What's it like living in Highcliff, Dorset?

Don't live there myself but visit at least once a year. I love the place for its coastal walks beaches etc but can't help with regard to your questions I'm afraid. We thought of retiring there too but then the DGC came along so we stayed where we were. I hope you find somewhere that suits you.

I'm not sure where HIghcliff is but my brother moved to a village just outside Bridport in Dorset from Liverpoool on his retirement- he absolutely loves and will live nowhere else. They have integrated well into their community and seem to be as busy as they want to be. Bridport has all the facilities they want and they have easy access to Devon and further West so lots to see and do. By the way the weather always seems to be good and his veggies are enormous.

Highcliffe brings back memories ? I holidayed there as a child, every year.
I bet it's considerably different now, must go back to see this spring.

I don't live there, but we have a timeshare in nearby Bournemouth so have driven through it quite often. Highcliffe has a small high street but is very near Christchurch which is a bustling town with lots of nice coffee shops and restaurants. There is lovely green area by the abbey ruins which fronts on to the river. It's really nice down there, particularly in the summer we like the Boathouse restaurant, very clapperboard New England style situated on the green facing the river in Christchurch a great place for afternoon tea or an al fresco meal on a sunny day. I don't think Highcliffe has a train station but Christchurch certainly does and connects with Bournemouth in one direction and Southampton and eventually London in the other direction. Lymington is also nearby, a lovely Georgian town, again with nice shops and restaurants. All that, and the New Forest as well. I think your husband has opted for a nice part of the world NotTooOld if you decide to move there.

Thanks very much, all of you, for the information. It is much appreciated. We have a weekend break booked in Bournemouth for early February and plan to go to Highcliffe (sorry, I spelled it wrong earlier) and check it out. I'll let you know if we do manage to make a move there! We've tried to sell our current house before and had no luck, so this is a final attempt.

Good luck NotTooOld, it's a lovely part of the country. There's also Barton on Sea and New Milton adjacent to Highcliffe, we used to walk along the cliffs to them.
Christchurch is beautiful, on the River Avon.

I'm feeling very nostalgic and not a little ?

We visit Highcliffe most years when we are down in the New Forest. We just love the area.

As I like coffee shops and a harbour the town of Lymington not far from Highcliffe would be my choice of home.

Quite a pricey area but a fab place to live.

Best of luck.

Good idea to check it out in early February.