Poole

Worth seeing in and around Poole

10 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.

1. 01
   Brownsea Castle

   Brownsea Castle, also known historically as Branksea Castle, was originally a Device Fort constructed by Henry VIII between 1545 and 1547 to protect Poole Harbour in Dorset, England, from the threat of French attack. Located on Brownsea Island, it comprised a stone blockhouse with a hexagonal gun platform.

   3.6 km · grade II listed Device Fort in Purbeck, United Kingdom · Wikipedia
2. 02
   Compton Acres

   Compton Acres is a large privately owned garden in Poole, Dorset, England. It was founded in 1920 by Thomas William Simpson, an entrepreneur who had become wealthy through the manufacture of margarine.

   4.1 km · garden in Poole, United Kingdom · Wikipedia
3. 03
   Saint Aldhelm's Church

   St Aldhelm's Church is a private church in Lytchett Heath, Dorset, England. It was designed by George Crickmay for Lord Eustace Cecil and built in 1898.

   5.7 km · church in Lytchett Heath, Dorset, England, UK · Wikipedia
4. 04
   Twin Sails Bridge

   The Twin Sails Bridge is a double leaved bascule bridge in Poole, Dorset, England. The bridge provides a second road link from Poole Town Centre to Hamworthy.

   700 m · bridge in Poole, Dorset · Wikipedia
5. 05
   St Mary's Church, Longfleet

   St Mary's, Longfleet is a Church of England parish church in Longfleet, a district of Poole, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. It is part of the New Wine network and describes itself as an evangelical charismatic church.

   1.1 km · church in Poole, UK · Wikipedia
6. 06
   St Dunstan of Canterbury Orthodox Church

   St Dunstan of Canterbury Orthodox Church is an Antiochian Orthodox church in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. It is the parish church for Bournemouth and Poole within the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of The British Isles and Ireland.

   3.3 km · Grade II* listed church in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, England, UK · Wikipedia
7. 07
   The Lighthouse

   Lighthouse is an arts centre in Poole, Dorset, England. According to Arts Council England it is the largest arts centre in the United Kingdom outside London.

   1.1 km · arts centre (concert hall, theatre and cinema) in Poole, Dorset, UK · Wikipedia
8. 08
   Splashdown Waterpark

   Splashdown is a water park located at the Tower Park complex near to Poole, Dorset, England. The park opened in 1990 and was one of the founding attractions at Tower Park.

   4 km · water park in Poole, Dorset, England · Wikipedia
9. 09
   Upton House

   Upton House is a country house 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. It is owned by BCP Council.

   2.9 km · house in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, England, UK · Wikipedia
10. 10
    St George's Church

    St George's Church is a Church of England church in Oakdale, a suburb of Poole, Dorset, England. It was built in 1959–60 and has been Grade II Listed since 1998.

    2.3 km · church in Poole, Dorset, England, UK · Wikipedia

Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What Wikivoyage says to see

1. 01
   Brownsea Island

   Poole Harbour, BH13 7EE (by ferry from Poole Quay or Sandbanks), brownseaisland@nationaltrust.org.uk.

2. 02
   Kingston Lacy

   Wimborne Minster, BH21 4EA, kingstonlacy@nationaltrust.org.uk.

3. 03
   Lighthouse
4. 04
   Upton Country Park

   It has a surrounding woodland with many footpaths.

5. 05
   Poole Museum

   A maritime museum, gallery and cultural centre owned by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, with lots of local information and history, well worth a visit.

From Wikivoyage: Poole, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Things to do

Kite flying. From the quay, when facing the water turn left and walk for about half a mile until you reach a park. This is known as Baiter Park and is very close to Poole Park. On a good day, the kites will probably be visible from afar. In the summer, there are fireworks displays alternately in Bournemouth and Poole. Every Tuesday evening from April to September, motorbike enthusiasts converge on Poole.

1. 01
   Jet Ski Safaris

   40 Salterns Way, Poole, BH14 8JR, info@jetskisafaris.co.uk.

2. 02
   Tower Park

   Indoor waterpark, movie theatre, various restaurants, and bingo.

From Wikivoyage: Poole, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Where to eat

Most restaurants are along the quay, but there are a number of great eateries further into the Old Town.

1. 01
   Storm

   16 High St, BH15 1BP, enquiries@stormfish.co.uk.

2. 02
   Tandoori Nights

   50 High St, BH15 1BT, russell-c@hotmail.com.

3. 03
   Branksome Beach

   Branksome Beach Pinecliff Road Branksome Chine BH13 6LP (at the foot of Pinewood Road, looking out over Poole Bay), enquiries@branksomebeach.co.uk.

4. 04
   The Guildhall Tavern

   15 Market Street BH15 1NB (overlooking the Guildhall),.

5. 05
   The Courtyard Tea Rooms

   48a High St, BH15 1BT,.

From Wikivoyage: Poole, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Getting to Poole

Airports

Bristol (BRS), 90 km · Cardiff (CWL), 121 km · London Gatwick (LGW), 135 km

Stations

Brownsea Island, 2.9 km · Poole Harbour, 2.3 km · Port of Poole, 1.1 km · Green Island, 4.2 km · Hamworthy railway station, 2.7 km

• Bristol → Poole

  93 km · quickest by road, 2h 55m · £10–14
  GuideToday
• London → Poole

  157 km · quickest by road, 3h 5m · £16–22
  GuideToday
• Cardiff → Poole

  119 km · quickest by road, 3h 29m · £16–22
  GuideToday
• From anywhere

  The planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
  Plan a trip

Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.

No local-transport research exists yet for Poole

Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Poole. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.

If you know how people move in Poole – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.