Welcome to Poole's Townpage

This medieval fishing port is set in Britain’s largest natural harbour close to Bournemouth in the County of Dorset, and boasts beautiful seascapes and coastal walks, claimed to be the best in Britain. The museum near Poole Quay tells the history of the borough, which has been the site of several major events including the Marconi wireless experiments in 1898 and was one of the largest embarkation points for the Second World War D-Day landings, which resulted in the loss of many of the town’s fine and older buildings.

The harbour is a park of yachts and pleasure boats and contains Brownsea Island, the location of Baden Powell’s first Scout Camp in 1907 and boasts a beautiful nature reserve and ruined castle, which can be visited by boat from Sandbanks and Pool Quay during the summer months. The Poole Pottery is one of the quays finest attractions offering tours of the factory and pottery collection.

The numerous parks and gardens including Compton Acres and Broadstone are wonderful day trips, yet the nearby attractions of Merley Bird Gardens with it’s huge aviaries, Tower Park, and the award winning Poole Aquarium Complex with crocodile pool, serpentarium and model railway are equally rewarding. Splashdown features thrilling water slides both indoors and outdoors to suit all weather conditions.