Exploring the Bournemouth Coast Path

Views of Bournemouth has opened at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum.

The museum is on the coast path as it rises east from Bournemouth Pier. Today in the sun the villa’s garden and the sea had a south of France feel.

The exhibition of paintings old and new marks both the towns bi-centenary and the Bournemouth Art Club‘s 90th anniversary.

Portraits include the town founder Lewis Tregonwell and famous resident Robert Lewis Stevenson. There are several coast views and a Eustach Nash cartoon featuring the seafront.

It’s well worth a visit. The special exhibition continues daily except Mondays until October; free. There is  a good cafe although it closes sharp at 5pm.

See Pages 35 to 37.

Marine expert Dr Mark Davidson from Plymouth University has given the £4 million Boscombe surf reef a 4 out of 10 score.

The verdict is being carried by BBC News and the Bournemouth Daily Echo.

I have just followed the saga rather than blog about it but I know that walkers like to look down on the site after climbing up from Boscombe Pier. Once at the top of Honeycombe Chine visitors usually wonder why the view is blocked by flats rising from below. It’s to pay for the surfing.

See page 44.

The Solent Way runs past the open air Sea Water Baths at Lymington. It has been closed for more than a year but local pride has forced the Town Council to announce a reopening this summer.

Once known as King’s Saltern it has been the south coast’s largest sea water swimming pool for about 200 years.

The recently formed Friends of Lymington Sea Water Baths now has a website.

See page 83.

Next Sunday 9 May is Rogation Sunday when parishes beat the bounds and bless crops praying for a good harvest.

At Mudeford the harvest is salmon so on Sunday afternoon Helen Griffiss, parish priest at All Saints, will be rowed out into the The Run where she will bless the sea and throw a cross into the water.

There will be a brass band on the quay to lead the hymns.

The annual service starts at 3.15pm. A good place to stand is the beach at the end of the Spit.

Those walking that way at the weekend may wonder where to start. The good news is that from Saturday 29 May there will be Yellow Bus route 40 from Christchurch and Bournemouth calling at Hengistbury Head.

See pages 55 and 63.

Those using the winter route between Southbourne and Mudeford will now have to keep their dogs on a lead when crossing Stanpit Marsh.

The decision to have a dog order for the nature reserve was taken by Christchurch Council following the consultation where 84% favoured the proposal.

The new rule is being imposed from October.

See page 60.

Out the ‘50 best places to eat by the sea‘ in The Times two are on the coast path.

Pebble Beach on the Barton-on-Sea clifftop and Shell Bay Seafood Restaurant are mentioned.

The Shell Bay restaurant next to Sandbanks ferry at the end of the South West Coast Path is really handy for walkers to have a break before crossing to the Bournemouth Coast Path.

It is surprising value and wonderfully informal. The judges, who include Tom Parker Bowles and Rick Stein, recommend the crab linguine with garlic and chilli (£5.95) and kofta lamb burger with fries and onion rings (£7.95). Children are welcome too until 7pm.

See pages 19 and 71.

Les Lawrence who is part of a Mudeford fishing co-operative supplying London markets is featured in today’s Evening Standard.

I hear that Christchurch shoppers will have a chance to enjoy Les’s fresh catches at the food and wine festival in May. Look out for ‘Christchurch Fish’.

See page 63.

Bournemouth Pier Approach was deserted this morning but it was good to see the Cornish flag flying outside the Bournemouth International Centre.

Today is the birthday of Bournemouth founder Lewis Tregonwell who 200 years ago this year decided to buy a plot of land for  a house. The flag was raised at 9.30am this morning by the Bournemouth Cornish Association as a reminder that the town’s founder was Cornish.

The modern conference centre may seem an odd place to fly the flag but it is opposite the Royal Exeter Hotel which incorporates Tregonwell’s house. Maybe next year it should fly from one of the masts on the hotel tower.

Today’s Time Out magazine has an interesting profile of fisherman Les Lawrence who is part of a new small co-op based at Mudeford.

He has recently appeared at London’s Bermondsey Market selling fresh fish. Customers love his stall and its sensible prices and are sad he is not there every Saturday.

The feature highlights Les’s move from a City job back to the coast life which he knew as a child. But it also raises questions about why this fish caught in Christchurch and Poole Bays is not on sale in Christchurch.

Local residents should be buying the fresh fish rather than fish fingers at the supermarkets. Or should the large Waitrose be stocking local fish?

Bermondsey Market, a short walk from Borough Market, is better known for antiques but since last November a farmers’ market has operated on Saturday morning.

See page  63.