About the place

Branksome is ideally placed between the honeypot of Westbourne, a great beach (surf can be good but the prom is lacking in facilities; no changing room or showers) and Canford/Sandbanks - if you don't need the harbour then its a great option. That said - the houses are on huge wooded plots due to a covenant that is currently being contested. Once lifted (as they invariably are) then expect relentless development until the end of time.

A word on living by a chine (Branksome has a lovely one). All those trees need constant gardening so as not to flatten beachgoers and there appears to be a law concerning chainsaws, leaf blowers, woodchippers and the like that if you don't fire them all up at 8am you aren't then allowed to use them that day. I lived by a chine for a year and you tell yourself you get used to the noise but once you move away you don't remember it fondly.

Boscombe & Canford have a huge amount of trees. Jus' saying.

Branksome Terrace Cafe

A great place to watch the sea when the weather is bad (the other is the Bistro on the Beach at Southbourne). Full kitchen but pricey coffee and cake - I sense that's their main revenue generator.