Bournemouth, Dorset (a classic seaside resort)
Bournemouth is a south coast holiday holiday resort, known for its wide sandy beaches and pretty beach huts. Alas the town is one of the few seaside resorts that still offers donkey rides for children. Unlike abroad, donkeys here are inspected for welfare, but most parents now are choosing to move on from donkey rides.
Bournemouth like many seaside towns, has a big problem with homelessness. Local shops can help by purchasing BillyChip, that people can buy and give to local people, to pay for a hot drink and food (and pet food), without giving cash. Also read how to help dogs of homeless people.
At the coast, keep away from nesting birds and never walk on sand dunes. Learn how to keep dogs safe by the seaside (check beach bans before travel).
Home to one of England’s most popular piers
Sitting alongside 7 miles of sandy beach, Bournemouth pier is one of England’s busiest. This Victorian landmark offers stunning views of the Isle of Wight and Old Harry Rocks on a clear day. The wood replaced by iron in 1866, after an infestation by naval Teredo worms.
The world’s shortest funicular railway
Funicular railways (cliff lifts) are great fun, and quite unique, only a few of these operate still in England. The Fisherman’s Walk Cliff Lift is the shortest (the one next had to close due to landslips).
Opened in 1935 by a local engineer, it only takes 30 seconds to transport passengers between the Southbourne cliff top and the beach (but is still used as a popular alternative to steep zig-zag paths).
Over 750,00 ice creams sold each year
Not to be a party pooper, but most dairy is from factory-farms, so in this plant-based age, the ice-cream vans need to offer more options to holidaymakers. The Rolling Coconut is just one example of a modern ‘vegan Mr Whippy ice cream’ that serves up plant-based ice-cream to people in England.
Where Jane Goodall grew up
Jane Goodall (a primatologist who has left a huge legacy of looking after the world’s animals) grew up in Bournemouth, after being born in London. She moved to her grandmother’s house at a young age, during World War 2, and spent her childhood here, attending school in nearby Poole.
Once had ‘England’s most hated buildings!’
It was demolished in 2013, after people complained that the ugly building also blocked sea views. IMAX cinema building was our equivalent of Prague’s Žižkov Television Tower ((in the world’s most beautiful city, people say it resembles an electric toothbrush!)
The four-storey cinema building was made from concrete and glass, with demolition costing taxpayers around £10 million (why don’t architects simply build beautiful buildings in the first place, that don’t obstruct sea views – it’s common sense).
In 2005, a TV series presented by Kevin McCloud voted the buildings that the public would most like to see demolished. These included a Scottish town centre shopping centre (Cumbernauld), and two more building s that have since been demolished (Northampton Greyfriars Bus Station and Gateshead Trinity Centre Car Park).
