Hubby and I took a little trip away to get into the festive spirit, nothing big I just wanted to be amongst the sights and smells of the festive season.
I was browsing online for hotels and places with Christmas markets when a 2 nights for 1 offer popped up for Best Western Hotels and Bournemouth has a market. To top it off the train is direct from Coventry and our station has a train to there ..... and so all booked!
As seems to be the norm these days after a walk to our station we discoverer our train to Coventry was now a bus .... and would not be there in time for our Bournemouth train. The station office couldn't advise if our tickets would be accepted on a later train so we decided to take an Uber; great car, great driver, reasonable price and safely at the station in time.
The Bournemouth train was a great journey, initially we faced backwards but the train changes direction at Reading so we were forward facing from there. I remember this happening when we took the train to Weymouth with the scouts in 1983, we took them to Guernsey for camp that year.
Our journey passed through Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport, Southampton, arriving at Bournemouth. It was only 15/20 minutes between stations, so nice to see a different view of the countryside ... with our refreshments in hand (coffee, sandwiches and a glass of wine)
We walked into Bournemouth as we had a while before check in, I was so surprised to find it very hilly. I thought it was flat like Weymouth or Brighton but the town centre sits on a Chine (a steep-sided gorge where the river flows to the sea) and our hotel was at the top of the very steep west cliff side of the town.
But the climb was worth it, what a festive welcome and although an old hotel our room was huge, clean, comfy and had a sea view. To be honest we couldn't have stayed at the nearby Premier Inn for the price we paid, especially as breakfast was included.
The photo above shows how the road drops away to the sea. Our first evening we strolled down the hill, what a superb view of the Pier lit up and the lights beyond. From the Pier we walked through the gardens along the River Bourne to the Christmas market, the decorations were huge and very festive.
Being a Monday it was fairly quiet which was perfect as we could get to all the stalls and had no trouble getting a table at the Slug and Lettuce for dinner with cocktails. We had a great night out, a lovely walk back through the gardens and a tiring walk up the hill.
The next morning after a delicious cooked to order breakfast, I had smoked haddock and poached egg, we decided to walk along the coast towards Boscombe Pier. In the daylight the views were even better, the smaller pier in the distance of the curved bay. We could also see the Isle of Wight and the Needles with its lighthouse, we should have brought our binoculars for a better view.
Before setting off along the coast we walked to the end of Bournemouth Pier and back. There was a great Christmas Tree trail along the Pier with each tree having a Christmassy question with the answer at the next tree. From the end of the Pier we looked back towards our hotel, it's behind the white hotel and you can see the steep slope down.
Of course being on a pier and being by the sea means only one thing .... the 2p machines. I love a tipping point game, yes we never come away with big winnings but it's the game that gives the joy. Hubby did win a chew sweet!
It was lovely walking along the promenade road, often covered with sand, with the sea gently breaking on the shore. There were plenty of runners, dog walkers and even a few swimmers. There were rows and rows if beach huts, all closed now for winter, as was to my dismay the road train.
The east cliffs towered above us, in some places the promenade was sectioned off due to landslides revealing the sandstone layers. We were so surprised to see a group of goats on the steep slopes, they seemed very happy munching away.
Boscombe was inland, again uphill and sadly it was very much like other town centres with many closed shops. We did find a lovely coffee shop before taking the bus back into Bournemouth. We decided not to venture back into town for dinner (the slope was too much after already walking 6 miles) and so had a pub meal in the Hop Inn just along from our hotel. Still being early when we got back we settled in the hotel bar with a very festive mulled wine and mini mince pie, perfect end to our day.
Our last morning started with another delicious breakfast and as our train home was late afternoon we left our cases with reception so we could explore the east of Bournemouth. I was not keen on doing more slopes so we walked along the cliff top route to Branksome which is actually in Poole district.
The views were amazing, it was such a lovely sunny winter morning. To the west behind us is the coast to the west with Bournemouth Pier and the Isle of Wight in the distance. We were so lucky with the weather.
To the east was Studland, we could just see Old Harry's Rocks sticking up at the edge of the coast. The weather did begin to change as we walked back, the sea noticeably changing from being still to being choppy with waves on the shore.
As we walked back along the beach I knew we'd have to climb up to the hotel. Not enjoying the steep slopes we opted for the steps, oh my there were lots of them and a few stops to admire the view were very much needed.
We had a lovely few days away, different experience not going in the car and using public transport. After collecting our cases from the hotel we walked back into Bournemouth for a meal before catching the bus to the station to get the train home.
It was certainly beginning to feel like Christmas, a super early December getaway.
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