Adventures on Brownsea Island

Twenty Minutes by boat from Poole in Dorset on the south coast lies Brownsea Island. A five hundred acre magical island consisting of pine, mixed woodland, heathland and salt marshes full of wildlife and adventure. 

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We hopped aboard a ferry on a blissfully sunny afternoon last weekend weaving our way through a multitude of sailing vessels en route to the island. Brownsea Island Ferries have been operating a service from Poole Quay to the island for over a hundred years.

Brownsea's most famous claim to fame happened on an August morning in 1907 when Robert Baden Powell held his first camp on the island. Twenty-two children began their island adventure with the sounding of an African kudu horn followed by a glass of milk and a biscuit, 30 minutes exercise and prayers before being put into groups of Wolves, Bulls, Curlews and Ravens ready to begin their tasks as the first members of what would become the International Scout Movement.

The primary objective for this visit was to see a rare red squirrel, a creature we are so fond of we even have squirrels in our wreath designs. A creature hardly seen on the mainland of Great Britain due to being driven out by their more successful grey cousin. There are about 200 red Squirrels that live on Brownsea Island. Very shy creatures with their tufty ears and little pale furry tummies that they love to fill with pine seeds, acorns, hazelnuts and chestnuts that grow on the island.

I was told that the hot weather was not ideal for squirrel spotting and that the chance of seeing one in June was very rare. I was determined to put all my knowledge gathered from growing up reading the Observer's Book of British Wildlife into action to search for my illusive ginger friend. An afternoon of wandering through the woods ensued, we saw rabbits, creepy crawlies, a million midges, birds of all shapes colours and sizes, chickens, peacocks and deer.

As we slowly walked and chatted, keeping our eyes on the canopy above, my eye was drawn down to the flick of a tail on the ground a hundred yards away from us. Walking deeper into the forest watching the flickering tail,  looking through the viewfinder and carefully traversing a fallen log I got as close as was possible. I took several quick shots and then stepped on a dry twig, SNAP! the ginger blighter shot up a tree stopping briefly to pose for one last portrait and then raced out of sight.

With our mission accomplished we made our way back to catch the last boat. The return journey to the mainland included an hour long narrated tour around the entire island taking in its history and that of it's neighbouring islands.

Waving goodbye to the island, we vowed to return to Brownsea in autumn when the red squirrels are more active and easier to see. I haven't finished with you yet, little monkeys. I'll be back!