Boscombe Police Box

There's a full-size replica of the TARDIS from Doctor Who plonked on the seafront at Boscombe, near Christchurch, and it's genuinely one of the most surreal things you'll spot on a Dorset beach walk. The police box arrived in 2015 as a bit of public art, painted in proper police box blue, and it's become a proper photo magnet - especially with younger fans who've discovered the show through the newer series.

It's not much to do, to be honest. You walk up, you look at it, you take a photo if you're that way inclined, and then you move on. Fifteen minutes maximum. But that's rather the point - it's a fun waypoint on what's already a decent stretch of beach between Christchurch and Bournemouth, so it doesn't demand anything from you except a bit of curiosity.

Truth be told, it appeals most to Doctor Who devotees and families with kids old enough to care about the show. Casual walkers might find it a pleasant oddity, a brief stop that raises a smile. Free to view, obviously, since it's just sitting there on the public seafront.

If you're staying at Meadowbank Holidays or one of the other parks nearby, this is a decent excuse to stretch your legs along the coast. The real draw is the beach itself and the broader Boscombe promenade - the police box is just the cherry on top.