Canford Cliffs Chine
Chineland is the coastal area of the British south coast between Sandbanks and Christchurch. It incorporates the towns of Bournemouth and Poole and the Chines are unique geographic features of this part of the coast. They were formed over thousands of years by water flowing through clay or sandstone rock to make steep sided river valleys. These days many of the Chines are enveloped in heavy vegetation with different species of trees struggling to reach the light. Some have a real sub-tropical feel in the summer and support a large variety of flora and fauna. For people who live in Chineland the Chines provide wonderful sylvan walking areas of calm and shade sometimes extending up to a mile inland. There are also 20 Chines on the nearby Isle Of Wight, in particular the famous Shanklin Chine and Blackgang Chine.
Branksome Chine
Besides the Chines the area includes the vibrant cosmopolitan town of Bournemouth and some of the chines there include Alum Chine, Middle Chine and Durley Chine. This university town with its large student population, many language schools, vast variety of shops, restaurants, buzzing nightlife, award-winning gardens and sandy ‘blue flag’ beaches is surrounded by endless countryside which make it one of the most enviable towns to live and work in Britain. To the immediate east of Bournemouth can be found the coastal areas of Boscombe and Southbourne and a little further on the town of Christchurch. To the west of Bournemouth is the village of Westbourne and the affluent areas of Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & Sandbanks – a little further inland you find Lilliput & Poole town. The Poole beach area also includes Flaghead Chine, Canford Cliffs Chine, Branksome Chine and Branksome Dene Chine.
The Sandbanks peninsular, with the 4th most expensive land values in the world, is one of the most exclusive places to live in the UK. It also provides access to Poole Harbour which is Europe’s largest natural harbour and the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney Harbour.
Alum Chine Bridge
In the middle of the harbour is Brownsea Island, famous as the birthplace of Lord Baden-Powell’s Scouts movement and one of the last refuges of the red squirrel in Britain. Crossing the narrow harbour entrance is the Sandbanks Ferry that takes you over to Studland and Studland Bay, the Purbeck Hills, Swanage and Corfe Castle and the start of the fabulous 630 mile long South West Coast Path and the Jurassic Coast. From Poole harbour you can take ferries to France, the Channel Isles and the Isle Of Wight. Bournemouth & Southampton international airports are also nearby and, just in case, Bournemouth and Poole hospitals.
Branksome Dene Chine
If you drive 30 minutes east you can be deep in the atmospheric New Forest or twenty minutes west to reach the start of the Jurassic Coast which was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001 – the rocks that make up the Site record 185 million years of the Earth’s history. On a little further to the beautiful Lulworth Cove and the famous rock arch of Durdle Door before coming to unique Chesil Beach – then on to Dorchester (or ‘Casterbridge’ in Thomas Hardy country), Lyme Regis and beyond. If you drive north for 20 minutes you reach the old market towns of Blandford Forum and Wimborne Minster (a little further to Shaftesbury and the evocative Gold Hill). It is also possible to visit the cathedral cities of Winchester & Salisbury, Stonehenge and even Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) in one day out touring by car.
Spring – Branksome Dene Chine
With all this incredible geographic diversity you are still only two hours from central London by train from Bournemouth station. Chineland, the 10 mile bay of award winning golden sand ‘blue flag’ beaches, promenade and chines sheltered by the Isle Of Wight to the east and the Studland/Purbeck peninsular to the west, is considered by many to be one of the finest places to live in the UK – if not the world.
Please visit ‘Areas‘ for more information on the individual areas of Chineland.
We welcome comments and suggestions from Chineland residents on how we may improve or expand the services offered on this website.
