Car Hire Bournemouth

Away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, with natural beauty all around, Bournemouth is a great place to relax and unwind. Driving here is relatively hassle-free too, with little congestion and plenty of scenic routes to be enjoyed. If you’re arrived at Bournemouth Airport, you’re only a 11-kilometre drive from the town, along the A338.

The same road also runs east to west across Bournemouth, ducking through a gap between the New Forest and Cranborne Chase to take you onto Salisbury to the north. Famed for its majestic cathedral, half-timbered houses and copy of the Magna Carta, enjoy a day inland exploring its centre.

From the A338, you can also join the A31, which runs east through the heart of the New Forest, connecting with the M27 towards Southampton. Alternatively, take the A35 west out of Bournemouth centre and you’ll pass Poole to head through Dorset into Devon, passing many lovely villages and places to stop along the way.

Bath Road runs close to the beach and leads down to the pier, passing the Pavilion Theatre. You can get no closer to the water in your hire car than Undercliff Drive, which tracks the seafront and leads from Bournemouth beach to neighbouring Boscombe, with its own striking pier.

That said, there is plenty of parking to be found, both in the town and at the beach. Check out the local council website, listing the location and details of all the local car parks in the area.

If it’s the first time you’ve driven in the UK, most of the rules of the road are the same as at home. However, speed limits are displayed in miles per hour. The top speed limit in Bournemouth centre is 30mph (48km/h), although this may drop to 20mph (32km/h) in some zones.

On motorways and dual-carriageways outside of towns and cities, the maximum speed is generally 70mph (112km/h), but always check signs in case of any changes.

Bournemouth’s seafront façade is a real charmer. Wander along its striking pier which reaches out to sea – and delivers all the candy-floss-fuelled fun you could possibly want – and enjoy the multi-coloured townhouses adding to the town’s captivating allure.

With the sea to one side and vast areas of outstanding natural beauty on the outskirts, there are few better places to be when the sun is shining.

Beside the seaside

Sometimes life is as simple as finding a good spot on the beach and making the most of the sunshine. Bournemouth’s golden-hued beach stretches as far as the eyes can see, perfect for sinking your toes in and enjoying a stroll to Alum Chine in the west or Boscombe in the east.

Along the way, you’ll pass hundreds of beach huts and deckchairs, available for hire, as well as beach bars, restaurants and playgrounds. Mere steps from the sand, West Beach is an eatery with a great reputation for seafood. Gaze out to sea as you tuck into dishes such as mussels in red Thai curry sauce and fresh oysters.

The kitchen does the classics brilliantly – exemplary fish and chips or comforting fish pie – but also strikes out with ambitious dishes such as halibut with veal and truffle jelly, or fillet of beef with crab shell butter.

Walk it off on your way to the ornamental gardens at Alum Chine, or surf the waves at Boscombe Pier.

The story of the stones

For a great day trip with your hire car, stop off at Salisbury to admire the majestic cathedral and medieval buildings before continuing onto Stonehenge. Here, just an hour from your base, you can try to discern the mysteries that have stumped experts for centuries.

It’s a hugely popular attraction, so book tickets in advance, and even further ahead for the stone circle access visits, when you get to wander among the stones, rather than just around them.

Despite numerous theories – which you can learn about at the excellent visitor centre – no one really knows the meaning of those stones, who placed them, and whether they were a site of worship or of timekeeping. What we do know is that the earliest stones were placed here some 5,000 years ago, and they’re one of the most abiding enigmas of the English countryside.

The south’s siren songs

From Bournemouth, take your pick of a couple of the country’s loveliest areas of unspoiled natural landscape. The New Forest combines verdant woods with patches of pretty heath, tailormade for walkers and hikers to park up and enjoy. There’s plenty of local flora and fauna to discover, while deer roam freely around you. There are quaint villages scattered around, with friendly country pubs and small churches to visit, so you’ll soon find your slice of quiet and serenity.

Alternatively, Cranborne Chase sits a few kilometres to the north, offering nearly 1,000 square kilometres of natural beauty spanning four counties. Tranquil villages pepper the picture-perfect chalk downs, criss-crossed by streams which delve into ancient woodland.

Tour the ruins of Old Wardour Castle, see the peacocks and the Roman temple at Larmer Tree, and explore the historic Stourhead estate. This grand Palladian house has tremendous gardens packed with charming features.

You can visit all this and make it back to watch the sun set over the sea with car hire in Bournemouth. Book direct now.