Brownsea Island
Nature Reserve

Opening Information

Brownsea Island reopened on Saturday 13 March 2010

Don't forget you can catch a ferry from Poole Quay or Sandbanks to Brownsea, or catch one of the hourly services from Bournemouth Pier.

General Information

Size: 101 hectares

Diverse habitats & wildlife, including a red squirrel population.  The reserve is leased from the National Trust, situated in Poole Harbour with a large sheltered lagoon; particularly important for overwintering & summer breeding birds.  A day spent exploring its flooded woodland, lakes, reedbed & pine woods is unlikely to disappoint.

Wildlife interest:

• Large flocks of waders, particularly avocets, black-tailed godwits & visiting wildfowl over winter.
• In the summer breeding common and sandwich terns, gulls & little egrets.
• The reedbeds & alder carr are home to water voles & sika deer, with kingfishers & water rails providing avian interest.
• Approx. 200 Red Squirrels!

Best time to visit:

• Boats travel to the island from March to November.
• Come early in the year for winter bird visitors, or in summer for breeding terns.
• Autumn is best for red squirrel watching.

Access:

Good viewing from hides and a system of paths & boardwalk give access to most of the habitats .

Location:

Map ref. SZ 028878.  No road access. 

Public ferries run daily to the island from Sandbanks from 10am March - November, check for details.  Also, ferries from Poole Quay & Bournemouth Pier.

Access to the reserve is 150m from the National Trust Quay on the island.

Recent Sightings

Info Downloads

> Nature Trail Leaflet

> Warden's Sightings - May 10
> Warden's Sightings - May 10
> Warden's Sightings - April 10
> Warden's Sightings - March 10

> Warden's Sightings - Oct 09
> Warden's Sightings - Sept 09
> Warden's Sightings - Aug 09
> Warden's Sightings - June 09
> Warden's Sightings - May 09

> Warden's Sightings - Aug 08
> Warden's Sightings - Sept 08

 Things to Do

Brownsea Island
Interactive Wildlife Map

Brownsea Virtual Walk

Adopt a Red Squirrel
from only £18
 

Our nature reserve on
Brownsea Island has been kindly supported by Barclays