Mission Statement:
Be prepared and sail round the largest island in Poole Harbour
Trail Introduction
Spend the day sailing around the birthplace of The Scouting Movement in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with views of the Purbeck Hills. See if you can spot the red squirrels, terns and sika deer. Please note at low tide the South East corner has very limited water. This route can be reversed to ensure the flow of water is with you between points 7 & 9.
About the Area:
Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world and has four rivers which drain into it. Brownsea Island is the largest Island within the harbour and has been owned by The National Trust since 1962. At the time The John Lewis Partnership contributed towards the costs of purchasing the island and subsequently renovated the castle which it now leases from The National trust as holiday homes for its staff.
Much of the Island is a nature reserve managed by the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Avocets, black-tailed godwits and spoonbills overwinter in the lagoon on the northern shore. A herd of Sika deer was introduced to Brownsea Island from Japan in 1896 but nobody realised the deer could swim and they have been known to make it across to the mainland.
Furzey Island is home to 22 oil wells which are linked by 57 miles of pipeline to Hamble in Southampton Water.
Brownsea Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre company which annually performs a Shakespearian play in July and August on the island.
Over the years the island’s location has been recognised for its strategic importance. In the 16th Century Henry VIII had it fortified by means of a blockhouse which became known as Brownsea Castle. during the Second World War flares were placed on the western end of the island which led Luftwaffe bombers away from the port of Poole and saved Poole and Bournemouth from being bombed.
in 1907 Robert Baden-Powell held an experiment camp on the island to test out his scouting ideas. 21 boys from a range of backgrounds, from both the local area and London gathered on the island for a week long camp. They took part in activities such as camping, observation, woodcraft and lifesaving. Following the camp, Scouting Movement for Boys was published and the scouting movement has grown ever since. There is now a permanent 49 acre Scout campsite on the island.
Round Trip Distance:
6 miles
Approximate Time that the Trail will take:
2.5 – 3 hours
OS Map or Chart:
OL15 / Admiralty chart 2611 / Imray Y23
Trail Details
This map is for information use only, not for navigation.
- 1 Launch from the public slipway at Baiter Park (see details below) and head SW towards Brownsea Island. Cross the main shipping channel at 90′ to it.
- 2 From here, follow the island shoreline towards Pottery Pier in a westerly direction.
- 3 Keep following the shoreline and head towards Furzey Island straight ahead of you. If you look to the island on your left you may be able to see the campsite where Baden-Powell held the first scout camp in 1907.
- 4 When you get to the SW tip of Brownsea Island you will sail between it and Furzey Island. At this point continue to follow the island’s south shoreline until the SE corner of the island and then head south.
- 5 Bramble Bush Bay is the perfect picnic stop at high tide with lovely sandy beaches. There are also toilets across the road (beyond the boatyard) and a bar and cafe are within easy walking distance. After lunch, head back towards Brownsea Island to continue your circumnavigation.
- 6 From Bramble Bush Bay head straight towards Brownsea Castle.
- 7 Keep a weather eye out for the ferries which dock here dropping off and picking up day trippers to the island.
- 8 You are now sailing past the lagoon where you can watch common and sandwich terns.
- 9 At this point stay between the moored boats and the shoreline to avoid the jet ski area.
- 10 On reaching the end of the moored boats head north northeast towards Baiter Park slipway where you started.
Trip Extensions:
You can extend your trip by visiting the island, see nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea-island
Launch Point Lat and Long:
50.71119871174385
-1.971822358008701
Launch Point What3Words:
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Launch Information:
Launching, towing vehicle and trailer fees are included in the car park charges, use the designated car&trailer section of the car park. Costs can be found here https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/parking/find-a-car-park/harbourside-park-1-surface-car-park
Tidal Information: Poole Harbour features two high tides and one low tide on each cycle – though there is a smaller dip between the two high tides. This has benefits for water users as each day there are more times with good water access and clearance around various channels, however the note of caution is that there is only three hours between the second high tide and low water, giving a much faster flow of water. Particular attention should be paid to the stretch of water between the north east corner of Brownsea Island and Harry Point on the island’s south east corner where the main deep water channel and the water moving towards the narrow entrance to the harbour has caught out a number of unexpecting sailors in the past, particularly on a spring tide. This should be factored into route planning and timings to avoid this set of circumstances and enjoy a more leisurely passage. We recommend looking at a tidal prediction curve because the same pattern is not followed every day.
Best Tides:
lunchtime high tide = 12,13,14
lunchtime low tide = Avoid lunchtime low tides as Bramble Bush bay is difficult to reach with a keelboat.
Towing Vehicle Parking:
The towing vehicle can be parked with the trailer still attached ( see above )
Towing vehicle Parking: What3Words:
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Towing vehicle Parking Information:
Costs can be found here https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/parking/find-a-car-park/harbourside-park-1-surface-car-park
Trailer Parking:
The trailer can be parked with the towing vehicle ( see above )
Trailer Parking What3Words:
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Trailer Parking Information:
Trailer parking fees are included in the car park/launch charges, use the designated car&trailer section of the car park. Costs can be found here https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/parking/find-a-car-park/harbourside-park-1-surface-car-park
Toilets:
There are public toilets on the opposite side of the field where the car park is located. Two-minute walk from the car park.
Toilets What3Words:
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Toilets Information:
Open 8am to 6pm 7 days.
Page Month Published:
October 2025
Dinghy Trail Sponsor: