3 nights on an island nature reserve off the Dorset coast
9 people attending
3 places left
Join OutdoorLads for a three night getaway on an island idyll and nature reserve just off Poole Harbour!
Owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island is just over a mile away from the mainland but will feel like a proper getaway! We will be staying in a small bunkhouse on the island near the site of the first experimental Scout camp in 1907.
We will walk round the island looking at its sights both natural and man made (including a wildlife and wetlands centre and an abandoned village), there is also a small museum. It isn't a huge island (just over 2 miles long and a mile wide) so this isn't going to be a weekend of long walks but there's plenty to explore as well as just enjoying being in nature and relaxing on the beach! We could also do some stargazing in the evening as there shouldn't be much light pollution.
Day visitors also travel to the island, but it's big enough that there are plenty of quiet places and once the last ferry of the day has gone we will only be sharing it with a group or two on the campsite and a couple of holiday cottages so it'll feel a bit like our own private island.
There is also a water activities centre on the island, we will look into the possibility of some water activities (optional and at additional cost) on one of the days if there is sufficient demand.
Getting to the Island
Please be aware that you will need to time your arrival for this event to catch the specific ferry with the rest of our group. More details available in the Location information. The ferry is included in the event price.
Find out more...
You can read more about the island and its history on the National Trust's website and on Wikipedia. The National Trust's access leaflet including a map is also available.
Dogs
Sadly dogs are not allowed on the island nor in the hostel. If you need to bring an assistance dog for a disability please let us know so this can be arranged.
OutdoorLads Foundation
Fancy coming along but having a difficult time of it (for whatever reason), and/or finding it hard to justify the expense? Apply for a place on this event through the OutdoorLads Foundation! Nobody apart from staff members will know and we don't need lots of financial info from you either. To apply through the Foundation, you'll need to complete a very short form, which can be found along with more information here.
Photos
Photo of the Scout commemorative stone: By I, LordHarris, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2311411
All other photos were taken by Neil (pacer142) with permission granted to OutdoorLads to use as necessary.
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IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
What to bring
The ferry company says they may charge for excessive luggage, though they don't say exactly what that means, plus we'll need to carry our luggage the mile or so from the ferry to the bunkhouse, so you may want to pack fairly light. However please consider the following...
Bedding: you will need to bring a sleeping bag and pillowcase. A mattress protector and one pillow are provided.
Clothing: enough for the 3 nights - it will be July so you probably don't need your big coat but it might get chilly in the evening. Don't forget your beach wear :)
Wash kit and towel and any other personal items/medication etc you may need.
Plates/cutlery etc are provided so you don't need to bring these.
Binoculars and/or camera: there are bird-watching lodges on the island so if this is your thing and you've got your own equipment you might want to bring it.
Water: bring a water bottle for the walk, we suggest about 2 litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: something to carry your jacket etc round during the day, can be your main one if you prefer
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking/walking. If the forecast is dry trainers will probably be OK - the island isn't that big and the terrain isn't difficult.
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket and trousers: it is July, but it can rain!
Head torch: probably worth bringing one as the island isn't well lit once the day trippers have gone home!
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring lunches for Saturday and Sunday or you can buy something from the National Trust cafe on the island
Food & drink
Friday evening
Jacket potatoes and a selection of fillings will be provided - no need to bring buffet items!
Saturday, Sunday and Monday breakfasts
A buffet breakfast will be provided including tea, coffee, juice, cereals and toast.
Saturday and Sunday dinner
Dinner will be provided on Saturday and Sunday evening. Please make sure your dietary requirements are up to date on your profile so we can make sure they are catered for, and give one of us a message if there's anything specific we need to know about that doesn't fit on there.
Drinks and Lunches
Tea and coffee will be available all weekend, please bring anything else you'd like to drink with you.
There are no proper shops on the island (aside from a gift shop and a very small one at the campsite) however there is a National Trust cafe. You may wish to bring lunches and other snacks, though the island isn't very big so we will head to the area around the cafe around lunchtime if you'd prefer to buy something.