Corporate report

Dorset's National Nature Reserves

Updated 2 July 2021

Applies to England

Arne Reedbeds

The estuarine reedbeds which form the NNR are part of the RSPB’s nature reserve at Arne which offers an unusual and special landscape where you can enjoy a vast expanse of open heathland and woodland on the shores of Poole Harbour.

Main habitats: coastal

Management: Arne Reedbeds NNR is owned by Natural England and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Features of interest

Further information about the NNR, its wildlife and how to visit can be found on the RSPB website.

Contact

Telephone: 01929 553 360
Email: arne@rspb.org.uk

Durlston

Durlston NNR has a variety of habitats, including sea cliffs, coastal limestone downland, hay meadows, hedgerows and woodland.

Main habitats: coastal

Management: Durlston NNR is owned and managed by Dorset County Council

Features of interest

Further information about the NNR, its wildlife and how to visit can be found on the Durlston page of the Dorset for you website.

Contact

Telephone: 01929 424 443
Email: info@durlston.co.uk

Hambledon Hill

Hambledon Hill NNR is an area of dramatic chalk grassland that rises steeply between the Stour and Iwerne valleys.

Main habitats: lowland grassland

Area: 73 hectares

Management: Hambledon Hill is managed by Natural England and the National Trust.

Features of interest

The hilltop is encircled by an Iron Age earthwork and there are extensive and complex Neolithic features, making it a site of major archaeological importance. The grassland provides the main wildlife interest at the site but there are also areas of mixed scrub and a small yew wood.

See the site visitor leaflet for more information about the reserve, its wildlife and archaeology.

There’s also a natural history leaflet for this reserve.

Directions

Two major trails cross the reserve, the Stour Valley Way and the Wessex Ridgeway.

Child Okeford is on Route 25 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.

The nearest train station is Gillingham

Regular bus services run along the A350 from Gillingham to Blandford Forum, within 2 km of the reserve. There are less frequent services from Gillingham to Child Okeford. For details see the Transport Direct website

Access to the reserve is via minor roads from the A357 and A350. There is a car park on the minor road from Child Okeford immediately to the south of the reserve.

Contact

For more information about the reserve contact Natural England Enquiries, telephone 0300 060 3900, email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Hog Cliff

Hog Cliff NNR is a chalk downland area comprising three separate sites centred on Hog Cliff Hill.

Main habitats: lowland grassland

Features of interest

The reserve forms part of the wider Cerne and Sydling Downs Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is important for populations of the marsh fritillary butterfly, a scarce species throughout Europe.

Other butterflies found on the reserve during the summer include the rare Adonis blue, the green hairstreak, common blue, gatekeeper, grizzled skipper and dingy skipper.

The grassland supports a wide range of grasses, herbs and flowering plants such as sheep’s fescue, horseshoe vetch, autumn gentian, clustered bellflower, rockrose, small scabious, devil’s bit, chalk milkwort, and betony. Over 100 species of fungi have been recorded including eight species of waxcap.

See the site visitor leaflet for more details.

Directions

Maiden Newton is on the route of the Wessex Ridgeway trail. It is also on Route 26 of Sustrans National Cycle Network.

The nearest train station is at Maiden Newton

Bus services run from Dorchester along both the A356 and A37 to local towns. See the Traveline SW website for details.

The public rights of way network links Maiden Newton with Hog Cliff. The Wessex Ridgeway trail passes close to the reserve.

Contact

For more information about the reserve contact Natural England Enquiries, telephone 0300 060 3900, email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Holt Heath

Holt Heath NNR is one of Dorset’s largest remaining areas of lowland heathland

Main habitats: lowland heath

Management: Holt Heath is managed by the National Trust.

Features of interest

To the north west of the heath are two separate areas of semi-natural ancient woodland (Holt Forest and Holt Wood) that are also part of the reserve

Dry heath, wet heath and mire communities are all represented at the site. Local plants include common heather, bell heather, cross-leaved heath, bog asphodel, sundews and marsh gentian.

Birds include large populations of Dartford warbler, stonechat and nightjar. The heath is Dorset’s only site for breeding curlew and all six of Britain’s reptile species are found here.

The reserve’s woodland is predominantly oak - many of which are magnificent old pollards - with some areas dominated by beech.

The best time to visit the site is July and August for wild flowers.

Directions

West Moors is on the path of a local cycle route and trail called the Castleman Trailway.

The nearest station is Bournemouth served by South West Trains and Virgin Trains.

There are regular bus services from Bournemouth to Ferndown and less frequent services to West Moors and other local villages. For details see Transport Direct

The reserve is accessed via minor roads from the A31, B3078 and B3072. There is a car park on the Heath’s western boundary.

Contact

For more information telephone Kingston Lacy (National Trust) on 01202 883402 or email kingstonlacy@nationaltrust.org.uk

Holton Heath

Holton Heath is an extensive area of woodland and lowland heath. Due to the unsafe nature of the site, the area known as Sandford Heath is the only part of this reserve which is publicly accessible.

Main habitats: woodland and lowland heath

Area: 117 hectares (Sandford Heath 21 hectares)

Features of interest

Two hundred years ago, Dorset’s heathland covered over 150 square miles in vast tracts divided only by river valleys. Today only around 30 square miles remain, much of it in small fragments. These sites now represent around 10% of Britain’s heathland, and 2% of all that remains in Europe as a whole. Together with our partners, Natural England is reconnecting some of these isolated fragments.

Entering the site from the western access near Sandford you’ll find an area of woodland that includes beech, alder and birch. This gradually changes to mature Scots pine, before you emerge from the trees onto the open heath.

When the reserve was bought by Natural England, conifers had already spread over much of the heathland. Many of these trees have now been removed and heather has been quick to re-colonise the land, growing back vigorously from dormant seed in the soil.

The eastern part of the site was once part of the Royal Naval cordite factory, which produced explosives during the Second World War. An imposing gun tower can still be seen, one of a ring of anti-aircraft defences that once protected the factory.

See also the downloadable leaflet on Dorset’s heathland National Nature Reserves.

Directions

The nearest station is Holton Heath, which is 250 metres from the eastern entrance to the reserve.

The Wilts and Dorset Bus Co (01983 927005) operates the 40 bus between Poole, Wareham and Swanage. There are bus stops along the A351, within a short walk of the entrances. First Group (0871 200 2233) operates the X53 service between Dorchester, Wareham and Poole.

Sandford Heath is 4km along the A351 north east of Wareham. There is on road parking in Station Road.

Contact

For more information about the reserve contact Natural England Enquiries, telephone 0300 060 3900, email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Horn Park Quarry

This National Nature Reserve is currently closed to the public.

Main habitat: geology

As a sensitive fossil site located on a privately owned industrial estate, access to Horn Park Quarry is controlled and requires prior arrangement with Natural England. To arrange a visit, contact the senior reserve manager on 07899 731404.

Features of interest

Horn Park Quarry is the smallest NNR in Britain, being just one acre or 0.32 hectares in size. The exposed strata belong to the Aalenian, Bajocian and lowest Bathonian stages of the Middle Jurassic, deposited between approximately 188 and 175 million years ago. Collectively these strata constitute the Inferior Oolite series.

The reserve is important because it contains the most complete Aalenian ammonite succession known to date in England, with all four Aalenian ammonite zones being present. It is an internationally important site for the study and correlation of Aalenian rocks throughout Britain and across Europe.

The limestones contain an extremely diverse and well preserved fossil fauna dominated by ammonites and bivalves. One of the most spectacular features is the ‘fossil bed’ - a layer packed with ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, sponges and fossil wood which lies sandwiched between other, less fossiliferous strata.

Contact

For more information about the reserve contact Natural England Enquiries, telephone 0300 060 3900, email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Kingcombe

Kingcombe is a traditional pastoral landscape of small fields, thick hedgerows, streams and green lanes. Dorset Wildlife Trust manages it as a working organic farm with extensive grazing.

Powerstock Common, a component part of the NNR, is an extensive site including ancient woodland, wood pasture, woodland under restoration from conifer plantation, grassland and rush pasture, threaded together by wide rides, narrow pathways and streams.

Features of interest

The key habitats are lowland hay meadow, calcareous grassland, rush pasture, wood-pasture, woodland, ponds, hedgerows, green lanes and streams, with the mosaic of these habitats of value in itself.

Notable species are great crested newt, dormouse, marsh fritillary butterfly, narrow-bordered bee hawk moth, bryophytes, corky-fruited water dropwort and wax-cap fungi assemblage.

Further information about Kingcombe and Powerstock Common and how to visit is on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s website.

Contact

Dorset Wildlife Trust
Telephone: 01305 264620
Email: enquiries@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Morden Bog

This picturesque corner of Dorset is famous for its spectacular mosaic of open heathland and bogs which support some of England’s rarest wildlife.

The NNR and the adjacent Forestry Enterprise land is grazed with cattle.

Main habitats: lowland heath made up of dry and wet heath, bog and valley mire

Features of interest

The majority of this NNR is also designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Area of Conservation (SPA) and Ramsar.

Morden Bog is one of the largest valley mire habitats in England, with the dry heath slopes in the north of the reserve containing some of the oldest heather plants to be found in Dorset.

The lowland heathland supports insects, reptiles and birds that are rarely found elsewhere and many specialised plants and animals.

There are many dragonfly species and the plant life includes the rare marsh clubmoss and brown beak sedge. Also found are bog asphodel and carnivorous plants such as the common sundew and bladderwort.

To the north of the reserve, dry heath areas are dominated by heather. Here the site supports birds such as woodlark and nightjar, and reptiles such as smooth snake and sand lizard.

See also the downloadable leaflet on Dorset’s heathland National Nature Reserves.

Safety

Don’t enter the mire (wet ground) under any circumstances because it’s dangerous and floating vegetation can give way.

Avoid walking through groups of cows with calves because they might react aggressively to protect their young if you get too close.

Keep dogs under control as they can also cause cattle to become aggressive. If this happens, let your dog off the lead and move away from the cattle whilst calling your dog.

Keep your arms and legs covered to avoid tick bites when walking through vegetation. Check for bites after your visit and consult your doctor if you develop flu-like symptoms or a rash around the site of the bite.

Directions

The nearest station is Wareham.

A bus service from Wareham passes near the reserve. Contact the Wilts and Dorset Bus Company for details.

The B3075 forms part of the site’s eastern boundary and access to the reserve is via tracks from this road. There is a car park off the B3075, 2 km north of its junction with the A351.

Contact

For more information contact Natural England Enquiries, tel. 0300 060 3900 or email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Purbeck Heaths

Purbeck Heaths combines 3 existing NNRs at Stoborough Heath, Hartland Moor, and Studland and Godlingston Heath, linking them with a significant amount of new land which includes nature reserves and conservation areas managed by 7 partners.

See the declaration notice for this ‘super’ reserve.

The Purbeck Heaths National Reserve (NNR) is a site of national and international importance for its extensive lowland heathland. The majority of this NNR is also designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Area of Conservation (SPA), Ramsar, and forms part of the unique landscape of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The NNR is a mosaic of lowland wet and dry heath, valley mires, acid grassland and woodland, coastal sand dunes, lakes and saltmarsh. These habitats support a wide variety of insects, reptiles, birds and specialised plants that are rarely found elsewhere.

The Purbeck Heath NNR brings together the following sites owned / managed by 7 different partners:

Arne

RSPB Arne is situated on the Arne peninsula projecting into Poole Harbour.

It’s stunning landscape consists of dramatic open heathland and ancient oak woodland which extends down to saltmarsh and mudflats.

Iconic heathland birds such as Dartford warbler and nightjar, all 6 species of native reptiles, rare plants such as yellow centaury and pale dog violet, the extraordinary but elusive ladybird spider and the heathland specialist Purbeck mason wasp can all be found at Arne. These are just some of the more than 2500 species that survive and thrive here.

Contact

RSPB
Tel: 01929 553360
Email: arne@rspb.org.uk
Web www.rspb.org.uk

Brownsea Island

Looked after in partnership between the National Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust, Brownsea Island sits near the mouth of Poole Harbour. The island is famous for one of the only colonies of red squirrel in southern England and it’s diverse mix of habitats, including lowland heath, mixed deciduous woodland, pine forest and coastline.

The island’s freshwater lagoon hosts breeding colonies of sandwich and common tern and the largest overwintering flocks of avocet and spoonbill in the UK.

Further information can be found on the National Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust’s websites.

Contact

National Trust
Email: brownseaisland@nationaltrust.org.uk
Tel: 01202 707744

Dorset Wildlife Trust
Email: info@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
Tel: 01202 709445

Corfe Bluff

Corfe Bluff is managed by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. Further information about the site is available on their website.

Located directly opposite Norden Farm, Corfe Bluff is a 7 hectare site of largely dry heath grading down to a large pond surrounded by wetter areas of purple moor-grass.

Once part of the Norden heath complex, but now separated from that site by the A351, Corfe Bluff was previously owned by English China Clay and used to be worked for ball clay. The resulting varied topography provides a wide range of habitat features that are beneficial for many species.

The reserve is home to all 6 of our native reptiles and other species of interest on the site include hornet robberfly and oil beetle.

Please keep dogs on a lead.

Contact

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Tel: 01202 391319
Email: enquiries@arc-trust.org
Web: www.arc-trust.org

Grange Heath

Grange Heath is managed by the RSPB.

Being close to RSPB’s Stoborough Heath, Grange Heath provides a significant additional area of wet and dry heath benefitting a range of special wildlife, including iconic heathland birds such as Dartford warbler, nightjar and woodlark.

Contact

RSPB
Tel: 01929 553360
Email: arne@rspb.org.uk
Web www.rspb.org.uk

Hartland Moor

Hartland Moor is managed by the National Trust and Natural England. Further information is available on the National Trust website.

The core area of Hartland Moor was first designated as a NNR in 1954. At its heart is the 34m high Great Knoll, a bronze-age barrow now supporting dry heath with high densities of smooth snake and Dartford warbler as well as typical heathland flora. Hartland is dissected by two important wetlands.

A large acid mire system lies to the north, with diverse sphagnum moss communities alongside carnivorous plants such as sundews and bladderworts. To the south, more nutrient-rich waters create a fen system where rush and grass communities create the habitat for Dorset’s largest colony of southern damselfly and rare plants such as the lesser butterfly orchid.

In recent decades this spectacular heathland has more than doubled in size. Former dairy fields to the south have been in restoration since the 1980s, and are now diverse acid grasslands important for plants and in particular waxcap fungi.

More recently, the clearance of an 80 ha pine plantation to the north has enabled the restoration of Slepe Heath, one of Purbeck’ best sites for the rare invertebrates of open heaths, such as heath tiger beetle and the Purbeck mason wasp.

See also the leaflet on Dorset’s heathland National Nature Reserves.

Contact

National Trust
Tel: 01929 450002
Email: purbeck@nationaltrust.org.uk

Norden

Norden is managed by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust. Further information about the site is available on their website.

Norden consists of 22 hectares of a range of habitats including dry heath, wet heath and acid bog. The combination of these diverse habitats result in a reserve rich in wildlife.

Notably for a heathland site the deciduous woodland block to the north of the site has a well-established population of great crested newts which breed here and in other ponds in the adjacent wooded habitat.

Norden was used for the extraction of ball clay from around the mid 1800’s. Clay from the area was exported by rail to the nearby coastal area of Arne to where it would be transported for use around the world. The historical working of the site has resulted in a varied topography that provides a wide range of micro climates beneficial to a range of species.

Please keep dogs on a lead.

Contact

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Tel: 01202 391319
Email: enquiries@arc-trust.org
Web: www.arc-trust.org

Land in Rempstone Estate

The Rempstone Estate is privately owned by the Ryder family. In total the estate consists of around 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres); 600 hectares (1,500 acres) of which are leased long term to Forestry England.

The estate runs from the chalk ridge, northward through farmland, forest, dry and wet heath, and ultimately to the saltmarshes on the south side of Poole Harbour.

The estate has set a direction to achieve more sustainable land management in conjunction with diversified income streams away from agricultural production. A large part of this is recreation and leisure oriented, to deliver an economically robust and environmentally sensitive estate.

The NNR directly complements the Ryder family’s aspirations for the estate and will help deliver the environmental and economic benefits for all those who enjoy living and working in the local community as well as Purbeck’s many visitors.

Rempstone Forest

Rempstone Forest is actively managed by Forestry England. A key management focus within Rempstone Forest is helping to restore special heathland habitats, by removing trees in the right places to create more links with adjacent heathland across Purbeck. This involves working closely with neighbouring landowners.

Forestry England provides sustainable timber and thinning trees regularly is a key element of good woodland management.

Woodland management provides opportunities to open up shaded and wet tracks to benefit a range of wildlife, including valuable pollinators, whilst also enabling access for people to enjoy nature.

Woodlands have a vital role to play in combating climate change, but we also need to protect our most precious wildlife and habitats. Having the right trees in the right places helps ensure our landscapes are more resilient to a changing natural world.

Contact

Web: www.forestryengland.uk

Stoborough Heath

A variety of heathland habitats can be found at Stoborough Heath, from dry heath and heathy grassland to valley mire and bog pools, together supporting many important species which are local or rare.

Catch a glimpse of dragonflies darting across the wet heath, look out for hardy ponies grazing, explore trails that follow part of an old mineral tramway and enjoy views of the surrounding countryside, including Poole Harbour and the ruins of Corfe Castle.

To the north is the 67 ha Sunnyside Farm, home to rare plants including marsh orchids, smooth cat’s ear and brown-beak sedge. The land to the north of the A351 is managed by Natural England as a connected unit with the adjacent Hartland Moor, with the land to the south managed by the RSPB.

See also the leaflet on Dorset’s heathland National Nature Reserves.

Contact

Natural England
Tel: 0300 060 3900
Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

RSPB
Tel: 01929 553360
Email: arne@rspb.org.uk
Web: www.rspb.org.uk

Studland and Godlingston Heath

Godlingston Heath is one of the largest and best conserved tracts of heathland in lowland Britain: wet and dry heaths intersected by four main mire systems.

Well off the beaten track, highlights range from the hobbies and hen harriers overhead, to heath bee-flies and Purbeck mason wasps burrowing into the ground, or the rare wetland plants including the primitive marsh clubmoss or the ‘Godlingston sundew’, so named as it was here that it was first discovered to science.

The 250 ha Studland dune system is the south coast’s largest and most ecologically important dune system, dominated by the rare dune heath habitat. Known as one of the best sites in the country for sand lizards, the sandy dunes are also notable for a wide range of lichens and fungi found nowhere else in England.

At the heart of the dunes is Little Sea, a freshwater lake first isolated from the sea 200 years ago, and extensive marshes and wet woodlands that connect this lake to the open sea.

Further information and how to visit can be found on the Studland Bay page of the National Trust website.

Contact

National Trust
Tel: 01929 450002
Email: purbeck@nationaltrust.org.uk

Directions to Purbeck Heaths

For Brownsea Island:

The nearest train station is Poole.

Foot ferries regularly run from Poole Quay and Sandbanks jetty between mid-March and mid-November. More information: Greenslade Pleasure Boats or Brownsea Island Ferries.

There are regular buses to and from Poole Quay and Sandbanks provided by morebus and Yellow Buses.

There are public car parks near to where the ferries depart from at both Poole Quay and Sandbanks. There is limited payable parking and on-street metered parking available.

Further information on travelling to Brownsea Island may be viewed here.

For other sites within the NNR:

The nearest train station is Wareham.

A seasonal steam locomotive service between Norden and Swanage is provided by the Swanage Railway.

Local bus services between Wareham and Swanage passing close to the NNR are provided by Wilts and Dorset Bus Company and First Group.

Car parking can be found at Arne, Sunnyside (Ridge), Norden, Middle Beach, Knoll Beach, and Shell Bay. Parking charges vary.

Valley of Stones

The Valley of Stones NNR derives its name from the impressive ‘train’ of boulders tumbling down the slope and floor of the dry chalk valley.

Main habitats: lowland grassland

Features of interest

The Valley of Stones is considered to have one of the finest examples of a Sarsen stone boulder train in Great Britain. Freeze/thaw conditions at end of the last ice age caused sandstone on top of nearby chalk hilltops to fragment and slump downhill. There is evidence that the site was used as an ancient ‘quarry’ with stones being taken from the area for use at other local megalithic sites.

The stones are set within a wider landscape of dry valleys and slopes of upper chalk that include extensive areas of fine calcareous grassland that is rich in butterflies and wild flowers.

Within the reserve, well preserved medieval field patterns can be seen on some of the steep sides of the dry valleys and slopes of upper chalk.

The surrounding areas of calcareous grassland support many species of butterfly and wild flowers including clustered bellflower and autumn gentian. Colonies of the adonis blue butterfly can be found on the steep south facing grassland slopes.

Directions

The reserve is on Route 2 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.

The nearest station is Upwey.

Bus services run from Upwey along both the A35 (via Dorchester) and the B3157 (via Weymouth). See details on the Traveline SW website.

Access to the reserve is by minor roads from the A35 and B3157. The nearest car park is located 0.5 miles from the site, near the National Trust’s Hardy Monument.

The Valley of Stones is near to the Jubilee Trail, the Macmillan Way and close to the South West Coastal Path.

Contact

For more information about the reserve contact Natural England Enquiries, telephone 0300 060 3900, email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk