Latest house prices for Sandbanks, Poole

Sandbanks is a narrow, low-lying peninsula that effectively acts as a barrier between the open waters of the English Channel and the sheltered expanse of Poole Harbour. Connected to the mainland by a single road from Lilliput, the area feels surprisingly isolated from the busier parts of Poole and Bournemouth, despite being only a few miles away. Historically, this Hook of Sands was little more than a desolate expanse of dunes used by fishermen for drying nets, but the construction of the road and the establishment of the Royal Motor Yacht Club in the early 20th century transformed its footprint. Today, the geography is the main draw; you have the Blue Flag beach on the seaward side and the shallow, tidal waters of the harbour on the other, which makes it one of the few places in the UK where you can choose between crashing surf and calm water within a two-minute walk. The chain ferry at the southern tip provides a practical link across the mouth of the harbour to Studland and the Isle of Purbeck, though in the height of summer, the local traffic relies heavily on timing trips around the ferry's constant shuttle.