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The Southern beach below Hengistbury Head is one of the the less commercialised beaches in
the Bournemouth area. It is now known as Solent Beach although most people still
know it as Hengistbury Beach. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle and is offset by the
30 metre high crumbling cliff-face of Hengistbury Head.
Although somewhat despoiled by the very necessary beach defences, the beach is a quiet natural place.
If you want a continuous supply of
icecream, nearby toilets, childrens clubs etc, this is the wrong beach for you. If
however you like to be a little more self sufficient and dislike noisy crowded beaches you will
find Solent beach more to your liking. Be aware that there is no Lifeguard on the this beach and you should stay
back from the cliffs.
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Trailing off the Eastern end of Hengistbury Head and forming the Eastern boundary of
Christchurch Harbour is the ancient sandspit known today as Mudeford Sandspit. Today this sandspit hosts
a collection of famously expensive beach-huts along with a fine beach and a diminished dune structure that once used to
occupy most of this place. The sandy beach, on the eastern side, faces the Solent and looks out
across to the Isle of Wight. This beach offers good bathing and magnificent views as well. The harbour side is not really suitable for
sunbathing or swimming but is extensively used for water sports.
The beach is broken up into sections by a series of (mainly) wooden groynes.
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Boscombe beach is the section of the beach strand surrounding Boscombe pier and stretches down from Bournemouth Beach towards
Hengistbury Head. It includes the Portman Ravine zigzag and extends to the lift at Southbourne Beach.
For many years, Boscombe Beach had been the poor relation. Until recently it could could only boast a derelict pier
and a set of run down beach huts. However with the arrival of the surfing phenomenon Boscombe has blossomed.
The area either side of the pier is particularly popular with the surfing fraternity and has become the place
to go surfing in the Bournemouth Area.
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Avon beach is a small family orientated beach near Mudeford Quay. The beach is privately owned and has been run by the
Dereham family since the mid 1930's. The beach is very popular and is one of the premier beaches in the area.
It is a good sandy family beach with many facilities including lifeguard, cafe, toilets, shop and various ice-cream sales points.
The beach has grown significantly in the last 30 years and now boasts a small lagoon near the cafe and bizarrely out-of-place end of groyne markers that pop up in the middle of the beach.
If you want a beach for the kids to dig, with everything close at hand this is the beach for you.
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