Sandbanks is an affluent neighbourhood of Poole, Dorset, on the south coast of England, situated on a narrow spit of around 1 km2 or 0.39 sq mi extending into the mouth of Poole Harbour.
Sandbanks viewed from Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour
Sandbanks Ferry, looking towards Sandbanks
Sandbanks Peninsula, seen from the Sandbanks Ferry looking towards the Haven Hotel
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley (ria) formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement stretching to pre-Roman times. The harbour is extremely shallow, with one main dredged channel through the harbour, from the mouth to Holes Bay.
Aerial view of the harbour entrance, looking west-north-west. The large island just inside the entrance is Brownsea Island; to its left are Furzey Island and then Green Island.
The Poole Logboat was excavated from Poole Harbour and is over 2,000 years old. It is on display in Poole Museum.
View across the harbour looking west from Lilliput, Poole
Green Island, one of the islands within Poole Harbour