A Short Holiday To Poole Dorset County, England
Last month I took a short vacation to Poole - Dorset County England, and I left wanting more. I had only 4 days to look around and crammed as many activities as I could into each one. I always knew England had beautiful gardens, but I never dreamed there would be such spectacular beaches!
On my first day after settling in at a great little hotel, I hit Sandbanks Beach. The weather was perfect with lots of sun and no hint of rain - a perfect beach day not to be wasted! Before snuggling down with a good book and a plush towel I hit the raked golden sand for a vigorous walk down the long three mile beach. I feasted on incredibly fresh fish at a nearby restaurant for lunch - yum!
The next day was spent in some pretty gardens. First I enjoyed Bennetts Water Gardens. This was a tranquil park on eight acres known for its spectacular display of flowering water lilies. Walking through the garden felt like being in a Monet painting! From there, I traveled to the Compton Acres Gardens. This felt completely different because of the variety of styles displayed here. The Japanese and Italian gardens were delightful, and so was the terrific view of the great harbor below. My late lunch at the Harbourview Cafe hit the spot.
A highlight of my trip was my Wareham River Cruise. We cruised around the harbor and along the River Frome up to the notable market town of Wareham. I was lucky with another warm summer day with no wind. The views of the woods along the shore and water life all around were very pleasant.
We docked in Wareham for an hour and I took the time to buy some souvenirs and browse the quaint little shops in town. I found some great ear rings to wear back home. I only wish we could have stayed in Wareham for longer. There were lots of shopping opportunities and several cafes I would have liked to try.
My last day was spent back at the beach and in the water. I signed up for some windsurfing lessons and was surprised at how difficult it was at first. After an hour or so I managed to get the hang of it and spent another two hours trying to get better at my new sport. (My arms and shoulders will thank me in the morning, I am sure.)
What a great trip - Poole was a blast! Who knew England could be such a wonderful beach destination? Now maybe I should go to Honolulu for some terrific museums!
