Fancy driving your own powerboat around Poole Harbour this summer?  We did just that recently and hired a boat with Poole Boat Hire.

Poole Boat Hire are based at Cobbs Quay and they have a fleet of 5 Logic Marine 170ccs 17ft centre console powerboats which are complete with Yamaha 20hp electric trim and tilt outboard engines.

Our afternoon started with the owner Gareth giving us important safety information and instructions on how to drive the boat.  You do not need to have experience but if you don’t then I’d thoroughly recommend listening extra carefully as the harbour is bigger than you think and there are rules on the water that you must follow.  I was very pleased we did listen well as our alarm went off around the back of the harbour and I remembered that if the screen showed you were not in shallow water then you probably had seaweed on the prop.  Sure enough we lifted the prop and there it was so we removed it and then the alarm went silent again.

Before you arrive you will receive an email with important information to read through and some suggested routes.  We explained where we would go and Gareth put a route map into the system which we found very easy to follow, it even shows you if you are heading out of deep water.

Once we had our life jackets and kids buoyancy aids we were then taken to the boat for a safety briefing and instructions and then Gareth stayed with us for a little while on the water before dropping him off at another pontoon.

And that was it, we were off and travelled through Holes Bay, past the RNLI and then under the bridge to go past Poole Quay.  Once we head into the main channel my husband sped up a bit and the kids laughed their heads off and when we went past Brownsea Island we waved at anyone who looked our way. 

Going around the back of Brownsea was much calmer and we travelled between Furzey Island and Green Island and then past Round Island and Long Island.

The harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world and actually occupies about 3,600 hectares.  The open water, mudflats, marshes, reedbeds and Brownsea Island Lagoon provide a valuable habitats for birds which include common and sandwich terns, lapwings and great egrets to name but a few.  If you’re lucky you might even spot osprey, kestrel and peregrines.  You are allowed to drop your anchor if you wish however we were more than happy to just keep cruising and take in the scenery.  We did all have a go at driving but myself and the kids were equally petrified of going the wrong way so daddy took the lead for most of our trip.

As we started to head back to Cobbs Quay the kids were much more relaxed and my son took the opportunity to lie back and doze while myself and my daughter enjoyed a nice cuddle.

Our 2 hour hire flew by and it’s definitely something we’ll do again.  I was very pleased I had packed a picnic and drinks and made sure that the kids passed any wrappers and bottles to me so nothing would fly out into the water.

On our return we were greeted by staff and helped off the boat.  We had such a great afternoon and can’t recommend Poole Boat Hire enough.  The boats are fully equipped with everything you need and you’ll be sure to have a blast.

I would recommend visiting the toilet before heading off and taking your own food and drink.  If you’re lucky enough to go out on a sunny day then suncream is a must and a jumper as you’ll be surprised how windy it can become when you pick up speed.

Poole Boat Hire have very kindly offered £15 off a booking when using the discount code Dorsetmums at the checkout.  For more information and to book, please visit Poole Boat Hire.

Good to know:

• There is plenty of parking at Cobbs Quay however parking charges do apply.

• Hire price includes the boat hire, mandatory insurance fee, fuel and use of life jackets.

• The boats are capable of carrying up to 6 people so they are perfect for a family or small group of friends.

• Contact numbers are given should you need help while you are in the harbour.

• Poole Boat Hire can supply a doggy life jacket if required.

• It is very important to mention that you are not allowed out of the harbour although you won’t really want to anyway when there’s so much to explore within.

• Gift vouchers are available to purchase if you’re looking for something extra special to give as a present.

King George V Playing Fields is located in Ferndown and within it you will find a fab play park, kiosk and function rooms plus a number of sporting facilities which includes tennis courts, bowling green, skatepark, football and cricket pitches.  The area covers a whopping 60 acres and this is made up of the Upper Field, Lower Field, Town Green and Woodlands.

We parked in the small car park on Peter Grant Way and once you enter you will see the field infront of you and then buildings, kiosk, toilet facilities, bowling green, tennis courts and play park on your right.  If you are planning to only visit the skatepark then it’s recommend to park near the Cherry Grove entrance.

Our first stop was the play park which my 8 year old daughter LOVED.  The play park was refurbished in 2020 and the groundsman clearly keep it nice and tidy for visitors.  There are over 40 different pieces of play equipment which are suitable for toddlers up to teens.  The enclosed park is in really good condition with rubber flooring in most areas and even a fun little road that runs around the one section of the play equipment.

We found play frames with slides and monkey bars, spiro whirl roundabout, springies, see-saws, climbing nets, zip line, swinging rope log, swings, balance course and a couple of big funky blue things which I think are for kids to sit in but I’ll admit I could be wrong.  There’s also inclusive play equipment which includes swing seats, a ground level roundabout and play panels to stimulate cognitive activity.  Within the park you’ll find a couple of picnic benches and more can be found just outside by the kiosk too.

It didn’t take too long for my daughter to be thirsty and we took a wander over to the kiosk to see what we could find.  Kings Kiosk serves drinks, ice creams, crisps, cakes and treats plus paninis and hot dogs.  My daughter quickly decided on a Slush Puppie and we went for a walk nearby to find Millenium Park which is located near the entrance.  This area is home to Ferndown Memorial and Garden of Memories which was opened in March 2011 and honours people from Ferndown who have made an impact on the community and who have inspired others.  The beautiful bronze centre piece of the memorial is in the shape of a stylised rose flower and outside of this are a series of polished commemorative Purbeck stones inscribed with the names of local heroes.

Once the slushie was gone we went back to the park for another play and then walked over to the skatepark which is pretty big.  This area was built in 2020 and comprises of a concrete park for skateboards, scooters and BMX bikes and has features including a halfpipe, blended jumpbox, pump bump and volcano plus there’s a separate mini wheels are for younger children.

Ferndown Common is great for spotting wildlife and if you’re lucky you might see squirrels, deer, foxes, bats and birds.  You could easily spend hours exploring the fields and woodland area and we’ll look forward to going back with the rest of the family on a sunny day.

For more information on this wonderful park including upcoming events and room hire, please visit King George V Playing Fields.

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Broadstone Recreation Ground

Wimborne DSME Miniature Railway

50 things to do in Poole with Kids

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