could judge how sophisticated a society was by the availability of salt.
“The salt industry once dominated the New Forest coast and has shaped the natural and economic landscape which residents, visitors and nature lovers know today.”
At the industry’s peak in around 1730 there were 163 pans in the Lymington area. Between 1724 and 1766 Lymington exported 4,612 tons of salt in 64 ships – 12 cargoes were destined for Newfoundland, 33 to America and others to Norway, Ireland and the Channel Islands.
By the middle of the 19th century the coastal salt production industry died out because of the cost of fuel, because it could only be produced in the summer and because cheaper rock salt became available from Cheshire.
Frank adds: “What we do know from the 1840 tithe map for Lymington is that one of the buildings was much larger and longer than we see today.”
He believes it important that we find out as much as we can before the buildings and ground are lost to climate change.
The old buildings have planning permission for conversion into an office and storage, once the excavation is finished – ensuring they survive for future generations.
The excavation is part of the New Forest National Park Authority’s coastal heritage project which was set up to fully record the archaeology of the coastal area and to share this with as many people as possible.
Tours are available next week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 11am but booking is essential on [email protected]
The week after there is a tour on Sunday 25 July at 2pm and on Tuesday, Wednesday ad Thursday at 11am and 5.30pm. These later ones may offer greater finds as work will be much more advanced.
The site can be reached from near the Chequers Inn where salt was once weighed and sold.
See page 81.
Eric Pickles has been to Boscombe where he says that he remembered it as “being a dreadful place”.
Now he says he is “impressed” and compares the seaside there  to the revival of the canal in Birmingham. All these thoughts come after  a brisk walk along Boscombe Pier.  The Daily Echo has a report.
The minister was in Boscombe after dropping in on the Local Government Conference at the BIC in Bournemouth.
Walkers on the West Cliff have seen some familiar BBC faces and council leaders. All the Labour leadership contenders were there on Wednesday. Michael Gove addressed a very empty hall this afternoon. The weather outside was wonderful.
See pages 31 and 42.
It is Thursday today but Monday’s fire on the east side of Durley Chine has just been reported by the national press.
It was not the main local news on Tuesday as there were two other major fires that night -one in the Bourne Valley.
The 20 foot flames looked dramatic from the Highcliff Hotel as well as on the beach. The beach huts were undamaged.
See page 30.
Sandbanks will be extra busy with people attending the annual beach polo matches on Friday 9 July and Saturday 10 July.
Among those expected is Jodie Kidd who will be there to watch her brother.
For the first time there will be a game where camels take the places of ponies.
The British Beach Polo Championships is on the beach whilst the coast path follows the road to catch the views inland across Poole Harbour. But the road will be crowded.
Today is going to be hotter than yesterday. Maybe it’s the heat but there are reports of lots of dolphins in Poole Bay.
The Bournemouth Daily Echo has film.
Not  a day for  a long walk unless you are up early in my view but the bay will look wonderful.
The New Forest National Park Authority’s Recreation Management Strategy has been published following public consultation.
The report touches on the start of the Solent Way which continues the Bournemouth Coast Path beyond Milford-on-Sea.
The “coastal path between Lymington and Hurst Castle including Hurst Spit” is highlighted as a “honey pot” site.
Looking to the effect of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, introducing a new coastal trail, the report says: “Where there is an existing route along the coast which meets the relevant criteria, the trail is likely to adopt this line, as for example between Hurst Spit and Lymington.
“Where there is no suitable route, a new convenient or improved route will be provided that meets the criteria set out by Natural England.”
There is acknowlegement that west of Lymington the Solent Way is little used but a suggestion that “there is likely to be considerable latent demand for access if new facilities are provided”.
Copies of the Recreation Management Strategy can be downloaded from the New Forest website.
Today, Monday 14 June, is the 200th anniversary of Lewis Tregonwell coming to Bournemouth with his wife Henrietta.
The couple drove over by carriage from Mudeford so that Tregonwell could show his wife the delightful spot known as ‘Bourn’. She loved it and both resolved to build a house on the side of the chine. This was the beginning of development.
If they had not come maybe the Dorset heathland would have remained much longer and the Bournemouth Coast Path would have been the Poole or Poole Bay Coast Path. Or even just the Christchurch Coast Path.
Tregonwell knew the coast well and this was the attraction. Later Henry James was to marvel at the view of the bay whilst expressing dislike of the ‘new houses’.
The Tregonwells came back on 4 July, bought the land on 25 September and moved into the house in 1812. So there will another anniversary to keep in Golden Jubilee/Olympic Year. The house is now the Royal Exeter Hotel.
This year’s Bournemouth 2010 celebrations continue. Last Friday there was a special Mass at the Sacred Heart Church which was known to Aubrey Beardsley who spent a lot of time looking at the sea from his Boscombe hotel. Next month there are events to mark the anniversary of the 1910 air show which was of course part of the centenary programme. The occasion was marred by the accident which killed Charles Rolls of Rolls-Royce fame.
Although completed just before Easter, the coast path between Mudeford Quay and Avon Beach has just been officially opened.
The Mayor of Christchurch blew a horn to mark the reopening in the presence of guests who included residents’ assocation representatives from each side.
The path, for walkers and cyclists, is now being called the Gundimore Promenade after the 18th-century house at the east end although the big house is of course the slightly older Sandhills.
See page s 62 to 65.
The thatched barn at Double Dykes near Hengistbury Head is to be turned into a visitor centre.
The plans are on display at the Hiker Café (at the end of Broadway) this week 2pm-5pm until next Sunday 6 June.
Bournemouth community parks and countryside officer Mark Holloway says: “It is hoped that the project will be funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other grants and donations, and therefore we will be relying on the goodwill of the public.
“We would like residents to help us in the running of the centre as Heritage Volunteers and make this an exemplary community project.
“We plan to use display panels, videos and audio to show off the nature reserve at its best. There will be cameras to bring live pictures from nesting birds and activities for children and adults alike to get involved.â€
The 19th-century barn was built by the Meyrick estate. It is hoped that conversion work will get underway next summer for an opening 2012.
See page 52.