Brownsea Island
Famous for red squirrels, wildlife and Scouting
Brownsea Island
Overview
Famous for red squirrels, wildlife and Scouting
Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour, with spectacular views across to the Purbeck Hills.
Thriving habitats including woodland, heathland and a lagoon create a unique haven for wildlife, such as the rare red squirrel and a wide variety of birds, including dunlin, kingfishers, common and sandwich terns and oystercatchers.
The Outdoor Centre invites you to follow in the footsteps of Lord Baden-Powell and the very first Scouts who camped here in 1907. The campsite and Southshore Lodge bunkhouse is open to everyone who fancies sampling the Scouting life and spending a night under the stars.
The Visitor Centre offers free family trails to help you explore the island and an insight into characters that have shaped the island into what it is today.
The perfect day's adventure - this island wildlife sanctuary is easy to get to but feels like another world from the moment you step ashore.
- Telephone
- 01202707744
- brownseaisland@nationaltrust.org.uk
Brownsea Island
How to get here
- Address
- Poole Harbour, Poole, Dorset, BH13 7EE
- By cycle
- Please note that it's not possible to bring bikes to the island. Cycle racks are available at Poole Quay and Sandbanks Jetty. National Cycle Network Route 25 runs from Blandford Forum to Bournemouth, via Wimborne Minster and on to Poole Quay, along on-road and traffic-free sections. National Cycle Network Route 2 runs all the way from Hengistbury Head, along Bournemouth Promenade, which is traffic-free, and on to Sandbanks. Please note restrictions apply along the promenade between 10am and 7pm from mid-June to mid-Sept. For more information visit Bournemouth Tourist Information
- By ferry
- Poole Quay: Greenslades Pleasure Boats and Brownsea Island Ferries run ferries from 10am, then every half hour throughout the day. Ferries depart Brownsea back to Poole at 20 mins past and 10 mins to each hour. Sandbanks Jetty: Brownsea Island Ferries run from 10am then every half hour throughout the day. Ferries depart Brownsea at 15 mins past and 15 mins to each hour. Please note there is no 1pm or 1:15pm service. All visitors, including National Trust members, need to purchase tickets (cash only). Last boats leave the island at 5pm. For service information please see: Greenslade Pleasure Boats: 01202 669955 www.greensladepleasureboats.co.uk and Brownsea Island Ferries 01929 462383 www.brownseaislandferries.com.
- By bus
- For Sandbanks: services from Bournemouth, Swanage and Poole. For Poole Quay: alight Poole Bridge
- By train
- Poole station to Poole Quay, 0.5 miles; Branksome or Parkstone stations to Sandbanks Jetty, 3.5 miles.
- By road
- Follow signs to Poole Quay or Sandbanks. To access Poole Harbour from the west take the A35/A350 Dorchester-Poole road. From the east take the A31 Ringwood-Poole road. From the north take the A3081/A350 Shaftesbury-Poole road.
- Parking: Parking Poole: follow signs to visitor quayside car park, where you can use pedestrian signage to locate the quay. Sandbanks: there is limited metered road parking available on the peninsular leading up to the ferry and a large Sandbanks beach car park ten minutes walk from the Sandbanks jetty where the boats depart. Phone and Pay code is 3262, http://www.phoneandpay.co.uk/howitworks. The car park next to the Sandbanks ferry is limited to one hour so not appropriate for a Brownsea Island visit.
- SatNav:
- On foot
- From pay and display car parks, follow the pedestrian signage to Poole Quay or Sandbanks.
- Seahorse landing craft
- The Seahorse can transport visitors using wheel chairs, quickly and safely to the island. Pickup location is from the Sandbanks Yacht Company slipway (near Sandbanks Jetty) and its an easy 10 minute journey to the island. The service is tide and weather dependent, so to check out sailing times and prices, please head to the 'Our Work' section of our website or call 01202 707744.
Brownsea Island
Prices
Whole property
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £8.80 | £7.90 |
| Child | £4.40 | £3.95 |
| Family | £22.00 | £19.75 |
| 1 adult, up to 3 children | £13.20 | £11.85 |
|
Group Adult
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £7.10 |
|
Group Child
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £3.55 |
What is Gift Aid?
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
- Gift Aid Admission
- Standard Admission
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
Please note...
Please note that the ferry fare (not National Trust) applies to all visitors.
DWT members who are solely visiting the DWT area, are not required to pay the NT admission
Brownsea Island
Opening times
Thursday 23 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Friday 24 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Saturday 25 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Sunday 26 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Monday 27 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Tuesday 28 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Wednesday 29 January
- Boat service from Poole Quay and Sandbanks Closed
Brownsea Island
Contact us
- Telephone
- 01202707744
- brownseaisland@nationaltrust.org.uk
- Address
- Poole Harbour, Poole, Dorset, BH13 7EE