We welcome organised groups of young people from the Scouting and Guiding movement. A section of our campsite is reserved exclusively for groups and individual costs remain very low, supported by the wider National Trust public campsite and the Brownsea Island Scout and Guide Heritage Trust.
The nearby South Shore Lodge is a very comfortable and spacious bunkhouse for up to 12 people also available to Scouting and Guiding groups. The lodge is particularly popular with the very youngest and the more senior members of Scouting and Guiding. Full information and booking can be found here.
Back to Roots
Brownsea Island is famously the location of the ‘experimental camp’ in 1907 that led directly to the foundation of Scouting and Guiding. Recognising this important place in the origins of a movement that has supported millions of young people worldwide, a stay on the island is literally a Back to Roots experience. Our approach to group camping reflects this. Our group camping area is in a separate part of the site believed to be the exact location of the original 1907 camp.
We’re also the UK’s only SCENES – Scout Centre of Excellence for Nature, Environment and Sustainability - with our campsite set in the heart of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. We’ve made a long-term commitment to protect the environment and promote environmental understanding. Camping for Scouting and Guiding groups is built around sustainability, environmental awareness and respect for the island’s unique and fascinating nature. Our impact directly on the campsite area is especially important to us but our national and global impact is considered too.
Camping on Brownsea Island with your group needn’t be complicated. We encourage a simple approach and for groups to travel light and leave no trace. This is compatible with the need to travel by boats to a campsite on an island with no roads. We provide the essentials for cooking and the rest you bring and take home yourself. Back in 1907 this spot was chosen for its peace, tranquillity and as a haven for nature in a busy part of the world: our challenge to you is to leave the island a better place than you found it to ensure it remains a special place for Scouting and Guiding for another 115 years.
The Campsite
With its views over Poole Harbour and the Purbecks and its toes in the water, the campsite is set around the very site used for the experimental camp of 1907. The group site is split into two areas that meet at a central flagpole. To ensure environmental sustainability and minimise impact, a maximum of two groups with 60 people (including leaders) in total can be accommodated. This provides plenty of space for activities on the actual site.
Both areas are reasonably sheltered, surrounded by bushes and trees and back onto a series of ponds (not useable for activities). There is direct access to Poole harbour from the site – ideal if you want to arrive with your own boats.
Clean, modern toilets and hot showers, including disabled facilities, a washing up area and drinking water taps are located at a set of central buildings around 50m from the group site. These also house a reception area, the volunteer run Trading Post scouting shop and a National Trust campsite shop. A snack van selling drinks and light snacks also operates from here at busier times.
The campsite also hosts public camping which helps support the group camping. This is separated from the group camping areas by patches of trees and fencing, but showers, toilet and washing up facilities are still shared. There is public access to the island and the central areas of the campsite but no access onto the camping areas. This should be considered in your risk assessments.
Equipment
We provide each group with access to an open sided field kitchen which you can use to cook your food. You will also be given cooking equipment for your group which includes pots, pans and cooking utensils but campers will need to bring their own personal items such a cutlery and crockery.
Getting here
Ferry timetables and arrangements for 2022 have not yet been confirmed. Once they are known, we will update this information here so please check this page prior to your stay to ensure you have made the necessary arrangements. Please note that the price of the ferry is not included in your campsite fee, and we will collect this from you prior to your stay.
Ferries will depart from Poole Quay.
Arriving on Brownsea
When you arrive on Brownsea Island, please collect a map from the courtyard and make your way up to the campsite. This is around a 25 minute walk and you will need to carry your belongings with you.
When you arrive at the campsite, please send one of your leaders to the campsite reception and we will check you in and give you an induction. We ask that you please register with reception prior to pitching your tents and setting up camp.
During your stay
We have free trails, walks and self-led activities to do once you have arrived on the island. We encourage groups to enjoy Brownsea Island for its unique history, nature and wildlife and you are free to explore the island during your stay with us.
Booking
Please use the “book now” button on our main campsite page to take you to the booking system where you can search for available dates. If the option for “group pitch” does not show when you search for availability, then the dates you are searching for are fully booked.
When you have found available dates that suit you, please select the number of people in your group by adding them as extras on the next page. We can accommodate a maximum of 60 across our group campsite pitches at one time so please consider this when you are putting in your bookings request.
Please then complete the booking form with your details and state the full details of your group in the “special requests” box.
Please note, this is a booking request only and we will be in touch once received to confirm we can accommodate your group size.
Our camping dates for 2022 are as follows:
Outside of school holidays – Open Friday – Monday
During school holidays – Open daily.
Fires/ BBQs
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. 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. Fully equipped cooking shelters and safety checked gas equipment are provided for all campers
Waste
Rubbish and waste is an increasing global concern and on Brownsea Island it is a significant problem: everything has to be manhandled from bins to vehicles to bins to boats to bins. In line with our SCENES designation we operate a zero-waste approach for group camping. This means that all waste generated by your camp should be taken home with you and you should plan activities and menus to help with this.
FAQ
We have hired tents and other equipment from you previously, can we do that again this year?
We provide cooking shelters and cooking equipment such as pots, pans, and utensils for your use, and this is included in the cost of your stay. All other equipment such as sleeping tents will need to be brought with you and carried by your group. As this is a low impact and back to roots experience, we encourage you to consider what you pack and bring to the island carefully.
What should we pack?
Please see here for recommended packing list and tips. Leaders should encourage their group to pack as light as possible as part of the adventure and challenge will include carrying their belongings to the campsite from where they land on Brownsea Island. This is approximately a 25 minute walk along a gravel track.
Consider more traditional and basic ways of camping by using a bivouac sack or lightweight tent.
Booking travel for campsite stays
Ferries operate from Poole Quay and need to pre-booked in advance using the National Trust booking system on the Brownsea Island page. Currently, a two-week booking window is open at any one time. Tickets are released every Thursday, allowing visitors to book for the week commencing (Monday), in two weeks’ time thereafter.
You can do this here.
Check in and check out times?
You can check in to the campsite between 14:30 and 17:00. If you plan to arrive via your own boat, you can arrive on the island at any time but please check in between 14:30 and 17:00.
Please vacate your pitch by 10:30am on the day of departure and return your clean cooking equipment to the campsite reception area by this time.
Can I make a booking for 2023?
Bookings are open for 2022 only and we will open bookings for the following year in October 2022.
Can I pay a deposit?
We require full payment at the time of booking and for this reason we will require you to know your final group numbers when you make your booking.
How much does it cost?
There is a flat fee per group of £8.00 per night which includes the pitch and the use of a field kitchen with gas stoves and cooking equipment. We then charge a fee of £7.00 per person, per night. This fee is same for adults and children.
This does not include the cost of the ferry. We will confirm ferry arrangements and update the information here once they are known for 2022.
What is the cancellation policy?
Our standard terms and conditions and cancellation policy will apply to your booking.
Details can be found here.
Is there a minimum stay?
Our minimum stay is 2 nights.
