Читать книгу Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain - Julian Holland - Страница 27

The railway journey from one of Europe’s most important commercial sea ports to one of Britain’s premier seaside resorts first follows the shore of the Test Estuary before entering the former royal hunting ground of the New Forest at Ashurst. For the next 10 miles the railway meanders through forest and heathland, with trains calling at Beaulieu Road and Brockenhurst stations – the latter is the junction for the branch line to Lymington with its ferry service to the Isle of Wight. At Sway the railway leaves the forest behind and heads towards the coast to serve the continuous ribbon development of the resort towns of Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole that grew up following the coming of the railway in the late 19th century.

From Poole the railway heads across Holes Bay to Hamworthy before skirting around Poole Harbour to reach the historic town of Wareham. Here, in the not-too-distant future, travellers will once again be able to change trains for the journey down to the seaside resort of Swanage. Beyond Wareham the railway heads west along the broad, lush valley of the River Frome to Dorchester, calling at Wool and passing the decommissioned nuclear power station at Winfrith en route. This countryside was not only immortalized in Thomas Hardy’s novels but has, in more recent times, been home to several large army-tank training grounds. From the county town of Dorchester the railway swings south to cross over and under the South Dorset Downs before finally descending to the seaside resort of Weymouth, host of the sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

sandy beaches; water sports; Punch & Judy; busy harbour; sea fishing trips; Rodwell Trail (railway walk to Isle of Portland)

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

2 per hour (Mon-Sat)

1 per hour (Sun)

63½ MILES 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

Fishing boats and trawlers moored in the busy harbour at Weymouth.