Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island is the birthplace of scouting and for it's most famous inhabitant the red squirrel.

Located in Poole Harbour with incredible views across to the Purbeck hills, Brownsea Island's thriving habitats include woodland, heathland, and a lagoon.

This unique haven for wildlife is home to the rare and endangered red squirrel and a wide variety of birds, including dunlin, kingfishers, common and sandwich terns, and oystercatchers. Free seasonal trails help you explore the island and with its natural play areas, guided walks, and even buggy tours there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Stay overnight or longer by camping on the island campsite and as the birthplace of scouting an overnight adventure awaits. Camping on Brownsea Island is a unique adventure experience. This is a low-impact, back-to-basics opportunity to spend time soaking up the natural sights and sounds of the island after all the visitors have gone home. You can bring your own tent or rent a pre-pitched tree tent.

For camping information please click here.

Getting There:

If you're planning a trip to Brownsea, then you'll need to catch a foot ferry that runs every day from Poole Quay and the crossing takes approximately 20 minutes.

There is now also a limited Sandbanks boat service in operation. You can find information on the Sandbanks service here. You no longer need to pre-book if coming from Poole Quay (pre-booking only applies to the Sandbanks service for the 2023 season). All ferries from Poole Quay will be a walk-in service.
 

Ferry prices from Poole Quay 2023

• Adult    £13.00
• Child (aged 5+)    £6.50
• Family (2 adults and up to 3 children)    £32.50
• Family (1 adult and up to 3 children)    £19.50

Island Admission Prices:

• Adult        £9.50
• Child        £4.75
• Family      £23.75
• 1 adult and up to 3 children (aged 5-17)   £14.25

Island admission is free for National Trust members, so please bring your membership card with you. Non-members will need to pay admission along with the ferry fare either via the Fast Track service on the ferry or on arrival at Brownsea.

Pictures from Brownsea Island National Trust Facebook.