Access and Recreation

Dorset Marine and Coastal Topic Paper Series 2010 Access and Recreation The quality and variety of the Dorset Coast make it an important resource for many different forms of sport and recreation. The range of activities has greatly increased in recent years, offering new challenges for those taking part – and for those who manage the coast and its inshore waters. There will be a continuing need to keep the balance between different activities, the environment, coastal development and other users of the coast. Coastal Recreation: Need and limited information for local policy making. It is water sport. Approximately 26 million tourists Trends generally accepted that participation in visit the South West region per year countryside and water recreation is on the generating between £4-8 billion of income. Recreation, to many, is a vitally important part increase with the most marked trend of the Nearly 40% of adults in the region spend of life. It not only provides an activity of last 10 years in the growth of active coast and some of their leisure time in the water. interest but contributes to our health and well- water recreation including sports such as being. People have high expectations of the scuba diving, kayaking, kite surfing, climbing quality of their leisure experiences, and the The Regulators and power-boating. Dorset coast provides a rich and varied range European of opportunities. • Bathing Water Directive (2006) - sets The British Marine Industry Federation (BMIF) water quality standards for bathing estimate that in 2009 13.2 million people Detailed trends in coastal recreation are beaches. This will also replace the (26.3%) regularly undertook some form of difficult to establish, there is only provided 1976 Bathing Water Directive from 2014. • Recreational Craft Regulations (2004) • Recreational Craft Directive (1998) sets safety and environmental design standards for certain types of recreational boats. • Other European directives on wildlife and environment may have indirect National Policy Planning Guidance Notes (PPG 17 - Sport & Recreation) provides guidance on local authority planning policy. DETR have a lead role in setting local authority byelaw powers and ratifying byelaw Bathing at Swanage. Copyright: Dorset Coast Forum Dorset Marine and Coastal Topic Paper Series 2010 Access and Recreation proposals, and are currently reviewing these Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan recreational activities. For water-based powers. looks at ways of maintaining sustainable recreation activities have become levels of economic and social activity within concentrated around the urban areas of the Sport England provides advice and grants aid the Harbour and its hinterland, while coast. and administers the National Lottery Sports protecting its natural environment. It Fund. Sport England and Physical Activity considers the activities of all those involved in Network work together to encourage adults the development, management and use of the and children to take up more recreational Harbour within a framework that facilitates the sports during their leisure time. integration of their interests and responsibilities. Natural England can influence management decisions within designated areas with Christchurch Harbour regards to sustainable development. The Christchurch Harbour and Waterways Management Plan provides a framework for National Governing Bodies of Sport are management through promoting the area’s voluntary organisations, though many take a safe and sustainable use, whilst balancing the lead role in setting standards and regulating demands on the natural resources. The Plan competitive activity, and representing the also tries to address ways in which to general interests of their sport. British Marine minimise risks and resolve any conflicts of Windsurfing at Portland. Copyright: Mark Simons Industries Federation represents the interests. recreational boating industry. The 2012 Olympic sailing events in Dorset County Authorities have statutory Weymouth & Portland has inspired the growth County responsibility for rights of way. of recreational water sports in what the Royal Harbour authorities have byelaw making Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Structure Yachting Association has credited as the best powers to ensure safety of navigation, which Plan set overall planning policy for Dorset. waters for sailing in Northern Europe. The can include speed limits and restrictions on Olympics will bring many tourists and water specific activities. Each harbour has its own Local Plans regulate development. District sport enthusiasts to the area, facilitating a byelaws. and Unitary Councils have some powers to significant financial boost for the local make byelaws for coastal and water economy. The Olympics has made it possible Portland Harbour recreation to build the Weymouth Relief Road, built to Harbour Management Plan essentially diminish journey times and queues to and describes an overview of the Harbour and the Dorset’s Coastal Recreational from Weymouth & Portland, especially in the activities that presently take place in the Resource active period around and during the games. various areas. The South West Coast Path and the main amenity beaches are significant coastal Poole Harbour Dorset Marine and Coastal Topic Paper Series 2010 Access and Recreation Activities in Dorset’s coastal Portland has experienced rapid growth in promoting of cycling in the local area. zone sports climbing, following national publication Importance: Regional of new climbing guides. There are now Bathing /Beach Recreation approximately 600 sport routes with fixed Golf Dorset has 50 bathing beaches which are bolts which have been put in place in the last Golf is experiencing continued growth in used for swimming and informal recreation. decade. Lack of co-ordination between popularity. At present there are 10 golf There are 8 ‘bathing only’ zones set up for promotion and management has led to a courses located in the coastal zone in Dorset, public safety. The main resort beaches are number of issues ranging from impacts on with an additional 22 courses further inland. vitally important to tourism and attract an nesting birds and cliff vegetation (particularly The Sports Council’s golf strategy identified intense level of activity, mainly during the the nationally important Portland sea- countywide issues regarding the accessibility summer period, whilst rural beaches provide lavender) to local parking problems. Moves of facilities for the beginner and casual golfer. quieter sites. However, these sites are seeing are now underway to try and address these Development pressures for new and an increase in activity, especially for sports through a similar programme to that expanded facilities are controlled by the such as paddle boarding and kite surfing . established in Purbeck. planning system, and new golf courses are Importance: Regional/National now subject to environmental impact Climbing A mobile climbing wall service is now assessment. Importance: Local/Regional Climbing is a fast-growing sport nationally, operating in Dorset. Importance: and there has been particular growth in Regional/National Hang-gliding and Paragliding demand for artificial indoor climbing walls, Hang-gliding and paragliding has been a and for ‘sports climbing’, which uses routes Cycling localised minority activity on the coast for over with pre-prepared, fixed bolts in outdoor rock Dorset has experienced a growth in demand many years. The main clubs are located out- faces. for recreational cycling, following the of-county, and use sites in West Dorset, accepted national trends. The main facilities Portland, Kimmeridge and Bournemouth Climbing opportunities in Dorset are limited to for cycling are quiet rural roads and when weather conditions are suitable. the hard limestone cliffs of Purbeck and bridleways. Some parts of the coast path, Although a minority activity, there are safety Portland. However the activity has become including the Ridgeway are bridleways and concerns where take-off and landing areas very popular and continues to grow. Seasonal suitable for off-road cycling – but most of the are open to the public, and this has led to a and route restrictions have been agreed in path is footpath only. A Purbeck Cycle Path is local ban at Charmouth during the main Purbeck to avoid conflict with nesting birds. promoted (Priest’s Way and Purbeck Way), season. Erosion at launch sites and The majority of climbers accept them, and the providing a circuit of Purbeck on lanes and disturbance to cliff-nesting birds is a concern scheme is monitored through an annual bridleways. There is an ongoing background on Portland, and a zoning scheme has been climbing forum. There are three quarries of problems of nuisance and damage from agreed with the main association who use the close to the South West path at Swanage, mountain-bike use on coastal footpaths and Island. Importance: Local/Regional which have become increasingly popular. The effective awareness raising is needed. There 3 venues now have a total of 160 routes. is continued restricted access for bicycles on South West trains which conflicts with the Dorset Marine and Coastal Topic Paper Series 2010 Access and Recreation Personal Watercraft (Jet-skis) craft in the near shore area. Importance: Regional/National for Yachting National for Personal watercrafts (commonly known as Regional/National Dinghy Sailing jet-skis) are popular forms of recreation on the Dorset Coast. Their use particularly Sailing centres on

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