Studland Bay Middle Beach

★★★★

A couple of weeks ago, the sun came out in Bournemouth town, and after a tough few days hunting the worldwide web for jobs, my sister, her partner, baby Sofia, and my brother decided that we all needed to get out of the house for a few hours, allow ourselves some time away from the computer screen to clear our heads.

We clambered into our bogey green Citreon C3 and set off on an adventure. After little debate, we decided upon Studland, a small ferry trip across the sea from Sandbanks. With a few map reading errors (on my part) and narrowly missing embarking the channel ferry (although, when is Paris not a good idea?!) we arrived at the end of the sandbanks ferry que. With baby snoozing, we sent the boys off to get supplies for some kind of car picnic and we happily watched as other families did the same thing. Be prepared if you're planning a trip to the island yourself as there is not much in the shape of amenity, apart from toilet blocks, beach shop/information centre and ice cream huts. So pack a picnic and treat yourself to a coffee and some Purbeck ice-cream later in the day!

The ferry crossing lasted a mere ten minutes and we were immediately lost amongst beautiful scenery and coastline of Studland bay with Poole harbour in our midst. We paid and displayed in the first car park we found - if you're not National Trust members (which we're not) its a whopping £6 to park, but the sun was shining and moods were high, so we paid without a second thought. I should add that this omits you parking in all beach car parks on the island, so if we'd got our acts together sooner and had more time to kill, a whole day's parking for £6 is not bad at all.

We lasted about 5 minutes at this particular beach as we realised that buggies and sand aren't the greatest combo, and although there were sand buggies to hire, little 5 week old Sofia wouldn't stand a chance. So, back in the car for another ten minutes or so to Middle beach. We parked in a shady spot and took some snaps from the view point overlooking the coast with views across to Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight. Absolutely breathtaking. I'm really starting to like Dorset, and I have a feeling there are plenty more places like this around the county.

Middle beach car park has easy access down to the beach via a single track road, which leads you to a small cafe and ice-cream hut overlooking the beach. We sat under an umbrella eating ice-lollies and basking in the heat. Yes, basking! The sun was shining and we literally could've been on a desert island in the Mediterranean - as I write this I'm looking out of my window to a grey miserable day, so the pictures make this all the more appealing right now. An hour passed and baby got restless, as babies do, so we packed up and made our way home. 

It was a truly unforgettable, albeit spontaneous afternoon, and well worth the trip. Without counting food, the visit to Shell bay cost a grand total of £15.50 between the four of us, including car park fee, ice creams and one ferry crossing, which is such great value. I'll definitely plan to go back in the summertime and spend a whole day exploring a bit more.

Where would your most memorable afternoon be spent?

Kate x

  

Breakfast at Branksome Beach

★★★★

New to the area and in desperate need of a break from unpacking, my family and I celebrated my Mum's birthday with breakfast at one of our favourite coastal spots. Sparing you my family history, we've recently relocated to Bournemouth from Bristol in the hope to find happiness and an easier life by the sea. And we couldn't have asked for a better first day in our new home. The sun was shining on the golden sand and you could see blue skies for miles with a few fluffy white clouds overhead.

Our table reservation was for 10am as the restaurant opened, and being a Thursday, the family-friendly restaurant and terrace bar was quiet, albeit a group of young mums and their babies, an older couple and a party of ladies popping a bottle of champagne and exchanging gifts. The overall atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and it helped that everyone around us was having a good time too. Once we'd taken our seats, we were greeted by our server, who was absolutely lovely. She took our drinks order and we were left to peruse the breakfast menu.

During the week the restaurant offers the 'eggs your way' promotion - 2 for £10 and with this you have the option of either scrambled, fried, boiled or poached eggs with a cooked breakfast accompaniment of your choice. The restaurant charges standard restaurant prices, with no single item costing over £10. Having been to the restaurant before, I knew to order the Bircher muesli, which is some of the best I've had. Everybody else opted for cooked options as there was such a good variety to choose from.

We were served quickly and were all very content with our meals. The bircher muesli was, dare I say it 'moist' and incredibly light and just the right amount. The cooked breakfasts were a good size too and not an inch of grease in sight, which is always a risk you take when eating out for breakfast. Unless you like that of course!

With the cooked breakfasts, there was more than enough toast between the five of us, so we shared it amongst ourselves and asked for a few pots of marmalade. Why is restaurant toast always SO good? Toasters should be made with a setting to get the same texture and taste at home!!

For those who can't last ten minutes without checking their Instagram page like myself, the restaurant provides fast free wifi for their customers - which also meant that Mum could read her birthday messages on Facebook before our food was brought out. As well as breakfast, the beachside restaurant offers lunches, dinners and afternoon tea, so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery from dawn to dusk, though I kind of wish they opened a little earlier! As we were sat at our table, the chef was bringing out trays of gorgeous-looking freshly made cakes to display in the restaurant which caught my eye, so I'll definitely be back to sample those another time!

After breakfast, we had a stroll along the seafront, breathing in the fresh sea air and making the most of the beautiful weather. I'd highly recommend brunch at the Branksome Restaurant and Terrace Bar. If not for the fantastic sea views, then for the tasty breakfast menu. Make sure to book at weekends, especially on sunny days if you want either a window seat or an outside table. On a side note, parking is reasonable, but there is not much of it, so be prepared for that if you're visiting at the height of the summer season.

I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful. I'd love to know about any of your recommended Bournemouth breakfast spots worth trying, please comment below with your suggestions.

Kate x