Skip to content

Campsite Rules

Trees lining Deer Park road on Brownsea Island
Trees lining Deer Park road on Brownsea Island | © Nationalt Trust Images / John Millar

‏‏‎ ‎To ensure everyone who stays at Brownsea Island Campsite has a great holiday, we have a few simple site rules.

Arrival Time and Departure time:

Please check in to the campsite between our designated check in times of 14:30 – 17:30. You can arrive on the island earlier if you wish. For earlier check in, please contact us directly and we will let you know if we can accommodate your request.

If you have pre-booked your pitch and circumstances beyond your control prevent you from arriving on the island before 17:30, please contact us on as soon as possible.

You must book in advance to camp on Brownsea Island via our online booking system. Due to the nature of our island location, we are not always able to accept same day bookings. For same day bookings please call the campsite bookings team on 07929 734508 to check availability prior to arrival.

Please vacate your pitch by 10:30 and return any cooking equipment to our campsite reception when you leave.

Minimum stay

Our minimum stay is 2 nights. We may make exceptions for 1-night stays outside of school holidays. Please contact us directly and we can see if we can accommodate your request.

Dogs

Dogs are not permitted on the island, other than assistance dogs however, you must notify us at time of booking if you are bringing an assistance dog with you.

Quiet please

We ask that our visitors are always considerate to their neighbours but ‘quiet please’ between 10:00pm and 7:30am.

Pitches

We have a selection of pitches on Brownsea Island. We rotate use of our pitches and they are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The rotation and use of our pitches is designed to support conservation of sensitive habitat in this nature reserve.

Special requests, including requests for specific sites or adjacent camping pitches, must be indicated to us at the time of booking. We will always do our best to honour them, but they cannot be guaranteed. Please note that tents must be pitched 6m apart from each other.

Groups/ Maximum occupancy

Adventure Camping is suitable for a maximum of 6 people per pitch/ booking. Family and friend groups and individuals are welcome, but our site is not suitable for stag, hen or birthday parties.

The only exception is for Scout and Guide group bookings for which there is a separate area suitable for groups of up to 60 camping at one time.

Fires/Barbecues

Due to the sensitive nature of Brownsea Island (being an area of high fire risk), we DO NOT PERMIT OPEN FLAMES OF ANY KIND including open fires, coal BBQs, liquid or solid fuel cookers/ trangias. Shared field kitchens with gas cookers are provided for all campers. Please do not bring candles, sparklers/fireworks or candle lanterns of any kind. Any liquid fuels are prohibited and will be confiscated if discovered. We encourage you to bring battery lamps and torches to use over night as there is no street lighting on Brownsea Island.

Safety

Cooking inside tents is NOT permitted and can be lethal due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Cooking shelters with open sides are provided for all campers. All cooking and heating equipment must be hired from us as safety checks have been completed on all items prior to use.

Smoking

We ask you not to smoke inside tents or in cooking areas as it can be lethal. Cigarette butts must be fully extinguished and placed into a bin.

Problem or complaint

Every reasonable care will be taken to ensure that the camping pitch and site amenities are presented to a high standard. Should you find any cause for complaint, please immediately contact one of the campsite staff, so that reasonable steps can then be taken to rectify the problem. National Trust will not normally make any refunds in respect of complaints made after the Visitor’s departure from the campsite if the Visitor did not make the problem or complaint known to staff during the Visitor’s stay. If you supplied an email address at the time of booking, a survey will be emailed to you for your comments after your stay.

If you have an unresolved complaint at the end of your stay, please contact:

Guest Relations Manager

National Trust Holidays, Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2NA,

Email address: guestrelations@nationaltrust.org.uk.

National Trust Members

Unfortunately, we cannot offer a reduction in our fees to National Trust members. Any profit generated from the campsite helps support and finance our conservation projects and we thank you enormously for your continued support.

Small print

In addition to the site rules above we also have some terms and conditions that apply to your booking. Please read through them below.

A close view of tent pegs at Brownsea Island Campsite in Dorset
Article
Article

Camping terms and conditions 

Terms and conditions which apply to all National Trust campsite bookings.

Camping at Brownsea Island Campsite, Dorset

Brownsea Island Campsite information 

An island campsite that feels a world away from the nearby mainland, surrounded by thriving habitats for rare species, trails and views of the Purbeck Hills.