Jane's Midlife Journey

Five miles west of Bournemouth, the bay ends at Hengistbury Head. This stunning headland, culminating at Mudeford Sandbank, has the English Channel to the south and Christchurch Harbour to the north. The area is a designated nature reserve and also a Stone and Iron Age archaeological site. It is a beautiful place to spend some time exploring.

How to get to Hengistbury Head

From Bournemouth, it is a 5 mile drive to Hengistbury Head along the A35/B3059 to Southbourne, then turning right onto Broadway. Alternatively, on foot or by bike, follow the promenade to its end, then turn right and follow the road, turning right onto Broadway (or you can turn right a little earlier and walk along the cliff top trail).

By Bus

In summer, the No 70 Breezer Bus runs along the coast between Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, stopping at Hengistbury Head in both directions. In winter, the closest bus stop is Broadway Shops, around a 15 minute walk from the Visitor Centre. Bus fares are capped at £3 per journey.

By Ferry

The Mudeford Ferry operates across the harbour connecting Mudeford Sandbank with Mudeford Quay. The ferry operation is seasonal, running daily from April until October. During the rest of the year, it runs on school holidays and at weekends (weather permitting). Normal operating hours are from 10 am until 5 pm. During peak times, ferries operate every 15 minutes between 9 am and 8 pm.

The crossing costs £3.50 each way (cash only). You can take your bike on the ferry for £1.50. A child ticket is £1.50 and a child’s bike costs 50p.

Parking

If you travel by car, there is plenty of parking at Hengistbury Head Car Park, close to the Visitor Centre. Parking costs £3 for an hour in summer (£2.50 for 2 hours in winter). Further details can be found here.

There is some free off road parking along Broadway. A one hour time restriction applies between 10 am and 7 pm.

Land Train

A Land Train runs from outside the Hiker Café to Mudeford Sandbank. The land train operates daily between Easter and October, departing every 30 minutes between 10 am and 4 pm (5 pm during the school summer holidays).

A single journey costs £4.75 for adults and £3.15 for children (card only).

Hiker Café

The Hiker Café is situated at the entrance to Hengistbury Head. It serves breakfast, lunch, cream teas and home made cake. There is an indoor area plus outdoor seating. Note: If you sit outside, you will have a great view, but are likely to be mobbed by starlings!

The café is open daily from 9 am until 5 pm.

Visitor Centre

A five minute walk from the end of the road brings you to the Visitor Centre. This covers a range of functions; there is a gift shop, information about the area, wildlife webcams and an art gallery. You can also see displays of artefacts found in the area and learn all about the wildlife that lives on the nature reserve. 

As well as a range of gifts, toys, jewellery, homeware, books and cards, the gift shop has tasty local produce, including craft gins and beers, biscuits and condiments. It’s a great place to pick up a souvenir of your trip, or a gift for that special someone.

The centre is open daily from 10 am until 4 pm (5pm in the summer). It is free to enter the Visitor Centre, but I don’t often make it past the the gift shop without purchasing a little something…

Exit through the rear of the Visitor Centre and you will find yourself in a pretty garden interspersed with wood carvings.

Hengistbury Head

Hengistbury Head is home to over 500 plant species, 300 types of birds and a variety of insects, reptiles and small mammals. The reserve has several different habitats for wildlife, including woodland, heathland and saltmarsh. From the headland there are amazing views across the Bournemouth area and beyond. 

From the café, you can continue straight on a paved pathway, which is shared use and reasonably flat, all the way the the sandbank. This path takes you along along the edge of the River Stour and Christchurch Harbour on a picturesque, accessible route.

Alternatively, you can turn right and walk along the Coastal Path. This goes up and over a steep hill and re-joins the main path (via uneven steps) at the end of the headland. Note: Bikes are not allowed on this route and it is a more strenuous walk. However, the views from the Trig Point at the top are pretty spectacular. On a good day, you should be able to see Bournemouth and Christchurch, and possibly the Isle of Wight and the Purbecks.

The area in between the two main paths contains smaller trails, a lagoon and plenty of flora and fauna. Note: This is a conservation area, so dogs need to be kept on a lead to avoid harassing the wildlife which resides here.

Mudeford Sandbank

At the end of the trail is Mudeford Sandbank; a narrow stretch of land sandwiched between the sea and the harbour, where you will find some of the country’s most expensive beach huts. There is a lovely beach here where you can relax amidst the expensive beach huts on the beach, with the backdrop of the expensive yachts in the harbour and marvel at how the other half live. Facilities include public toilets and a café. Note: You need to locate the correct toilets – one block is for beach hut owners only.

Beach House Café

The Beach House Café is located on Mudeford Sandbank. It offers breakfast and snacks all week, with a grill on some days (Wednesday to Sunday) and pizza on some days (Friday and Sunday). During the summer, there are some outdoor kiosks selling pizza, seafood and sandwiches, plus a beach shop selling essential items.

The café is open daily from 9 am.

When you reach the end of the headland, your options are to turn round (obviously) or you can continue by catching the ferry to Mudeford Quay. If you cross the harbour, you can then either return by ferry or pick up the 70 Breezer bus the other side to return to Bournemouth. You can also take the 1C bus, which is quicker but much less fun. Unfortunately, this is the only option out of peak season.

Hengistbury Head for Children

Trails

The headland is criss crossed with trails with plenty for children to see and do. The main pathway is paved, so suitable for pushchairs. Along the way, you can find flowers, lakes, sculptures, and all sorts of wildlife, as well as sheep and cattle. This is also a popular spot for children to learn to ride bikes. Note: Watch out for the land train and occasional vehicle.

Beach

The sheltered sandy beaches of Hengistbury Head are great for children. Although it is quite a trek from the car park to the beach – if you have small children and/or a lot to carry, you may need to consider forking out for the land train.

Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre has a few interactive displays. There are also some fish. The centre runs activities for children during the school holidays, such as activity trails and crafts. In addition, it has a nice gift shop selling local produce. I often buy locally produced food and drink here to give as gifts. For example, Dorset honey, preserves and biscuits. Plus Conker gin, distilled just down the road in Southbourne.

To the rear in the wildlife garden there is a pond and carved benches and animals. Orla loves to check out the pond for fish and frogs and climb on the wooden animals.

Animals

There is plenty of wildlife to spot at Hengistbury Head. In addition to spotting wildlife around the headland, the Visitor Centre has wildlife web cams which provide a close-up view inside nesting boxes etc. You can also spot grazing livestock – Shetland cows and Cotswold sheep – in the fields near the Visitor Centre.

Land Train

Children will love a ride on the Land Train, although it is rather expensive. Alternatively, there is a wooden replica behind the Hiker Café, which is just as much fun to play on.

Food & Drink

Both cafés have a children’s menu. The Hiker Café is cheaper. They also have a serving hatch to the rear selling snacks and drinks, with tables overlooking the wooden train.

Hengistbury Head is one of my favourite places. If you’re visiting Bournemouth, it really does warrant getting off your deckchair and spending some time here. And there is a beach, so you can even bring your deckchair along…

• Updated: May 2025

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