Mudeford Quay, the spit and Highcliffe: a day out
A day on the Christchurch coast from Bournemouth: the ferry from Mudeford Quay to the spit, Avon Beach, the clifftop walk and Highcliffe Castle.
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The best day out on the Christchurch coast starts at Mudeford Quay, crosses the harbour mouth on a small passenger ferry to Mudeford Spit, and ends two miles east at Highcliffe Castle. It is level walking, the cafés are spaced out well, and the whole thing fits between a late breakfast and dusk even in October.
Christchurch is the old town on the eastern edge of the BCP conurbation, where the Stour and the Avon run into Christchurch Harbour. Our things to do in Christchurch covers the Priory and the town; this piece is the coast, from the harbour mouth to the cliffs at Highcliffe.
What is Mudeford Quay?
Mudeford Quay is the working quay at the mouth of Christchurch Harbour, facing the narrow, fast channel called the Run. It has fishing boats landing their catch, children crabbing off the edge, a pub, a café and the ferry across to the spit. It is the natural start of the day, with a car park and a bus stop close by.
Stand on the end of the quay for ten minutes before you do anything else. The tide pours through the Run in both directions, the boats come in and out of the harbour under your feet, and across the water you can see the beach huts on the spit and the long hump of Hengistbury Head behind them.
Parking on the quay is pay and display and fills early on a sunny weekend. From Bournemouth the train to Christchurch takes about ten minutes, and from the station a bus or a taxi covers the last couple of miles to the quay. The Bournemouth Guide's Christchurch page has the town's travel links.
How do you get across to Mudeford Spit?
The Mudeford Ferry crosses the Run from the quay to the spit in a couple of minutes. According to the operator, it runs about every 15 minutes during British Summer Time, from Easter to late October, weather permitting, and at winter weekends and in school holidays when the forecast is kind.
Mudeford Spit, also called Mudeford Sandbank, is the finger of sand that runs from Hengistbury Head to the harbour mouth. It is lined on both sides with the beach huts that make national headlines when one sells, and they are all private. The beach in front of them is not: the open sea is on one side, the calm harbour on the other, and there is a café near the ferry landing.
The ferry is a small open boat, so check the times on the signs on the quay and on the sandbank pontoon before you set off, and allow for the last crossing back. If the ferry is not running, you can walk onto the spit from the Bournemouth side along the harbour path from Hengistbury Head, or ride the land train out from the Hiker Café in season. Our Hengistbury Head guide has that route.
What is the walk from Mudeford to Highcliffe like?
From Mudeford Quay to Highcliffe Castle is about two miles along the shore, flat or gently rising, and an hour at a stroll. You pass Avon Beach, the sheltered family beach next to the quay, then Friars Cliff and the woodland at Steamer Point, before the cliff rises to Highcliffe.
Avon Beach holds a Seaside Award and Highcliffe holds a Blue Flag for 2026, as we reported in six Blue Flags for BCP beaches. Both have cafés and toilets. Out of season the beach cafés keep shorter hours and some close on weekdays, so do not count on a hot drink at every one.
This is a good walk for dogs in autumn. The summer restrictions on dogs on most BCP beaches normally end with September, but check the signs at each beach entrance, and read the Help Centre's page on pets and assistance dogs if you are bringing yours to stay.
Is Highcliffe Castle worth a visit?
Yes, for an hour. Highcliffe Castle is a Grade I listed Gothic Revival house built in the 1830s on the clifftop, with 14 acres of grounds, a tea room and a zigzag path down to the beach. The house is run by the Highcliffe Castle Trust and opens Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm, in 2026.
According to the castle's own site, the 2026 season runs from 1 February to 23 December, with last entry at 3pm and the house closed on Fridays and Saturdays. The grounds open every day from 7am, with the gates closing at 7.30pm in October and earlier through the winter, and the Castle Pantry tea room is open daily. The car park is pay and display and run separately.
The interior is the draw for anyone who likes old houses: stained glass, carved stone brought over from France and rooms that have been restored after years of neglect. If the house is closed on the day you come, the grounds and the clifftop view along to the Isle of Wight and the Needles are still worth the walk.
How do you get back to Bournemouth?
The simplest way back is to retrace the shoreline to Mudeford Quay for a bus, or to take a taxi from Highcliffe to Christchurch station for the ten-minute train. Some buses run from Highcliffe towards Christchurch and Bournemouth; check the morebus timetable for the day, as services are thinner on Sundays.
If you have a bike, the Bournemouth and Christchurch cycle routes guide shows how to link the town, the harbour and the coast without much traffic.
Where to eat along the way
Mudeford Quay has its pub and café, the spit has its café, and Avon Beach and Highcliffe both have beach cafés. For a sit-down lunch in Christchurch itself, the Bailey Bridge is a pub restaurant by the river, and on the way back to Bournemouth the Riverside at Tuckton sits beside the Stour.
Where to stay for the Christchurch coast
Most people do this as a day out from Bournemouth, which is 20 to 30 minutes away by car or train and bus. Flexiestays has eight aparthotels on and around the West Cliff, and lists serviced apartments near Christchurch for anyone who wants to be closer to the harbour. Our older piece on Christchurch from Bournemouth has more on the town's history.
Frequently asked questions
Three ways: the short ferry from Mudeford Quay across the Run, on foot along the harbour-side path from Hengistbury Head, or on the Hengistbury Head land train in season. The ferry runs about every 15 minutes during British Summer Time, from Easter to late October, weather permitting, according to the operator.
Only sometimes. The operator says it runs at weekends and in school holidays through the winter when the forecast is good and the wind is reasonable. Check the signs on Mudeford Quay or the operator's site on the day.
In 2026 the castle opens Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm, from 1 February to 23 December, and it is closed on Fridays and Saturdays. The grounds, the tea room and the zigzag path to the beach are open every day.
