THE SOUTH COAST OUT OF SEASON GIVES ROSALEEN FENTON SPACE TO EXPLORE

SUMMERTIME on England's South Coast conjures up images of sunny days on golden beaches and towns filled with tourists clutching ice-creams.

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But Christchurch, Poole and Bournemouth, with their Jurassic coastline and idyllic countryside, reveal an entirely different charm when visited out of season.

In mid-November, when I took my trip, the normally bustling resorts offered crowd-free tranquility. Plus there are superb bargains to be found at restaurants and hotels, as they look to attract visitors.

The entire region's landscape is a geological marvel, but it's not just for fossil hunters. With fewer crowds, the region's treasures - incredible nature reserves, galleries and restaurants - become more intimate and inviting.

We started in Poole, which is known for its beautiful harbour and busy quay rather than what is dockside. Look beyond the boats and you'll see the resort is filled with treats, including Poole Museum and adjacent Scaplen's Court, a medieval merchant's house with stunning gardens.

It's undergoing a £10.3m redevelopment, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and is set to reopen this summer.

After my safety training, I donned a high-vis vest and hard hat to explore the site, which will remain free to enter.

Situated between the quay and Old Town, the transformation will turn the museum into a community hub telling the story of the harbour from the Ice Age until now.

It will feature incredible artefacts, including an Iron Age log boat and a large collection of Poole Pottery.

There are also plans to install a seven-metre walrus tusk on the ground floor that will sweep upwards to the top floor.

Afterwards, we walked for miles following the numbered cockle plaques (there are 82 in total) around the Old Town, which uncovers Poole's seafaring exploits with sailors and smugglers.