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| Gallery
Photos of the Walk4Water Route
These 40 photos show views you will see as you walk. If you don't know the route, they will help by showing you some of the features along the way. | |
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Start Point A Solent Beach Car Park
This path leads from the car park to the beach.
You reach Solent Beach in a few yards and see this view
of Hengistbury Head (left of photo) and the Needles on the Isle of Wight
(right of photo)
BUT ... that's not the way you're going !
Still on Solent Beach, you look across Poole Bay to the
white cliffs of Ballard Point, and the town to the left of the cliffs
and beyond them is Swanage, your destination !
As you start walking, a short stretch of beach leads to the beginning of the promenade (where the white house is).
Information boards show where facilities can be found
View from Southbourne towards Boscombe and Bournemouth
Boscombe Pier
Roundabout at Boscombe Pier
Bournemouth Pier
Approach to Bournemouth Pier
West Cliff Lift
You have left Bournemouth and are now in Poole.
Start Point B Branksome Dene Chine Car Park
Walkers starting here are likely to come down the steps to the left of the flagpoles in the picture
View from Branksome Dene Chine towards Sandbanks
Sandbanks Ferry, foot passengers embark on the left
Ferry slipway at end of Shell Bay
Walking along the road from the ferry you pass the ferry offices with this clock tower on your left
Start Point C Shell Bay Car Park
and
Shell Bay checkpoint
for walkers of 10 and 16 miles,
who walk beside the road from the ferry and turn left into the car park. The building on the left offers toilets.
Start Point C / Shell Bay checkpoint
is very close to this corner of Shell Bay car park.
Once checked through, you walk away from the camera on to a footbridge and boardwalk, seen in next picture.
Bridge and boardwalk leading from Shell Bay car park to Shell Bay
Shell Bay
Knoll Beach offers a variety of views
In this view from Knoll Beach you can see the route as it
follows the lane up round the Glebeland housing estate then slants at a
angle up the side of Ballard Down
Middle Beach Café, centre of picture. Depending on the tide, leave the beach here by the steps or the ramp, both in photo.
Keep the café on your right, and walk up the tarmac lane for 150 yards.
20 yards before a barrier and fence, and level with the entrance to Middle Beach car park, take this path to the left, waymarked to Fort Henry in 250m.
as above
Fort Henry, seen from the memorial plaque, with Manor House Hotel in the background
Turn right here, as for the village
You are now heading straight for the church, which is hidden behind the trees
Just to the right of South Beach car park, find this path through a metal kissing-gate, signposted to "Church"
Approachingthe 12th century church (well worth a look inside)
Studland checkpoint
St Nicholas Church Hall, right beside Studland Church, is the checkpoint.
Here you can find toilets, tap water and a seat to sit on
Go straight
across the cross roads after the church, leaving the memorial cross on
your left, and pass Manor Farm (shown) as you head straight for Ballard
Down, the hill ahead of you.
From this gate at the top of Glebelands the track leads
you at an angle up the side of Ballard Down, but it's still a bit steep
at times.
From the stone seat you glimpse Swanage, your target.
This is the view back over the route you have covered, including Studland, Sandbanks and Bournemouth.
As you continue walking to the top of the path down, you
get a good view of Swanage and can see virtually the whole of the rest
of the route.
The path off Ballard Down drops quite steeply towards these bushes
At this gate you leave Ballard Down
About 400 yards from here you leave the countryside and walk down suburban roads to the seafront
The seafront at Swanage
The clock tower shelter, your last landmark.
Here you turn right up Victoria Road, turn left into Rempstone Road at the traffic lights and St Edward's Catholic Hall is on your left in 30 yards.
FINISH !
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