Middle Chine

Middle Chine is an unassuming way down to the beach, not ostentatious and dizzying like Alum Chine or packed full of parked cars like Durley Chine.  It's a gently sloping path that leads you through some magnificent trees.  Where the ever invasive rhododendrons have been cleared back it's possible to see the whole height and breadth of the pines in one go.  The path sweeps gently left and right giving you a new vista with every turn.

Just off Westcliff Road opposite Clarendon Road.

An inviting, cool path on a hot summer's day.

An impressive road bridge crosses the chine but is designed beautifully so that it doesn't detract.

Get up close and personal with the pines.

Trees and Artists

For the first time, I'm going to post the same post on this and one of my other blogs, Peter John Cooper.  I think you'll see why.

In the 19^th century Bournemouth became the place for rest and recuperation.  Its modern equivalent would be a cross between Centre Parcs and Champneys Health spa. To further this effect groves of pine trees were planted because their scent was meant to be particularly healthful.  Bournemouth became a centre for those suffering from TB and many of the lingering diseases acquired in the Empire. For the same reason we see a rich list of artists and writers  who came to Bournemouth to breath in the resin scented air of the Pine walk and to take invigorating exercise along the seven miles of golden beaches.  Among these were Aubrey Beardsley, Robert Louis Stevenson and DH Lawrence.  Later, writers such as  J.R.R. Tolkein retired here.  Nowadays the pine walks and golden sands are still there and artists still benefit from their reinvigorating properties.  If you need a revitalising break to release your creative potential then follow in the footsteps of the greats  and enjoy one of the creative weekends at Bournemouth Creative Breaks

A Bus Ride in Bournemouth

Its difficult to convey just how tree-y Bournemouth is.  many roads and avenues are so thickly lined with trees that you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the middle of a rural forest.  Here are some pictures taken from the topdeck of the open top bus on the way to Swanage.

And just looking back from the ferry at Sandbanks

And here is Skerryvore, the house where Robert Louis Stevenson lived and wrote some of his more interesting stories whilst recuperating from illness.  Unfortunately the house itself was destroyed by bombs in the Second World war but you can see how thickly wooded the gardens are.