Home to some of the only red squirrels living wild in the British Isles, a day out on Brownsea Island with kids has been top of our Dorset holiday wishlist for a while.
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And after our last attempt was rained off, with storms cancelling the boat service, I was at the front of the online queue to book our ferry tickets when we headed back again – the island itself belongs to the National Trust, so entry is free to members, but everyone pays the ferry fare.
Trying to work out how long we’d need ashore, I found a couple of recommendations to allow an hour or two… but as we set off to explore Brownsea Island with kids, it quickly became apparent that wouldn’t be nearly long enough.
Because there’s a huge amount for families to do on the island. We stayed almost all day, having caught one of the first ferries in the morning from Poole Harbour – and only the knowledge that the last couple of ferries of the day are very busy in summer (especially the final boat back to the mainland), stopped us staying even longer.
Unlike a lot of National Trust properties, all the attractions here are outdoors. There are buildings around the quay but these are leased to the John Lewis Partnership, available as holiday accommodation to some of their long-serving staff.
Quite honestly, I don’t think we’d have had time to explore indoors in any case.
There are currently three different trails for kids to follow. One is more of a natural challenge, with activities, items to spot and things to do – everything from rolling down grassy hills and listening to bird calls to collecting sticks.
Another focuses on the island’s trees: there’s a route which takes you to some of the most memorable, including older and bigger trees, along with tips on climbing them.
Perhaps the most fun was the crayon rubbing trail though, with signs featuring a string of different animals, including some information about each one. Each one also had an easy yoga pose for kids to try once they’d tracked down the animal and done the crayon rubbing too.
If the trails aren’t running, or your kids don’t fancy those, there are also a string of walking routes: if you pick up one of the island maps, there are details on how long the route takes, and between them all, that covers pretty much all the public sections of the island (part is a private nature reserve).
One of these routes leads you to a lovely natural play area with climbing and balance beams, set in the shade of the woods.
Set on the quieter side of the island, the path curved under the tall trees and we barely saw another person, even on a busy summer’s day.
I felt we’d have most luck spotting a red squirrel here away from the noise, but sadly they all proved elusive – although we did discover one very quirky piece of trivia during our visit, that red squirrels can swim doggy paddle using their tails as a rudder!
At other times of the year, you have a good chance of spotting them feeding near the visitor centre.
Another path takes you down to the little beach – it’s a fairly small shore with a rocky fringe, but there’s shade under the trees and in midsummer it was perfect for paddling or swimming, with lots of smaller boats moored up for lunch on the turquoise waters too.
Elsewhere, the island is home to wetlands where you can spot an array of birds – if, like my daughter, your kids are unlikely to sit quietly in a hide, you’re still all but guaranteed to see some of the peacocks which roam the island as you explore Brownsea Island with kids.
Brownsea is also where the scout movement has its origins, and there’s a campsite on the island near the smaller café, open during peak season and at busy times.
You’ll still find many scout troops staying there, especially if you visit in summer – they also take priority when boarding the ferry, so it’s best to arrive early in summer, especially if you want a good view from the open-air seats on the top deck!
Along the way, you can see the Scout Stone, a memorial unveiled on the 60th anniversary of that first experimental camp, and there’s a bust of Lord Robert Baden-Powell too.
But even if your motto has never been ‘be prepared’, Brownsea is a gorgeous day out in Dorset with kids – on a summer’s day, you’ll see splashes of colour around the heath, while the cool shade of the trees is a welcome respite after paddling by the shore.
It’s a little taste of old-fashioned childhood: climbing trees, roaming down interesting paths, eyes open for nature and wildlife along the way, all in the knowledge you’ll never stray too far and get lost, even if you abandon the map.
And as the icing on the cake, the short boat trip to and from the island, cruising past little boats and the occasional jetski, plus the glamorous houses of Sandbanks, all just a short jaunt from Poole – but feeling many miles away.
Brownsea Island with kids: need to know
There’s a charge for the ferry for all visitors to the island, although entry to Brownsea Island is free to National Trust members. The ferry fare for members costs £12.50 for adults and £7 for kids, while the combined price for non-members costs from £21.50/£11.50.
Admission and ferry fares are free for under-fives but you still need to book a boat ticket for the journey so they’re included in the passenger count.
You’re advised to prebook tickets, especially in peak season and school holidays, as there are limited spaces on the ferries, but you can buy tickets on the quayside in Poole at the kiosk next to the ferry departure point.
The earliest ferry departs at 10am and these leave every half hour until 4pm, with a break at 1pm. The crossing takes 20 minutes, and there’s parking at the Poole Quay car park a couple of minutes’ walk away.
You’re asked to turn up around 15 minute in advance and it’s well worth arriving early in summer: there’s usually a queue to get on and if you want the best views from the top deck seats, it pays to be on first (especially if a large scout group ends up going ahead!)
You don’t need to prebook a ferry back from the island to Poole but do check ferry times before you depart. They go every half hour from 10.30am until 5pm but there’s a gap at lunchtime, with no ferry at 1pm and the last ferry or two tend to be particularly busy.
There are also ferries which run to Brownsea Island from Sandbanks. The main service has been temporarily suspended but there’s a temporary service running in autumn 2022.
There are two cafes on the island: one near the quay just as you arrive at the island, the second at the opposite side of the island near the campsite. This isn’t open year-round, and has limited hours even during summer – if you want ice-cream, make sure to arrive between 11am and 3pm.
There are also toilets by the entrance and the visitor centre, as well as in the wetland area and by the campsite – these are the only ones on this half of the island.
You can pick up maps of the island at the kiosk on the quay, as well as at the entrance and visitor centre, which also has the free children’s trails. These were also available to collect along the path near the bust of Lord Baden-Powell, just after showing your tickets.
There are also other events taking place on the island, including Shakespeare at the open-air theatre during the summer.
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