….cheap, cheerful and not an alcoholic calorie passing your lips, ensuring you will sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and energised.
SUPping – Stand up Paddle Boarding really took off on the south coast a few years ago. Hire a board in Bournemouth and propel yourself along the coast past Durley, Alum and Branksome Chines to Sandbanks and back – at a leisurely pace it’ll take you a couple of hours. The best thing about SUPing, is that if it’s flat it can be super mellow, almost hypnotic but with just a hint of swell you can catch some waves and make it a lot more dynamic, as it demands more powerful strokes. If you want to mix it up on flat water on – you can always try some exercise moves – planks and squats on the board – great for your core stability, or if you’re getting a little hot – dive off for a quick dip.
Purbeck Peloton – if you’re willing to travel a little further off track – take your road or mountain bike and head across the chain ferry. The countryside of the Isle of Purbeck is awesome – road biking you can do the full loop of the harbour weaving your way through Swanage, Kingston, Corfe Castle, and Wareham. Or on mountain bike – wind through the pines of Rempstone Forest and round to Arne Nature Reserve or head up, up, up… passed Old Harry and along Ballard Down with awesome views of Swanage Bay to the west and Poole Harbour to the east. You can go all the way along the ridge to Corfe or drop back down at various points and sweep back, off road via Purbeck Golf Course or on road via Studland Village, to the ferry. Depending on how far you go it’s an hour and a half plus.
Beach Yoga – Yoga is great for balance, flexibility, strength, breathing and body awareness and practised regularly has been shown to slow the ageing process. And what could be more lovely as the sun is gently dipping than enjoying a yoga routine on the beach. With the crowds dispersing in the early evening, the air cooling and usually becoming more still, beach yoga is a wonderful way to inhale gulps of fresh sea air and feel at one with nature while you perfect your downward dog or warrior pose.
Let’s Go Fly a Kite – When there’s a bit of breeze there’s nothing better to do in Bournemouth than Kitesurf. Our prevailing south westerly wind means it’s generally blowing in the best direction for kiting off the beach here. Poole Harbour has multiple recognised schools to learn with and you can often get up and (close to!) running after a three day course. If you’re not a water baby, then why not just get a land kite and while away the evening with some power moves on the beach – a whole lot of fun and pretty tiring when you’re going for it.
Strut Your Stuff – who needs Saint Tropez – the promenade between Bournemouth and Poole is stunning on a summer’s evening and there’s nothing like a good power walk for a great butt workout and decent calorie burning. If it’s not fast enough for you, pick up a skateboard and power along – but remember – anything on wheels before 6pm keep your speed down!
