The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Highcliffe And Walkford

If you’re hanging out in Christchurch, you’ve hit the jackpot for a "two-for-one" history fix. The Priory and the Castle Ruins are practically neighbors, separated only by a lovely little stretch of grass and some very photogenic streams. It’s the kind of place where you can spend an hour wandering through ruins and then step into one of the most massive, peaceful churches in England. This is the "rugged" part of the tour. Built in the late 11th century to keep an eye on the harbor, the castle isn't a massive fortress anymore, but what’s left is pretty evocative. The Constable’s House: This is actually the hidden star of the show. It’s a rare example of a Norman domestic house. Look for the old stone chimney—it’s one of the oldest in the country. It sits right on the edge of the Mill Stream, and it’s a great spot to watch the local ducks while imagining life in the 1100s. The Keep: You can still see the remains of the Great Tower sitting atop its "motte" (the big grassy mound). If you’re feeling energetic, you can walk up the path for a better view of the town, though the tower itself is mostly a "shell" these days. The Vibe: It’s totally free to wander through. On a sunny day, you’ll see people sitting on the grass nearby with ice creams. It’s history without the velvet ropes.

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To explain the patronage of this place of worship, which is dedicated not to one person, but to the "Holy Trinity" – that is, God the Father, God the Son, and Holy Spirit; ONE God in THREE Persons – from the publisher's information for the book "GOD, YOU THREE" by Father Reinhard Körner: "For Father Reinhard Körner, the Trinity is... a living, tangible certainty. He takes the reader on a journey of discovery through his personal faith story: toward the one God in three Persons – toward God who is community. He finds this... Christian view of God in spiritual literature from the past and present, in art, and in theology. Living with the triune God can change one's own faith, one's way of praying, and one's coexistence with other people in the church, and ultimately in society as well. For a God who is in himself community, relationship, and love means hope for all people. A mystery worth rediscovering." (Source: https://www.borromedien.de/produkt-1994/gott_ihr_drei/11241557)

There’s a hidden flight of steps down the cliff side at this location.

At the Quay you will find several places to eat and drink as well as areas to enjoy a picnic. It is a great place to take a gentle stroll next to the waters edge and watch all the busy activities taking place. For children and families, crabbing is very popular from the quayside. You can buy nets, buckets and bait from the shop at the end of the Quay if you don't have your own. There is also a children's play area to let the little ones burn off some energy. The Quay is a popular sailing and windsurfing destination throughout the year and holds a number of dinghy championships. Many other events are also held here including seafood festivals, fun days, arts festivals and the annual Lifeboat Week.

The sand and shingle beach below the cliffs is generally fairly quiet and remains largely undeveloped. At low tide a good expanse of sand is exposed. The beach can be accessed either from Highcliffe Castle or by taking the mile-long path from Friar’s Cliff Beach. For much of the length of the beach a raised promenade runs along the base of the cliffs. Dogs are allowed on beach, but best on a lead, also a car park is nearby with room for 200 vehicles.

Christchurch Castle is a Norman motte and bailey castle in Christchurch, Dorset, England. The earliest stonework has been dated to 1160. The castle's site is inside the old Saxon burh dominating the River Avon's lowest crossing.The castle is believed to stand on the site of an earlier wooden fort built in 924 following the capture of the town ramparts in 901 by King Æthelwold of Wessex, and subsequently fortified with a motte by King Edward the Elder.[2] After the Norman Conquest of 1066 the castle's defences were strengthened by the addition of a ditch and bailey surrounded by a wooden palisade. The wooden fort was eventually replaced with a stone keep. The Norman castle was a strategic defensive structure controlled by the King's constable until King Henry I granted it as the caput of a feudal barony to his cousin Richard de Redvers, feudal baron of Plympton, Devon. While the Saxon defences had been against outside threats such as Viking raiders, the Norman fortress was more concerned with subduing the local populace. It was also a useful base for enforcing the New Forest Laws. The castle controlled the harbour and inland access via the Rivers Avon and Stour. The earliest masonry has been dated to c. 1160, and there is documentary evidence of the castle existing in c. 1130. Richard de Redvers is often named as the castle's first builder, although there is little documentary evidence of this, and this castle may well have been on the site of the earlier Saxon castle. The castle was rebuilt by Baldwin de Redvers to resist King Stephen during the civil war with the Empress Matilda in 1147. A great tower was built probably around 1300. The castle again saw action during the Civil War of 1642–1651. The Parliamentarians were allowed to take control of the castle in 1644. The Royalists laid siege to it for 3 days, demolishing houses on the corner of Church Street and Castle Street in order to site their cannons. The Royalists were unable to take the castle and Oliver Cromwell, fearing such a powerful stronghold, ordered it to be slighted in 1652. The castle is now in ruins; a couple of the keep walls remain and the remains of a rectangular moat.

Christchurch Priory is an ecclesiastical parish and former priory church in Christchurch in the English county of Dorset. It is one of the longest parish churches in the country and is as large as many of the Church of England Cathedrals. The story of Christchurch Priory goes back to at least the middle of the 11th century, as the Domesday Book of 1086 says there was a priory of 24 secular canons here in the reign of Edward the Confessor. The Priory is on the site of an earlier church dating from 800AD. Much of what is known about Christchurch between the Norman Conquest and the mid-14th century comes from the Christchurch Priory Cartulary, which contains copies over 1,300 of the monastery's most important documents. Most of it was written by just two clerks, one completing more than half before a second concluded the task in 1372. Further amendments and updates were added in the following decades. The Priory is open daily from 10am til 5pm. Tea rooms are open 10am til 4pm.