Dorset Twinning Association

Photo Gallery

All photographs ©John Lamper unless otherwise stated

Swanage
(Please click on thumbnails to enlarge)

A Postcard from Swanage
The town seems to have begun as an Anglo-Saxon port often raided by Danes. The town's history has been dominated by quarrying and shipping. Purbeck marble from the hills and cliffs is to be found in many of our churches and cathedrals. The arrival of the railways in the 19th century made Swanage accessible as a resort.
The newly restored Victorian pier is popular with strollers and anglers, and is an embarkation point for boat trips during the summer months.

The Mill Pond
This is the oldest and most attractive corner of Swanage

St Mary's Church
The building is mainly Victorian, but the tower was perhaps orignally a fort, begun by Anglo-Saxons

The Purbeck Hotel
Local Purbeck stone is used almost exclusively in the town, and there are lots of interesting alleys and corners to explore.

The Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway is a major success story in steam railway preservation and the line is on target to link up with the main rail network within the next year. Trains run regularly between Swanage and the UK's only steam park-and-ride station at Norden.
More pictures of the railway can be found in the 
Corfe Castle Photo Gallery

Durlston Country Park
The park takes in part of the Dorset Coastal Path and presents excellent opportunities for observing wildlife, particularly birds. If this is your interest, it is best to go when it is quiet. There is no admission charge to Durlston Country Park, but you need to pay for parking.

Anvil Point
The lighthouse has been shining its light since 1881.

The Globe and Castle
The Great Globe is a 40 tonne Portland stone model of the world.
The Castle is a pub serving good beer and food.

Tilly Whim Caves
This old cliff quarry found a new use during the 19th century as a hiding place for smugglers.

Swanage Pier
Built in 1893 using imported greenheart in an attempt to overcome the problems of timber decay in a marine environment, the pier has a length of 195.7m (642ft).
A popular annual visitor is the Clyde-based Waverley, the last ocean-going paddle steamer in the world which is seen here during the summer of 1999.