Bournemouth Unitary Authority

Walk Details:
Date: 17/9/2005
Total ascent: 1m/ 3ft
Total distance walked: 0.07 miles
Walk difficulty: 0/10
Enjoyment rating: 0.5/10
Best bits: Not many county tops come fully equipped with toilets and shop!
Worst bits: Um…it was a petrol station by a busy roundabout. Taking photos was somewhat embarassing…
Walkers: Anth, Jim
Car Parking: There's parking in the BP petrol station right at the top

Top details:
Name: Ringwood Road
County top number: 96 of 204
Grid reference: SZ 04921 94917
Height above sea level: 65m/ 213ft
How nice was the top? 0/10
Views: 0.5/10
Description/Notes: The highest point in Bournemouth Unitary Authority is an indeterminate point in a petrol station.

The Walk:

In a couple of weeks we were due to walk one of the most notoriously difficult sections of the south west coast path (Barnstaple to Bude), and we needed to get some practise in. To ensure the practise was actually productive we headed down to bag all of the county tops and marilyns in the Dorset area.

The first one we came to was the county top of Bournemouth. An OS spot height of 65 metres turned out to be somewhere in the middle of a predictably flat BP forecourt. With a noisy roundabout next to it, it has to be said that this was not the most attractive county top in the repertoire, and 'twere most embarassing taking photos in walking gear in front of the other somewhat incredulous drivers. On the plus side, it was certainly well endowed with facilities, and I gratefully made use of the loos!

It wasn't clear from the map whether the petrol station actually lay within the unitary boundary. Suspecting that the boundary might run down the middle of Wallis Down Road, we crossed to the other side "just in case". Bournemouth looked no better from there though, so we left.