Outside Bournemouth Is A Charming English Coastal Town With Beaches, Trails, And Historic Ruins

There's a lovely part of England where the Rivers Stour and Avon flow towards the sea, and they meet in the harbor of a quaint town called Christchurch. Take a boat onto the rivers and harbor, and you would float past cozy, old-fashioned houses and lush green spaces. Hop off the boat, and historic castle ruins call for exploration while sandy beaches invite respite with a surfside stroll. All around and within this English town by the ocean are trails and walks showing a balance of historic buildings and some of the best of the English countryside.

With beaches along Christchurch Bay, Christchurch rests just 5 miles east of Bournemouth, making for a quick, 20-minute drive or bus ride. Taking a train from Bournemouth makes for a rapid, seven-minute jaunt to Christchurch station, just a short walk from the heart of town. Travelers from abroad may land at Bournemouth Airport (BOH), roughly 20 minutes from town by car, with public transport taking longer. While more expensive, a taxi can make the journey in about 10 minutes.

Visitors will find old British charm as they stroll Christchurch's High Street, with shopfronts adorning historic buildings and cobblestone walkways laid alongside them. Just around the corner from High Street is The King's Arms, which has been standing since 1801. The rooms are a comfortable mixture of homey and modern furnishings, and rates can be surprisingly reasonable. Its central location puts one within walking distance not just of the quaint, walkable shopping district, but also the storybook castle ruins of Christchurch and a slew of dining options, including the whimsically decorated and artsy Arcado Lounge, where a good Full English breakfast starts off the day's explorations well.

Much like the charming coastal town of Brixham to the west, Christchurch has sandy beaches that are perfect for a day of sunning, swimming, and sandcastles. Avon Beach is the main stretch of coastline, extending east from the mouth of the River Stour toward Friars Cliff Beach, near Steamer Point Nature Reserve. It has been recognized with a Seaside Award by Keep Britain Tidy, which is for places that have "excellent standards of management and cleanliness," according to the organization. Many fantastic beaches have received this designation, such as Camber Sands, one of the United Kingdom's least crowded beaches.

Dogs are allowed seasonally from October to the end of April, and the beach is lined with colorful beach huts. A sizable parking lot is just off the beach with an electrical charging station available. Between the parking lot and the beach are public restrooms, a beach shop, and The Lobster Hatch, which serves takeaway fish and chips, oysters, and other seafood favorites, so that visitors can refuel themselves for a few more hours of sun and surf. Try to hit the beach on weekdays to get a good parking space, as it is a rather popular weekend spot.

If you'd prefer a sit-down meal by the beach with a more varied menu, stroll a bit eastward to Friars Cliff Beach and dine at The Beach Hut, where you'll find wraps, burgers, breakfasts, and more. This stretch isn't quite as packed with people, and there are lifeguards during late summer, making it a more reassuring place for families. Walking paths and small roads lead from the beach into grassy parks near a residential neighborhood filled with darling old houses exuding old-fashioned character.

They might be separated by around 250 miles, but Christchurch and the Mersey River town of Runcorn share one intriguing feature: the ruins of medieval Norman castles. Christchurch Castle dates back to the 12th century, when a stone keep replaced an earlier motte-and-bailey-style fortification, with an accessible path making it easy for all to get a decent view. What remains of the keep rises 30 feet above the ground atop a grassy hill, adding a bit of fairy-tale ambiance to this coastal town.

Next to the castle stands the Norman House, with intricate arched windows and doorways, some of which have the outer layer of stone weathered away, revealing the interior construction. The chimney reaching to the sky is actually one of the first of its kind in England. It's free to visit and can be seen while walking the town's Blue Plaque Millennium Trail, which leads visitors on a point-to-point tour of historic sites, with blue plaques providing pertinent info at each stop.

This location is also a point along the 34-mile Avon Valley Path, and one may follow it north starting from the nearby Priory, just steps to the south, or just start at the castle and Norman House, follow the picturesque High Street, and then go up along the River Avon for as far as you'd like. Another long trail starts in town at Christchurch Harbour, and follows the River Stour. The Stour Valley Way takes hikers north as far as 64 miles, yet just a single mile will do to get a look at the pretty river views and charm-laden buildings that border the western edge of Christchurch.