Poole Harbour

Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England. It lies on the shores of the town of Poole and forms the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour is a drowned valley formed at the end of the last ice age and remains extremely shallow, with an average depth of only 48 centimetres. One main dredged channel runs from the mouth to Holes Bay. The harbour covers about 36 square kilometres and is often claimed to be the second largest natural harbour in the world. The harbour has a long history of human settlement dating back to pre-Roman times. In 1964, the waterlogged remains of a 2,000-year-old Iron Age logboat were discovered off Brownsea Island. The Romans used Poole as an invasion port for the conquest of southern England. By the 15th century, Poole had become Dorset’s Port of the Staple for wool exports. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town grew wealthy through trade with North America. During the Second World War, the harbour hosted seaplane bases. Visitors to Poole Harbour find a landscape of water, islands and shorelines. Brownsea Island, the largest of several islands, lies near the entrance at Sandbanks. The harbour’s shores include Studland Beach to the southwest and Sandbanks to the northeast, where the Haven Hotel stands on the peninsula. Holes Bay, a tidal inland lake to the north, contains Pergins Island and is home to the RNLI training school. The harbour’s islands range from Furzey and Green Island in the south to Long Island and Round Island further west. The shallow waters and quiet areas provide spaces for fishing, kayaking and small leisure craft.