Exploring the Bournemouth Coast Path

Matthew Norman’s review of Cafe Shore at Sandbanks in the Guardian magazine was very critical. 

The coast path passes the door of Cafe Shore although few walkers stop for lunch. Matthew Norman paid £94.25 for two people.

Last month I dropped into a cafe a mile further on. Just before the coast path reaches the start of the long promenade below Poole Head there is Jazzy’s on the left. It’s almost at the end of Shore Road.

The soup (£4.95) was generous and came with a good chunk of ciabatta and butter. On its own it was warm and filling enough to fuel us up for the clifftop walk into Bournemouth.

There is no great view from the windows but the atmosphere is like an informal South of France cafe and there is even a log fire with settees.

You need to get to know how it works. Take a menu from the basket and find a table. Then queue up at the counter by the door to give your order which will be brought to your table usually quite quickly. They serve a good tuna mayonnaise baked potato with salad (£7.50) as well as coffee and hot chocolate.

Jazzy’s, 28 Shore Road, BH13 7PJ is open 10am-4pm daily in winter.

See page 23.

Plans for a restored Pavilion in Bournemouth are on show for just two days.

The Pavilion theatre complex is yards from the seafront and a landmark for anyone arriving at the Pier approach at the heart of old Bournemouth. Its theatre, where stars have appeared, hosted many early party conferences including Labour’s 1940 gathering which confirmed the Churchill coalition.

The building was opened in the Twenties and it seems that original features might be restored or replicated. The downside for many is that it is to be paid for by the opening of a casino alongside.

Developer Trevor Osborne is investing £13m in the restoration of the listed Pavilion. Work on demolishing the 1970s West Terrace extension is already complete.

Bournemouth Council is seeking views before the plans are considered by the planning board in March.

The scheme and an architect’s model can be seen in the Lucullus Room at The Pavilion from 12 noon to 6.30pm today and Friday.

Council Leader Stephen MacLoughlin says “We’re delighted to unveil these latest plans. They include better quality outside space to be enjoyed by anyone in the town, whether or not they choose to eat in the restaurants, attend a performance or visit the casino.”

A dead dolphin has been washed up on Bournemouth beach. It was found yesterday near Durley Chine and could be the same one seen in difficulty in Swanage Bay on Sunday.

At the end of last month a healthy seal was seen on the Hurst Spit shingle. Earlier one had been seen near Lymington. This is rare but not unkown for the area with similar reports in 1974 and 2001.

The Sandbanks television programme did not do much for the area’s reputation. It was not a rounded picture with no mention of the ferry, St Nicholas Chapel, the excellent year round 150 bus service or the shop. It even ignored famous past long stay visitors such as wireless pioneer Guglielmo Marconi and Beatle John Lennon.

However, warmer winter weather is bringing increased numbers of visitors who don’t like dogs or dog mess. At present dogs must be kept on a lead on the promenade and off the beach along the Poole seafront from Sandbanks to Branksome Chine only in summer.

Now there is a plan to ban dogs from the promenade at the Sandbanks end all year. Poole Council is conducting an informal consultation of beach users over the next eight weeks with views going to the environment overview group.

A three part series over three nights on ITV is devoted to Sandbanks at the western end of the Bournemouth Coast Path.

The sandy peninsula lies within the borough of Poole with just one road entry although some motorists arrive by ferry by way of the Isle of Purbeck. Many people pass through on the 150 Bournemouth-Swanage open top bus which takes precedence over all other traffic queuing for the ferry including large cars from the exclusive houses.

The houses and plots are amongst the most expensive in Europe with such residents as Harry Redknapp and his daughter Louise. Sir Ernest Cassel was one of the first to have beach house there but he did not think it worth buying the land. He may have been right since there are now fears about rising sea levels.

Piers Morgan fronts the programme made last year and talks to residents and an estate agent. 

See pages 20-23.

Sandbanks is on ITV at 10.35 on Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 January.

Coast is new book containing stunning pictures of the Bournemouth Coast Path.

Copies of the 176 page A4 hardback book, published by the Bournemouth Daily Echo, suddenly appeared in local shops days before Christmas. There had been a delay with printing. Most of the pictures are by Echo photographers who took to the air for many of them.

Swanage and Mudeford look magnificent from the air as does Old Harry Rocks and there are unusual aerial shots of Sandbanks with Shell Bay in the distance and Old Harry Rocks. 

In Bournemouth there is a glimpse down on to the private clifftop gardens alongside Branksome Dene Chine and a long view from Toft Zig-Zag looking towards Christchurch Harbour. 

Views from the ground include Swanage Bay from the famous pillars and close-ups of Mudeford Spit beach huts. There is a surprise angle for the Chewton Bunny photograph which is the eastern boundary for the book. Highlights of the Dorset Coast Path are also featured.

Coast is available from Echo offices in Bournemouth and Swanage as well as bookshops including Borders in Bournemouth; £14.95.

The New Year is a good moment to remind walkers that the long closure of Alum Chine’s suspension bridge in the Sandbanks-Bournemouth Pier section is over. It’s a clear walk all the way now.

Planning permission has been given for the surf beach at Boscombe so there will soon be the chance to watch the ‘underwater’ building next near the pier.