Sandbanks - Promenade & Pier

Navigating The Route

This is a linear Treasure Hunt along Sandbanks Promenade & Pier, with Explorers helping a local tycoon called Ivor Fortune follow a message in a bottle and crack the clues to find the long-lost hoard from a Spanish galleon packed with gold that may have been lost off Sandbanks.

The quest covers 4 miles and should take around 3.5 hours to complete. You'll start at The Oceanarium by Bournemouth Pier, then follow the paved promenade and sands towards Alum Chine, the Sandbanks stretch and the Sandbanks Hotel at the end.

This lovely Trail along the Promenade and sands can either be cycled or walked, although cycling is prohibited along the Promenade during the day in July and August.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. There are quite a few steps along the way, including a zig-zag sloped path and steps down to and back from the promenade in places. The route also mentions slopes and a gravelly area.

Stay alert for moving vehicles when leaving the car park via the vehicular exit, then keep your crew together as you follow the seafront clues towards Sandbanks. This is a linear route, so return to Bournemouth by going back along the promenade or by catching the number 50 bus.

Getting There

By car: Start your treasure hunt at The Oceanarium by Bournemouth Pier (BH2 5AA), using ///steer.gosh.plates. The nearest pay and display car park is Exeter Road (BH2 5BD). A larger pay and display option a bit further away is BH2 (BH2 5AU).

By public transport: Make your way to The Oceanarium by Bournemouth Pier to begin the quest. As this is a linear Trail, return to Bournemouth by catching the number 50 bus, or by going back along the promenade.

Need the Loo?

There are toilets at several spots along the promenade, so your Explorers should have opportunities for comfort breaks as the hunt heads along the seafront.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

If four-legged Explorers are joining your treasure-hunting crew, plan for a long seafront leg-stretch. 🐾

The route follows the promenade and sands, with quite a few steps, slopes and a gravelly area along the way. Keep canine companions close around the car park exit, busier promenade sections and anywhere the route drops down to or climbs back from the promenade.

Food & Drink Stops

Treasure hunting along the coast is hungry work, but there are lots of places to stop for refreshments or stock up on supplies along the way. The route includes a restaurant at the bottom of the slope, a bar/restaurant at Alum Chine and the Sandbanks Hotel at the end.

If you'd rather pack your own provisions, there are plenty of lovely picnic spots on the beach or in the parks, and you could nip onto the beach for a relaxing picnic while the galleon-hunting crew regroups.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Bournemouth Pier

A wander along Bournemouth Pier is well worth it if you have the time. You can also follow the Bournemouth Pier History Trail, tracing a story that includes the pier's early development, storm damage, Eugenius Birch's redesign in 1880, wartime demolition in 1940 and repair and re-opening in 1946.

Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Alum Chine and Branksome Dene Beaches

These beaches are the show-offs of the south coast, with miles of soft golden sand and lots of European Blue Flags. Over the past 20 years, this coastline has flown more Blue Flags than any other British resort, making it a cracking place to linger once the treasure trail clues have been solved.