POOLE
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. Its population is only about 150,000, but Poole Harbor is the second-largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney! Along with a massive port, the town is famous for its award-winning blue flag beaches and a bustling quayside and a beautiful old town.
A brief history of Poole
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Iron Age, but earliest recorded use of the town's name was in the 12th century when the city began to emerge as an important port, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. The name Poole comes from the Celtic word bol and the Old English word pool meaning a place near a pool or creek.
Jumping forward to the 16th century, Poole began to establish successful commerce with the North American colonies, especially with some important fisheries in Newfoundland to meet the demand for fish from the Catholic countries in Europe. By the early 18th century, Poole had more ships trading with North America than any other English port and Poole's merchants' accumulated vast wealth from trade. This prosperity supported much of the development that now characterizes the Old Town; the merchants replaced many of the medieval buildings with grand Georgian mansions and terraced housing. However, this rapid growth continued into the industrial revolution but was short-lived as the merchant's got more affluent; the poor were beginning to live in overcrowded poverty. Nine out of ten workers were engaged in harbour activities, but as the century progressed, ships became too large for the shallow harbour, and the port lost business to the deeper ports such as Liverpool, Southampton, and Plymouth. During World War II, Poole was the third-largest embarkation point for D-Day landings of Operation Overlord and afterwards served as a base for supplies to the allied forces in Europe. Large areas of slums were demolished and replaced with modern public housing and facilities during major redevelopment projects began in the 1950s and 1960s.
Things to do in Poole
When in Poole, why not visit a quintessentially English country house; Upton House, is in the grounds of Upton Country Park, on the northwestern shoreline of Holes Bay in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. Administered by the Borough of Poole, it comprises over 130 acres of parkland, shoreline, and formal gardens. Admission is free, and the park is open daily from 8 am until 6 pm. An excellent activity for kids is to visit Splashdown, a water park located at the Tower Park complex close to Poole. It has eight indoor water slides, which operate all year round, and five outside rides that operate only during the summer season. There is also a wet play area and small training pool for little ones. For boat trips, try City Cruises Poole, a small ferry company that provides low-cost day trips around the harbour and to nearby places such as Swanage. One popular destination for a day trip is Brownsea Island; it is the biggest island in Poole harbour purchased by a lady called Mary Bonham-Christie for £125,000 in 1927. Much of the island is open to the public and includes areas of woodland and heath with a wide variety of wildlife, together with clifftop views across Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck. Tower Park is another excellent choice if the weather is wet, it is a complex with a water park, swimming pool, cinema, bowling, kids soft playground, bingo and a range of restaurants. Farmer Palmer's Farm Park is a great place to take children; it is a fun park with indoor and outdoor play areas, farm animals, woodland trails and a seasonal maize maze.
Beaches around Poole
Hamworthy Park is a lovely spot for a swim and is around 20 minutes walk from the centre; it is a sandy beach on the harbour offering huts, a fishing pier, water sports, and a seasonal paddling pool. Another beach, fully equipped with lifeguards, deckchairs and parasols to hire is Sandbanks. It's a little further afield but also provides wheelchair access to the sea, a restaurant, ice cream shop and parking is £2 per hour in peak season. Finally, there is Shell Bay on the Studland peninsula. It is on the south side of the mouth of Poole Harbour and connected to Sandbanks by the Sandbanks Ferry, which regularly runs across the entrance to the harbour and carries vehicles, foot passengers and cyclists. It is a white-sand beach with dunes, a nature area, and a fine-dining restaurant.