From Britain with Love

Poole is a bustling quayside town in Dorset, on the South Coast of England, known for its stunning natural harbour (pictured) and nearby sandy beaches, making it a popular destination for sailors, surfers and watersports fans.

There's lots to see and do in and around Poole, from the three miles of white sandy beaches at Sandbanks to boat trips and watersports, as well as a great selection of contemporary waterside cafes, restaurants and bars. For nature lovers the place to visit is Brownsea Island (pictured), a 20 minute boat trip from Poole Quay, where you'll discover some of the last Red Squirrels in southern Britain, as well as nature-rich woodland, wetland, shoreline, and even an open air theatre.

Parkstone Dairies, where Sunwiser's design studio and workshop is based, is home to various craft workshops, studios and galleries. We moved here in 1997 having initially run the business as a cottage industry from home. We now have two units and six sewing machines, and outsource some of the manufacturing locally when required. We've always had a unique, design-led approach and our specialism is ladies sports headwear, from hats for golf, sailing, tennis, or simply relaxing and enjoying the sunshine safely.

We're passionate about promoting the importance of protecting women's skin from the damaging effects of the sun, which can lead to premature ageing, skin changes and even cancer. Poole is a very outdoorsy place, popular with sailors, golfers, walkers and watersports fans so sun protection is a key factor. We offer a range of headwear that is both smart and practical, while protecting delicate skin from harmful UV rays, whatever your age.

At Parkstone Dairies you'll also find many interesting boutiques, cafes and bars. We like The Green, a wholefood deli which stocks delicious products from Dorset-based Olives Et Al, while the famous Moore’s Dorset Biscuits are always a popular gift choice to take home. For unique ceramic homewares and gifts, pay a visit to the world famous Poole Pottery Studio on The Quay, where you can see skilled artists at work or even have a go at painting your own pot.

There's a great choice of restaurants in Poole, but our current favourite is South Deep, located at Parkstone Bay Marina, which is great value and enjoys a fabulous location. Seafood lovers should visit Storm Fish Restaurant where the chef is also a local fisherman, or The Guildhall Tavern which serves locally caught seafood prepared in a French style, both located in Poole’s Old Town. The Deli On The Quay overlooks the marina and Brownsea Island and is great for morning coffee and cakes, as is the newly opened Little Red Roaster Coffee House (pictured) near Parkstone Dairies.

There are many stylish places to stay in Poole, from The Harbour Heights Hotel which overlooks Poole Bay, and The Salterns Harbourside Hotel at a smart marina complex, to some great boutique B&Bs like Luminiere at Sandbanks (pictured), The Saltings at Salterns Marina, and the four star Dane Court Lodge.

You can see international artists appearing at the Pavilion Theatre in nearby Bournemouth, and there are a variety of cultural events on offer at The Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts. The National Trust's Corfe Castle is a great ruin to visit, or why not take a nostalgic train trip on the Swanage Steam Railway (pictured) which travels through Dorset's Isle of Purbeck.

Ther's always lots going on in Poole, and much of it is free. Tuesday night is 'Dream Machines' on Poole Quay, where you'll see around 2,500 motorbikes on display. While every Thursday night during August there's a stunning free fireworks display above the beach at Sandbanks. During the August bank holiday there's the Poole Park Fest (pictured), a free music festival provided by the Friends of Poole Park. From 3-5 September there's a Continental Street Market on the quayside, followed by the Animal Windfest from 10-12 September, the only free daytime beach sports festival in the UK.