Jane's Midlife Journey

Boscombe Chine is one of four chines along the Bournemouth coast. A chine being a deep, steep-sided ravine originally formed by a river flowing through to the sea. Boscombe Chine runs down from the cliff top to the coast just to the west of Boscombe Pier. It was converted into a garden during the Victorian era when Boscombe first became a popular resort.

How to get to Boscombe Chine Gardens

The gardens can be accessed from all four sides:

• bottom (opposite the pier)
• top (A35 – Christchurch Road)
• west side (East Overcliff Drive/Manor Road)
• east side (a small alleyway on the Boscombe Spa Road)

To reach Boscombe Chine from Bournemouth, it is a pleasant walk/cycle along the Promenade or the overcliff or a mile drive along the A35. Numerous buses pass along the A35 (1a, 1b, 1c, m2, X3) stopping at the top of the chine at Boscombe Gardens. In addition, in summer, the No 70 Breezer Bus is another option. Unlike in previous years, the 70 does not go all the way down the hill to the pier. To access the Chine, you can alight at Monkey Island on East Overcliff Drive.

Parking

The nearest car park is Boscombe Overstrand Car Park. Fees are seasonal, costing from £2.50 for 2 hours in winter to £3 for an hour in summer. Further details can be found here. Some free roadside parking is available to the east side of the chine (for example Boscombe Spa Road or Wharncliffe Road) with steps nearby leading into the gardens. Note: On a sunny day, you are highly unlikely to find a roadside space.

History of Boscombe Chine Gardens

During the Victorian era, when the area first began to attract tourists, it was decided to transform Boscombe Spa (so called after the mineral spring which once existed at the lower end of the gardens) into a fashionable coastal resort. To that end, plans were made to turn Boscombe Chine into a ‘splendid garden‘. Work began in 1868 to create a pleasure grounds to include walks, croquet lawns, a rustic bridge and a lodge. The original lodge still stands in the northwest corner of the Gardens.

Development of the gardens continued and included building paths, planting beds and construction of a model boating pond, tennis courts and a tennis pavilion.

Over time, the area became run down and for fifty years the gardens fell into decline. By the 1990s, they had become a no-go area notable for their anti social behaviour and as a hangout for druggies.

In recent years, the gardens have undergone a facelift and become a pleasant place for local and visitors to spend some time. Although the spa spring is long gone, recent renovations have included the replacement of the tennis courts with mini golf, filling the model boating pond to create a water park and the replacement of the old rustic bridge with a concrete structure.

Since 2007, the Gardens have been awarded a Green Flag Award which recognises well managed parks and green spaces. Integral to the gardens’ transformation has been reinstating the beautiful flower beds.

Boscombe Chine Gardens consist of formal flower beds, less formal borders, grassy areas and a selection of mature trees. A variety of trees grow along the banks of the chine and provide habitats for wildlife.

Food and Drink

Boscombe Chine Gardens Café

At the top of the gardens is the Boscombe Chine Gardens Café, a community café run by the Parks Foundation. The café is on the upper floor overlooking the mini golf course, offering an opportunity to enjoy a drink and a snack with a lovely view across the gardens. The café is open daily during the summer months between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm.

Facilities

Mini Golf

A beautifully landscaped 18-hole Mini Golf Course is open daily throughout the summer. Golf can be booked via the café with a round costing £7.50 for adults or £5.50 for children.

Other facilities include a ball play area with basketball court and table tennis table and public toilets.

Note that the central path through the park is pedestrian, but that cycling is permitted on the paths to the eastern and western edges of the gardens.

Events in Boscombe Chine Gardens

The Parks Foundation organises regular events in the gardens, for example foraging and craft activities and an annual Family Fun Day. Further details about events in the gardens can be found here.

Boscombe Chine Gardens for Children

There are plenty of child friendly activities in the gardens. As well as the ball play area and mini golf, there is the popular water play area.

Water themed Play Area

The really cool water themed play area has a variety of water wheels, sluice gates and chutes, which children can adjust to send water in different directions.

Note: The water is not on all year. A sign says it will be turned off from November until Easter. However, when we visited in early October, it was already off. Without the water, there is just three activities in the playground; a swing, a seesaw and a tiny slide.

Th park also has a Wildlife Quiz Trail along the pathway with information about the plants and animals found in the gardens. 

The Parks Foundation sometimes runs activities for children, such as Wildlings sessions, which offer after school nature themed activities aimed at children age 3 to 6. These sessions are free. We enjoyed making seed balls for birds. Further details can be found on the Parks Foundation website.

• Updated: May 2025

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my other ideas for ‘101 Things to do in Bournemouth‘ here.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.