Address: Pier Approach, Swanage, BH19 2AP, United Kingdom
Phone: +441929425806
Rating: 4.4
based on 229 reviews.
Pier Maintenance and Restoration
Pros:
"A huge amount of money and hard work has gone into the restoration of this pier."
"It's a lovely old pier, and fascinating to see all the brass plaques!"
"What a lovely place. Old Victorian pier now run by a trust."
"It's a lovely pier to stroll on and although it costs £1 to go on, you can see the effort that is spent to maintain the condition of the pier."
"This charity run pier is well worth a visit, with limited on site parking."
"THE TEAM ARE OBVIOUSLY WORKING HARD TO KEEP IT TO ITS FORMER GLORY AND THE ONLY REASON IT DID NOT GET 5 WAS BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET INTO THE SHOP AS NO STAFF."
"Newly restored pier, with benches and a bistro cafe (at the land end)."
Cons:
"However it closes at 5pm during the summer!!"
"Refused to go any further after a man asked for a £1 to walk onto the pier."
"I'm very bummed at the pricing though, since it seems to be going up and up."
"Unfortunately we couldn't access the pier on this visit as major restoration and facility improvements are taking place."
"Great cafe facilities food very Good but a bit pricey £9.for a sandwich with few crisps and handful of salad garnish."
"Costs £1.50 to enter or you have to visit the cafe."
"It is currently not possible to visit the pier after 5pm in the evening when toll collecting staff go home."
Scenery and Atmosphere
Pros:
"Lovely views across the harbour and back to the town."
"Amazing scenery to chill on a mini vacation with family and friends."
"The views are amazing from left to right and out to sea."
"Wonderful views of the coast and sea."
"You get nice views over the coast and looking back to the town."
"The views back to Swanage and the Jurassic Coast are superb."
"A wonderful old pier, with far ranging views of Swanage and the headlands in the distance."
Cons:
"Nice pier, bit crappy beach, fish and chip shops everywhere and not really anywhere to sit!"
"I find the risk of losing an eye can really sap the enjoyment of a walk, plus random piles of hacked up fish chunks littered around the place is not great."
"However, given the drive to increase foot fall I would have thought that some time should have been spent ensuring that the pier is safe for families with young children."
Facilities and Services
Pros:
"There's a tea room and plenty of quiet spots to fish or simply take time to read the hundreds of memorial plaques embedded in the walk boards."
"There's also a very nice cafe with a museum on the pier which are worth a visit. The cafe is a little pricey, but nice all the same."
"The brass plaques inlaid into the pier floor are an interesting feature, and you can read people's celebrations and rememberances of times past."
"Each plank is marked by a small brass plac marking a thought or a celebration of a person, memorials and messages across the tides."
"The restaurant on the pier is well worth a visit."
"Enthusiastic, friendly volunteers welcome visitors and are on hand to answer questions on the pier's history."
"There is a dive shop with a bar where you can look at the findings from the ship wreck and eat lovely ice cream."
Cons:
"Just having a walk round Swanage on a visit. We came to the entrance to the pier road. We wondered why people were turning back at the entrance, Only to see they were charging£1.50 to go to the pier. Nothing really to see at the pier so we turned back as well. Bit of a money grabbing thing."
"It's a pretty good pier, just wish there weren't so many additional costs that make just visiting to walk along the pier stressful."
"Would have liked a walk on the pier but old lady at the gate said I had to donate to the trust for the upkeep."
"It was £2 per adult to get onto the pier and a bit extra for crabbing/fishing with a rod."
"Too expensive. I cannot remember exactly how much it was to take the kids crabbing + walking for the adults."
"Nothing really on the pier itself other than the connection to the cruises."
"We used the cafe when if first opened and I have to say they were not the most friendly."
Accessibility and Parking
Pros:
"Lovely lovely volunteers so helpful really happy to always Park on the pier if there is space."
"Parking is difficult unless you park the night before or arrive just as it opens."
"Plenty to see and do in Swanage. Parking is plentiful in town and along the road next to the beach or up by the pier."
"You pay £2 to access the pier, and I was able to use my mobility scooter for almost the entire length."
"Car parking is very close by."
"The pier also has some parking spaces as an alternative option to the main carpark, but you usually have to arrive early in order to get a space."
"Parking not cheap and the parking app is not a good one."
Cons:
"The big issue in seeing the pier is the problem in trying to find anywhere close by to park."