Swanage

The coastal town of Swanage in Dorset, England is situated on the Isle Of Purbeck, a spur of land which juts out into the English Channel. Once no more than a fishing and quarrying village it rose to fame to become a genteel Victorian resort of distinction through royal patronage and the coming of the railway from Wareham in 1885. Today, Swanage is a small but friendly and traditional seaside resort nestling in a sandy bay at the foot of the Purbeck Ridge.

Swanage Pier was built to replace the original structure of 1859 which served as a dock for paddle steamers exporting locally quarried Purbeck stone to Poole and London. This elegant Victorian timber structure has since undergone a £1 million restoration programme with help from a major grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and thousands of pounds donated by local residents and visitors. Marine Villas is located on the pier and is where many attractions including an Exhibition of Pier History and a superb display of model RNLI Lifeboats can be seen. Also on display are fascinating facts and photographs regarding the pier's undersea ecology along with its remarkable sea life and marine habitat.

Swanage is considered to be the home of British Scuba diving which takes place under the piers and at nearby coastal wrecks. Not only is it one of the most popular sea water training sites for dive schools to take trainee divers due to the sheltered conditions within the bay, but the dive shop still situated on the pier was the first dive shop ever to be opened in Great Britain. As well as diving, there is a water sports centre which offers water skiing, tubing, windsurfing and sailing for all ages with skilled instructors on hand. Angling is another popular sport with wrasse, mackerel, flounder and bass being among the fish that can be caught.

Situated a mile south of Swanage lies Durlston Country Park, 280 acres of very special countryside consisting of sea-cliffs, coastal limestone downland, hay meadows, hedgerows and woodland. Owned and managed by Dorset County Council, this superb area of coastal grassland and sea cliffs is one of the best places in Britain for watching birds and wildlife, with the Visitor Centre including live video of seabirds and dolphin sounds from an underwater hydrophone. The area has an amazing diversity of wildlife with 33 species of breeding butterflies, over 250 species of birds, 500 wildflowers, 500 moths plus thousands of other invertebrates. Maintained and cared for by the Ranger team has resulted in a superb site that everyone can enjoy.

Swanage has many interesting shops ranging from quaint gift shops to smaller branches of important chain stores in the High Street. With its attractive parks and gardens, tearooms offering Dorset cream teas, fish & chips, plenty of pub grub, and restaurants with a variety of specialities, including locally caught fish, it is a popular resort both for visitors and residents alike. Swanage truly is a 'gem' of the Dorset coast.