Chill and Relax...
Relax with a fabulous meal or snack in town, a picnic by the river, or have some fun on the quay !
Eating out...
There’s a great selection of cafes and restaurants in Wareham…
For a small market town, Wareham has a quite extensive selection of places to eat and drink. They’re all there, whether you are looking for a good quality cafe for lunch, a traditional old English country pub or a good quality restaurant. There are also plenty of take-away options available from Indian, Chinese or fish and chips.
Picnic by the River !
So many picturesque spots to while away the hours…
Banks of the Frome River
Opposite the Quay, over the River Frome bridge, is a small green river bank area which is ideal for picnics or just relaxing on a warm sunny day.
This community area is also often used for events or celebrations. There is some public seating or you can sit on the grass. Popular with picnics or you can grab a takeaway from the good variety of cafes and takeaway venues in the high street. (See also our Two Riverside Walks).
Priory Meadow
Situated behind this area is the Priory Community Meadow. The area is part of an area of Special Scientific Interest and is conserved as a wildlife area. With a circular pathway, an information board and some seating to where you can get out the sandwiches!
Wareham Common & Wareham West Mill
There is a small car park in the north-east corner of the village past the Wareham Health Centre and over a cattle grid. From there you will look over the western end of the Wareham Common and the flood plain of the River Piddle (also known as the ‘Trent’ in polite circles!). The river floods virtually every winter making rich fertile ground for flowers in summer, and the slow moving river also has a picturesque abundance of flora in it. During the summer there are a couple of spots on the Common where it’s dry enough to sit down.
Follow the path further, under the road bridge, and head down an unmade track to the Wareham West Mill. In front of the Piddle river, with the weir to the left, is a lovely spot for a picnic. There is a sign here describing some of the wildlife to be found around here in the Spring and Summer. While some may frown on it, the river is so shallow here that it’s a great place to let the kids have a paddle!
Wareham Quay...
The quay has always been the ‘key’ to Wareham’s success!
From Saxon times, Wareham’s quay was one on the most important ports in Dorset. As the river slowly silted up over the centuries trade moved to Poole instead. However, the Quay is still the beating heart of Wareham taking on the role of a riverside town square.
Nowadays, the Quay is the centre for local events like ‘Wareham Wednesdays’ during the summer, as well as the Saturday Market.
The Quay is surrounded by a good selection of pubs and restaurants, so its a great place to relax by the river, take a boat trip or hire a boat yourself over the road at Abbot’s Quay.
There’s so much around Wareham for you to visit and enjoy – a 1000 years of places !
Wareham has plenty to offer, from boat hire and riverside walks to retail therapy!