Poole is a Medieval town nestled on the Eastern edge of the the stunning Jurassic coastline in Dorset. Boasting the second largest natural harbour in the world, only beaten by Sydney harbour, Poole is a Mecca for water sport enthusiasts and anyone who loves to be near the sea. With early settlers coming to Poole two thousand years ago the town now has 140,000 residents.
Steeped in history the town and surrounding areas are diverse in everything they have to offer to anyone who is considering buying property in Poole. The earliest archaeological find in Poole is an Iron Age long boat dating back to 295 BC. Poole became a small fishing village by the Norman Conquest, before growing into a major commercial port. Now the only big shipping is the excellent ferry service to France and the Channel Islands. However, Poole Quay, which dates back to Roman times, boasts a buzzing waterfront full of bars and restaurants.
Sandbanks makes Poole famous and is home to celebrities and the rich, with property on the peninsular rating amongst the most expensive real estate in the World.
Anyone living in Poole can enjoy the golden sandy beaches of Sandbanks which stretch for three miles. They are considered to be the be finest beaches in the country and have won the coveted Blue Flag award for a record 22 consecutive years.
Poole and the surrounding areas offer spectacular scenery with miles of pristine beaches, chalk cliffs by Old Harry Rocks, cliff walks and a beautiful natural harbour. On the beaches you can enjoy many different water sports, play beach games or just relax and soak the rays whilst looking out across Poole Bay toward the Needles on the Isle of Wight. The harbour, which covers an area of 38 square miles, is a place of international importance for nature and conservation. Brownsea Island, located near the entrance of the harbour is a National Trust reserve and is home to the endangered red squirrel. The Islands greatest claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of the boy scout movement when Lord Baden Powell set up his first camping trip there in 1907.
In recent years vast sums of money have been pumped into Poole to regenerate several key areas. This includes the multi million pound building of a new Marina with a fabulous waterfront development and an £8million refurbishment of the Arts Centre, which is reputed to be the largest arts centre in the UK outside London.
Poole is the proud home of Sunseeker, the largest privately owned builder of motor yachts. The RNLI headquarters and training facility are based in Poole and the Royal Marines have a base too. With several marinas, a healthy service sector, a thriving tourist destination and a busy commercial port the region enjoys a stable economy that is more balanced than the rest of Dorset. Unemployment is relatively low which, combined with all the other attributes makes Poole a desirable location to buy a new home. We have some exciting new developments comming soon - please see our future developments area for new homes in Poole
If you are considering buying a house in Poole and have concerns about the quality of the education service then you can be rest assured there is no need to worry. Poole has sixteen first schools, eight middle schools and eight secondary and grammar schools to choose from. In recent years Poole has ranked as high as 18th out of the 148 local authorities in England.
Of particular interest, if a private education is your choice, is the well known Canford School in Wimbourne, just a few miles from Poole. Canford is a full boarding co educational school with an enviable record for both exam results and sporting success, most impressively 44% of students achieved an A+ in their GCSE results in 2011. Many pupils have represented Great Britain in various sporting disciplines and the school even has it's very own 9 hole golf course. Home to 600 students the school is set in the magnificent grounds of Canford Manor which dates back to the early 19th century.
There are two grammar schools in Poole with Parkstone Grammar being for 12 - 18 year old girls and Poole Grammar for 12 - 18 year old boys. There are about 1000 pupils at both schools and they have a selective education system that is assessed by the twelve plus exam. Both grammar schools have excellent facilities for both education and sports and have excellent results at both GCSE level and A Level. Poole Grammar school was the 60th most successful school in the UK in 2007 based on A level results and Parkstone Grammar achieved the best GCSE results in he area recently with 100% of the students gaining a grade A+ to C grade in five or more GCSE's.
There is no shortage of activities and attractions to keep new home buyers in Poole occupied. Being the second largest natural harbour in the world makes the town an ideal location for anyone who is interested in watersports and the sea. A diverse and comprehensive range of water based activities are available ranging from mackerel fishing under the cliffs of the Jurassic coastline to racing yachts around the harbour in the regattas that are organised on a regular basis.
The natural harbour provides an exceptional and safe area to learn a new sport and progress skills to new higher levels. The harbour gradually shelves from water at knee depth to over two metres deep. The sheltered nature of the landscape provides excellent protection even in strong winds. Whether you wish to go windsurfing, dinghy sailing, jet skiing, sailing, fishing or just want to enjoy a romantic evening watching the sun go down over Old Harry Rocks from a power boat then there will be something for you.
For the more radical and adventurous then kite surfing, surfing and more extreme wave windsurfing are available from Sandbanks beach, which is the finest beach in the UK, boasting beautifully fine golden sand.
Whilst it is fair to say that watersports have the greatest diversity and appeal in the Poole area because of the ideal geographic setup there is certainly no shortage of other attractions and activities. The Lighthouse is a newly refurbished arts centre and is thought to be the largest arts centre in the UK outside London. The centre is home to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and there is a cinema, theatre, concert hall and galleries and are all under the same roof. There is a year round programme of events including visual arts, dance, film, comedy, concerts and workshops that are designed to include everyone.
For the family, Tower Park offers a superb day out with Splashdowns twelve exciting rides on the various water flumes and water slides. It is a great fun day out and after enjoying the thrills of the white knuckle rides there is a bowling alley, multiscreen cinema, amusements and plenty of places to eat and drink.
If you are looking for something a little bit different then the grey hound racing stadium and Poole Speedway, where some of the Worlds top riders can be seen on a regular basis, will offer a fun evening out. Indeed the Poole Pirates have won the National Championships in event years.
There is a pottery where you can watch the the master potter in action or try your hand at painting your own piece and a museum which illustrates story of the local area from the Iron Age to the present day. Corfe Castle, Bennets Water Garden, Abbots Swannery and the Courtyard Craft Centre are all worth visiting. There is even an award winning Dinosaur Museum full of fossils and skeletons and just a stone throw away in the New Forest is the famous Beaulieu Motor Museum. More locally Compton Acres is one of the finest gardens in Europe and Upton Parks residence was built in the 19th century.
The regular ferry trips from Poole Quay take locals and visitors alike on fun packed days out to explore the fascinating coastline of Dorset. Trips to Brownsea Island are a must, it is a 500 acre National Trust property boasting scenic walks and an escape from the hustle and bustle of modern day life. Perhaps best known as the birthplace of the boy scout group it is also home to the endanger red squirrels and an abundance of other wildlife.
Buying a new house and moving to Poole will provide the new home owner with a great quality of life in Dorset's thriving Medieval Town. There is no shortage of activities with something for everyone.