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  1. Explore Brownsea Island and see if you can spot a rare red squirrel © National Trust
    Explore Brownsea Island and see if you can spot a rare red squirrel © National Trust
  2. Keen birdwatchers can spot Peregrine Falcons on coastal cliffs © Peter Moore Photography
    Keen birdwatchers can spot Peregrine Falcons on coastal cliffs © Peter Moore Photography

You are here: Things To Do > Nature and Wildlife

Nature and Wildlife in Dorset

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Highlights

  1. Peregrine Falcon at Durlston Country Park, Dorset
    Best bird watching spots
  2. The beach and stone arch of Durdle Door in Dorset
    Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
    Dorset is blessed with two areas of outstanding natural beauty, covering more than half of the county with inspiring landscapes and a diverse selection of nature and wildlife.
  3. Durlston Country Park on the Jurassic Coast viewed from the air
    Nature Reserves and Country Parks in Dorset

Looking for a destination where you can see rare and endangered wildlife in their natural habitats? Pr enjoy all that nature has to offer? Then Dorset is certainly the place for you.

With over half of the county being Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it's no surprise that we have some of the best wildlife and natural landscapes found anywhere in the UK.

Dorset is a diverse haven which many different species call home, some of which are so rare that they can't be found anywhere else!

With all of our fabulous wildlife to enjoy, it really is a nature lover’s dream location to visit. So pack your binoculars and venture out into the great outdoors.

Get back to nature

Dorset is filled with country parks, nature reserves and wide open spaces where you can run free, breathe in fresh air and truly feel at one with nature.

The Blue Pool is surround by 25 acres of heathland and woodland in the beautiful Isle of Purbeck. The tranquil pool is ever-changing in colour, from blue to turquoise to green. Follow the sandy paths down to the waters edge and up to the viewpoint looking towards Corfe Castle.

Dorset also has a number of fantastic RSPB and Dorset Wildlife Trust reserves which give an incredible chance to see a wide variety of wildlife up-close within their natural habitats.

Best places for bird watching

Being located in the most southerly position in Dorset, the Isle of Portland's unique geology and climate are ideal for a wide variety of birds and animals. So, if you enjoy bird-watching of coastal or migratory birds, then it’s a great place to indulge your passion. Plus over half of Britain's fifty seven butterfly species can be seen on Portland, along with rare plants species only found in a handful of locations in the UK.

Some of Dorset’s other bird watching hotspots include Durlston Country Park’s coastal location on the Isle of Purbeck, the sheltered fleet lagoon found nestled behind Chesil Beach and Poole Harbour – Europe’s largest natural harbour.

Unique species

Red squirrels are very rare in southern England, only existing in small populations and Brownsea Island is one of those places. Surrounded by Poole Harbour, the water keeps grey squirrels at bay, meaning the endangered reds are kept safe and sound and can eat as many pine cones as they can manage!

Dorset's heathlands are an important part of a global resource and are home to all six of Britain's native reptile species. More sand lizards and smooth snakes are found on these heaths than anywhere else in the country. It is also home to the extremely rare lady bird spider, so rare in fact that it was thought extinct in Britain until it was discovered in 1980 and is now being re-introduced to a small corner of the county.

Get up close and personal

There are always interesting events and courses taking place across the county, giving you the opportunity to learn from an expert or get close to wildlife without disturbing or damaging the environment. So grab your ID guides, binos and camera and get ready to be amazed.

Abbotsbury Swannery is home to the only managed colony of free-flying mute swans in the world that visitors can walk among. During the nesting and hatching period (end May-end June), it is possible to stand next to hatching eggs and see the very cute sygnets getting used to family life.

Unleash your inner Chris Packham

If you’re a fan of BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch, why not visit BadgerWatch Dorset and star in a nature documentary of your own!

From the hides, thrill at the sight of badgers emerging from their setts and foraging for food.

The area is floodlit for perfect vision and visits from other wildlife such as owls, foxes, rabbits and bats add to the spectacle.

Stay a little longer

With all of this available right here in Dorset, we hope that we’ve given you more than enough reason to visit.  

We're got a great selection of accommodation to stay over or places to eat out in-between wildlife watching.

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  1. Dancing Ledge near Spyway - copyright National Trust

    Add Spyway to your Itinerary

    Spyway

    Type

    Type:

    National Trust Property

    SWANAGE

    Towering sea cliffs and grasslands rich in wild flowers. A distinctive limestone landscape on the South Coast where sea birds soar and rare orchids hide among rich grasslands. Centuries of stone quarrying have left their mark in the form of sea…

    Free
  2. Mude Valley

    Add Mude Valley to your Itinerary

    Mude Valley

    Type

    Type:

    Natural Wildlife Site

    Mudeford, CHRISTCHURCH

    An urban wildlife corridor made up of Mudeford and Peregrine Woods, including a variety of natural habitats - woodland, grassland, the river and associated wetlands. It includes amenity areas and is surrounded by extensive urban development. The…

    Free
  3. Hambledon Hill

    Add Hambledon & Hod Hills to your Itinerary

    Hambledon & Hod Hills

    Type

    Type:

    National Trust Property

    BLANDFORD FORUM

    Hambledon Hill is a National Nature Reserve and one of Dorset's most impressive Iron Age hillfort with multiple ramparts. The hilltop is encircled by an Iron Age earthwork and there are extensive Neolithic features, making it a major archaeological…

    Free
  4. Upton Wood

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    Upton Wood

    Type

    Type:

    Forest

    Upton, POOLE

    A small woodland on the edge of Upton (opposite Upton Country Park). The Wood includes footpaths, cyclepaths and Woodland Trail, also running streams, open glades and seats to sit and rest a while. Map and leaflet available from Discover Purbeck…

    Free
  5. St. Catherine's Hill Nature Reserve

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    St Catherine's Hill Nature Reserve

    Type

    Type:

    Country Park/Nature Reserve

    CHRISTCHURCH

    The highest area of land in Christchurch is also part of the largest and most significant area of heathland in the Borough providing habitat for rare species such as the Smooth Snake and Sand Lizard.

    Free
  6. Chesil Beach fishing

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    Abbotsbury Beach - Chesil Bank and Fleet Lagoon

    Type

    Type:

    Beach

    Nr Weymouth

    A shelving beach made up of pebbles and shingle, popular with both local anglers and families for mackerel fishing.

  7. Eggardon Hillfort (photo credit National Trust)

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    Eggardon Hillfort

    Type

    Type:

    National Trust Property

    BRIDPORT

    Eggardon Hill is an iron-age hillfort which, arguably, has one of the finest views of any hill-fort in the county.

    Free
  8. Wareham Forest in Dorset

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    Wareham Forest

    Type

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    Forest

    WAREHAM

    Walk or cycle through heathland and forest by Morden Bog National Nature Reserve: one of the largest valley mire habitats in England. Numerous picnic benches and a waymarked walk. Cyclists welcome on 2 metre paths or the Sika Trail - a 7 mile family…

    Free
  9. Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre and Reserve

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    Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre and Reserve

    Type

    Type:

    Nature Trail

    Weymouth

    At the start of the Legacy Trail, the Lorton Meadows Reserve has fantastic views down the Lorton Valley Nature Park, and across Weymouth Bay to Portland. It has a lovely variety of meadows, woodlands and hedgerows with plenty of wildlife to look…

  10. RSPB Arne Nature Reserve

    Add RSPB Arne Nature Reserve to your Itinerary

    RSPB Arne Nature Reserve

    Type

    Type:

    Country Park/Nature Reserve

    WAREHAM

    Arne is celebrated for its lowland heathland, which is rare in Europe, and its wildlife including Dartford warblers, nightjars, all six species of British reptile, plus many species of butterflies, dragonflies, and moths.

    Free
  11. View from flats to east side of Kimmeridge Bay

    Add Kimmeridge Bay to your Itinerary

    Kimmeridge Bay

    Type

    Type:

    Natural Feature

    Kimmeridge, WAREHAM

    Kimmeridge Bay lies within a marine Special Area of Conservation and boasts the best rockpooling and safest snorkelling site in Dorset.

    Free
  12. Nature Reserve, Conservation, walks

    Add Purewell Meadows Nature Reserve to your Itinerary

    Purewell Meadows Nature Reserve

    Type

    Type:

    Natural Wildlife Site

    Purewell, CHRISTCHURCH

    Purewell Meadows is a nature reserve with four hectares of public open space, most of which is grasses and sedges but there are also a large number of flowering plants. These include Ragged Robin and Devils Bit Scabious.

    Free
  13. RSPB Weymouth Wetlands

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    RSPB Weymouth Wetlands

    Type

    Type:

    Country Park/Nature Reserve

    WEYMOUTH

    Weymouth is very lucky to have two top class nature reserves in the centre of town. Radipole lake has always been a favourite place for wildlife enthusiasts. Lodmoor is where you can encounter a vast range of bird species.

  14. Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre

    Add Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre to your Itinerary

    Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Country Park/Nature Reserve

    Portland

    Managed by Dorset Wildlife Trust, the centre's exciting displays and programme of activities will help you make the most of your visit to Chesil Beach and Portland.

    Free
  15. Seating Area

    Add Steamer Point Nature Reserve to your Itinerary

    Steamer Point Nature Reserve

    Type

    Type:

    Country Park/Nature Reserve

    Friar's Cliff, CHRISTCHURCH

    Steamer Point is a 24 acre cliff top designated Local Nature Reserve (LNR) that is situated between Highcliffe Castle and Friar's Cliff on the Christchurch coastline. It comprises of woodland, aquatic habitats, flora and fauna.

    Free
  16. Badbury Rings (photo credit National Trust Images/John Millar)

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    Badbury Rings

    Type

    Type:

    National Trust Property

    WIMBORNE

    Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hillfort in east Dorset. The site dates from around 800 BC and was in use until the Roman occupation of 43 AD. Now forming part of the Kingston Lacy estate, and under the guardianship of The National Trust, the site has…

    Free
  17. The Blue Pool in Dorset

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    The Blue Pool

    Type

    Type:

    Parkland/Woodland Garden

    Furzebrook, WAREHAM

    Awards

    • Visit Britain We're Good to Go 2020We're Good to Go

    *LATEST UPDATE* The Blue Pool will be closed until further notice.

    Price Free to £5.00 Per Ticket
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