The ABC of Boscombe: Art, Bohemains and Cherries

“The ABC of Boscombe” guided walk with Hattie Miles aims to give a positive view of Boscombe past and present. You’ll find fascinating history, interesting street art and hear some quirky tales about our Premier Division football team The Cherries. 

Wednesday 10^th April, starting at 11am (no need to book just turn up) and

Wednesday 24^th April, starting at 11am (no need to book just turn up)

Meet Hattie just inside the Palmerston Road entrance of the Royal Arcade, opposite Aldi and next to a nice deli cafe called Da Nunzio.

Price: £6 (over sixties and students £5) … please bring cash as this avoids bank charges, helps me to keep my prices low and solves the vagaries of the wifi signal being down!

Exterior view of Boscombe’s historic Royal Arcade

Be prepared: This is a mainly level walk on pavements and pathways. There are good bus services to Boscombe including the 1a, 1b, 1c, M2, and 22. If you come by car, the Sovereign Centre offers reasonable parking fees (currently £2 for up to 4 hours). There are good loos just inside the Palmerstone Road end of the Sovereign Centre. Da Nunzio café serves good coffee and various cakes and filled rolls etc. Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. The walks lasts approximately 90 minutes.

A history walk around Kings Park Cemetery:

Bournemouth East Cemetery on the edge of King’s Park, Boscombe, is the final resting place a number of fascinating people that include a Victorian pantomime star, a 19th century war hero, a uniquely eccentric Bournemouth poet, a Spitfire flying ace and a world champion motorcyclist. This informative walk tells their stories and much, much more. 

Saturday 6th April, starting at 11am (no need to book, just turn up!) and

Saturday 27th April, starting at 11am (no need to book, just turn up!)

We meet at the entrance to the cemetery on Kings Park Drive and Petersfield Road (close to the old Kings Park Nursery site BH7 6LR). Please arrive in time to set off at 11am.

Price: £6 (over sixties £5) … please bring cash as this helps me to keep my prices low and solves the vagaries of the wifi signal being down!

Walkers out on the Kings Park Cemetery walk last June

Be prepared: Bournemouth East Cemetery can be found adjacent to King’s Park in Boscombe. There are good bus services on Christchurch Road. There is a good free car park and plenty of on street parking nearby. There are no toilets at the cemetery, so please be prepared. Southbourne centre and cafe’s in Christchurch Road are a short drive away. On Saturdays there is occasionally a pop-up refreshment kiosk nearby where drinks and snacks can be purchased. Please wear comfortable footwear and dress appropriately for the weather. The walk is largely on tarmac pathways, but we do walk onto the cemetery to see some memorials and care must be taken on uneven ground. Well behaved dogs are welcome! Dogs on a lead are allowed in the cemetery!!

Literary Bournemouth

This guided walk with Hattie Miles is part of the Bournemouth Writing Festival scheduled for April 26th – 28th 2024. It explores the town’s rich literary history and includes writers such as JRR Tolkien, Thomas Hardy, Mary Shelley, The Durrell’s and more.

This walk needs to be booked. It will take place on Sunday 28rd April starting at 10.30am. Full details of how to book and the starting point of the walks can be found on the Bournemouth Writing Festival website: https://www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/

Be prepared: this is a moderate walk and includes some slopes and steps with a rail. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing appropriately for the weather.

Hattie with walkers on last year’s Bournemouth Writing Festival Literary Bournemouth walk

Following the festival, the walk will be offered as a “no need to book, just turn up” walk. Dates for this will be posted after the festival. Alternatively you can book this walk for your club or group on a date of your choice. Contact Hattie for details at hattiepix.gmail.com

Find full details about the interesting workshops and talks taking place at the Bournemouth Writing Festival at: 

https://www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk

HAPPY 2024 EVERYONE!!

Thank you everyone who came along to my two New Year Quiz Walks on the 1st and 2nd January 2024. As you can see, we had a brilliant turn-out for the first walk in Southbourne. The second, in Westbourne, was stymied by Storm Henk but two intrepid walkers came along and we did a shortened route and slipped into Cafe 83 for warming coffees and excellent cake!!

Walks will now resume towards the end of March – depending on what the weather is up to! In the meantime have a happy, healthy and peaceful 2024. I hope to see you all when walks start up again.

NEW YEAR QUIZ WALKS 2024

Blow away the cobwebs on these New Year Quiz Walks with Hattie Miles.  There’ll be fun questions and answers on topics with local links, general history and current affairs. There will be showbiz, sport, literature, famous people and more.  There are no prizes but we aim for a jolly good and enjoyable time to welcome 2024. There are two walks –

New Year’s Day Quiz Walk in Southbourne … Monday 1^st January, 2024 … twelve noon start … we meet in Southbourne Grove outside Costa Coffee. Price £5 pp

New Year Quiz Walk in Westbourne … Tuesday 2nd January, 2024 … twelve noon start … meet at the Seamoor Road end of the Westbourne Arcade. Price £5 pp

Price: £5 pp – no need to book, just turn up! Please pay cash – this enables me to keep my prices low as I don’t have to pay bank charges for card-readers etc. 

There are cafés and shops nearby for refreshments. The routes and length of the walks will be partly determined by the weather – allow for about one-and-a-half hours.

Some clues for topics coming up on the New Year Quiz walks 2024.

Be prepared: these are moderate walks and include some slopes and steps with a rail. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing appropriately for the weather. There is plenty of on street car parking available for both walks as well as pay car parks and if you travel by bus please check times carefully.  The walks will last approximately 90 minutes. I’m assured that Costa Coffee, Southbourne, will be open on January 1st but have no definite information about independent cafes for either walk – I’m sure there will be refreshments and loos – just not absolutely sure where!!!

NEW YEAR QUIZ WALKS

Thank you everyone who came along to the final “no need to book, just turn up” guided walk for 2023 (Friday 17th November). Fifteen people joined me for the “Wonderful Westbourne” walk on, what turned out to be, a gloriously sunny day. It was an enjoyable and good fun walk!

The next walk up walks will be on the 1st and 2nd January 2024. On the 1st my regular “New Year’s Day Quiz Walk” will be in Southbourne and on the 2nd a “New Year Quiz Walk” will take place in Westbourne. Full details will be posted nearer the time.

Pictured are people on the final 2023 “no need to book, just turn up” walk.
“Wonderful Westbourne” was on Friday 17th November.

Wonderful Westbourne guided walk

This Friday 17th November, starting at 11am

Westbourne is an area packed with interest. Whether you are a resident or visitor you are sure to enjoy this guided walk with Hattie Miles that will show you some of the area’s hidden secrets and tell you about the many famous and fascinating people connected to it. You will find out about writers, actors, pop stars, a scientist, an athlete and much more.

We meet at the Seamoor Road end of Westbourne arcade, BH4 9AY.

Price £6 (over sixties & students £5). No need to book, just turn up. (Please bring cash as it enables me to avoid bank charges and keep my prices low).

The walk takes approximately one-and-three-quarter hours. 

For more information see: walkingtalks.wordpress.com or contact Hattie Miles on hattiepix@gmail.com (group bookings on alternative days can be arranged)

Before and after the walk there are various restaurants, pubs and cafes nearby.

photograph by Hattie Miles … Henry Joy’s Westbourne arcade was built in 1884.

Be prepared:  This is a gentle, mainly flat walk, but I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing appropriately for the weather. There is plenty of free on-street parking a short walk from Westbourne centre and also pay car parks. The bus services to Westbourne are generally good. Public loos in Westbourne are situated in the main car park on Millburn Road – we do NOT walk past them! Most cafes and restaurants have loos for customers.

A history walk around King’s Park Cemetery:

Bournemouth East Cemetery on the edge of King’s Park, Boscombe, is the final resting place a number of fascinating people that include a Victorian pantomime star, a 19th century war hero, a uniquely eccentric Bournemouth poet, a Spitfire flying ace and a world champion motorcyclist. This informative walk tells their stories and much, much more. 

Saturday 28th October starting at 11am (no need to book, just turn up!)

We meet at the entrance to the cemetery on King’s Park Drive and Petersfield Road (close to King’s Park Nursery BH7 6LR). Please arrive in time to set off at 11am.

Price: £6 (over sixties £5) … please bring cash as this helps me to keep my prices low and solves the vagaries of the wifi signal being down!

Be prepared: Bournemouth East Cemetery can be found adjacent to King’s Park in Boscombe. There are good bus services on Christchurch Road. There is a good free car park and plenty of on street parking nearby. There are no toilets at the cemetery, so please be prepared. Southbourne centre and cafe’s in Christchurch Road are a short drive away. On Saturdays there is occasionally a pop-up refreshment kiosk nearby where drinks and snacks can be purchased. Please wear comfortable footwear and dress appropriately for the weather. The walk is largely on tarmac pathways, but we do walk onto the cemetery to see some memorials and care must be taken on uneven ground. Dogs are not allowed in the cemetery.

Walkers on the Kings Park Cemetery walk earlier this year.

URBAN DRAW TOURS with Hattie Miles and Emma Moxey

This Tuesday morning, 3rd October, is the final URBAN DRAW TOUR of the series. We hope to repeat the workshops next spring.

Four Tuesday morning Urban Drawing courses in conjunction with GIANT Contemporary Art Gallery.

Join Bournemouth social historian Hattie Miles and artist and teacher Emma Moxey for this inspirational 4 week series walking, talking, drawing and creatively exploring Bournemouth’s secret spaces and cultural landmarks. 

Each session will focus on a different area of the town centre and a different experimental drawing technique, guided by Emma’s supportive teaching and references to past masters, and Hattie’s knowledgeable unravelling of the stories of place. 

Join us on Tuesday mornings 12th, 19th, 26th September and 3rd October from 10.30am – 12.30pm. Booking essential – £15 for Individual sessions 
£48 for full 4 week course.

Please visit https://www.giant.space/courses-workshops-booking to secure your place.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes!

A history walk around King’s Park Cemetery:

Bournemouth East Cemetery on the edge of King’s Park, Boscombe, is the resting place a number of fascinating people that include a Victorian pantomime star, a 19th century war hero, a uniquely eccentric Bournemouth poet, a Spitfire flying ace and a world champion motorcyclist. This informative walk tells their stories and much, much more. 

Saturday 3rd June starting at 11am (no need to book, just turn up!)

Saturday 10th June starting at 11am (no need to book, just turn up!)

We meet at the entrance to the cemetery on King’s Park Drive and Petersfield Road (close to King’s Park Nursery). Please arrive in time to set off at 11am.

Price: £6 (over sixties £5) … please bring cash as this helps me to keep my prices low and solves the vagaries of the wifi signal being down!

Be prepared: Bournemouth East Cemetery can be found adjacent to King’s Park in Boscombe. There are good bus services on Christchurch Road. There is a good free car park and plenty of on street parking nearby. There are no toilets at the cemetery, so please be prepared. Southbourne centre and cafe’s in Christchurch Road are a short drive away. On Saturdays there is usually a pop-up refreshment kiosk nearby where drinks and snacks can be purchased. Please wear comfortable footwear and dress appropriately for the weather. The walk is largely on tarmac pathways, but we do walk onto the cemetery to see some memorials and care must be taken on uneven ground. Dogs are not allowed in the cemetery.

Views of King’s Park Nursery that has an array of interesting memorials.