When Robert Baden-Powell
decided to trial the ideas in his brand new book Scouting for Boys in 1907 he set upon the idea of floating out to
Brownsea Island, the largest of the eight small hummocks that poke from the
waters of Poole Harbour. Isolated and wild, yet easily accessible by boat, it
was perfect for his needs. His pioneering boys camp, with tests on animal
tracking, knot tying, wood whittling and campfire lighting became the
foundation of a movement that’s now over a century old. Scouting, it seems, has
Brownsea Island partly to thank. And, if you’ve any sense of adventure, it’s
easy to see why.
Beneath Brownsea Castle
the small quay that invites in ferries from Poole or Sandbanks is the first
staring place on your quest. From here campers have to follow a short footpath
across the heathland and into the woods that cover much of the car-free island.
It offers the first taste of Brownsea’s rich and varied terrain, where native
red squirrels shimmy up trees and strutting, ornamental peacocks, introduced by
the castle owner in the 1800s, dart about among a profusion of pink and purple
wildflowers. At its end is the campsite itself, an unregimented space made up
of open grassland and pine trees. Pitch your tent, flick your shoes off and
take a step down to the shore. It’s like having a private sandy beach all of
your own.
The campsite, indeed
the entire island, is owned by The National Trust, and is still open to Scouts
and Girl Guides throughout the year. It’s only fairly recently that regular
family campers have been permitted to bring a tent on the ferry and have their
own Swallows and Amazons adventure
too. The tent-only space, though, accompanied by new washroom facilities,
continues to bare its Scouting heritage on its sleeve. The camping area radiates
out from a commemorative stone inscribed to remember Baden-Powell’s first camp
there and the reception has a small museum. Walk the 400 metres to the islands
tiny church, meanwhile, and you’ll find that flags from Scout and Girl Guide groups
around the world all line the alter.
If you’re not watching
boats bob out into the English Channel, then exploring the island is a must. At
just a mile and half long at its widest point, it is both manageable and wildly
varied, with endless eco-systems packed into its tiny boundaries. The planting
of sallow and alder trees has created a wide lagoon and salt marshes to the
west, while the Dorset Wildlife Trust also help manage the heath and woodland to
the north, operating out of an old island villa where there’s now a small
visitor centre. Between it all, paths and sandy trails lead children down
natural avenues of adventure, stumbling across birds, bugs and bushes before
hopping on the ferry back to shore. You’ll be promising them a return journey
some day soon... Scouts Honour.
