For the first time in decades, a stunning new building with panoramic views of Poole Harbour has been constructed on Brownsea Island in Dorset.
More like a luxury beach house, the building, called The Lookout, provides a spectacular viewing area from where to watch all the birds and wildlife that make Brownsea Lagoon their home.
The state-of-the-art viewing gallery at The Lookout
Bring people closer to nature
The Lookout was conceived by the charity Dorset Wildlife Trust in partnership with the National Trust, as part of a £1.25 million project called Wild Brownsea to bring people closer to nature and to improve facilities on Brownsea Island.
While the island is owned by the National Trust, part of it is run by Dorset Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve.
In 2019, the National Lottery Heritage Fund gave just over half a million pounds towards the project, alongside a generous donation from the charitable trust The Fine Foundation.
However all plans had to be put on hold in 2020 as the Covid pandemic shut down the island making it impossible to get the construction work started.
But despite the setbacks, The Lookout has now opened for the 2025 season, just in time to get an amazing view of all the migrating birds returning to the UK for the summer.
Built from sustainable timber
Panoramic view of Brownsea Lagoon
“The wow factor”
Dorset Wildlife Trust Brownsea ranger Jonny Owen said:
“The Lookout is now one of the first places many people visit when they arrive on the island. The idea was to create a nature hub and the first real welcome to Brownsea.
“It’s really good, especially if there’s a few reluctant teenagers in a family party, to give them the wow factor. It really whets their appetite to see more. On a sunny day you just can’t help but be impressed by the panoramic view.
“This is the closest you can get to our Sandwich tern colony and it’s also possible to spot white tailed eagles, ospreys and peregrines, if you’re lucky.
The Lookout also provides a warm place to shelter on a colder day, where rangers can answer questions and give visitors more information about the rest of the island.
Information about the birds that have been spotted on the island is collected on a regular basis and The Lookout gives such a great view, it has helped the volunteers collect more robust data.
Brownsea ranger Jonny Owen is on hand to answer questions
The walkway to The Fine Foundation Lookout
Sara Thompson from Dorset Wildlife Trust checking out the new building
“Making watching wildlife accessible”
Director of fundraising and marketing for the Dorset Wildlife Trust Sara Thompson added:
“This lovely new building is aimed at making watching wildlife accessible to everyone. It’s not a traditional bird hide, where you have to be quiet and sit still. That can be a bit intense and intimidating.
“This is where you can come and ask questions and start to learn about something you may have very little knowledge about.
“There are still other traditional bird hides where those who are more experienced can go and observe the wildlife. This is just adding to the experience.”
One of the traditional bird hides on the island where you can eat your sandwiches and spend the afternoon bird spotting in peace and quiet
The Lookout has a beak-like profile
The screw piles allow the building to be removed leaving little trace behind
Built on stilts
As the island is such an environmentally special place, the decision was made to construct The Lookout as sustainably as possible.
All the timber is certified as sustainable and the building is anchored to the ground with screw piles rather than concrete, making it essentially a temporary structure which could be removed leaving little trace.
As it is on stilts, the reeds can grow under the building so the footprint of the building doesn’t take away space from the natural environment.
St Mary’s Church which is part of the parish of Studland
The Villa is under refurbishment to create holiday accommodation and a wildlife and wetland centre
The Victorian building is Grade II listed and will retain many original features when it’s finished
New project started
Elsewhere on Brownsea, there is plenty of evidence of who lived on the island in the past. It was first inhabited in the 9th Century by monks.
By the time of the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century, King Henry VIII decided to fortify the island with a building which was later developed into the impressive Brownsea Castle.
The Victorian St Mary’s Church on the island was built in 1854 by William Waugh, a former major in the British Army who believed he could use the china clay on the island to manufacture porcelain.
The venture never worked out, but before he fled Brownsea in debt, he was also responsible for building a large 1850s house, intended to be the island’s vicarage. It was never used as a vicarage and instead became known as The Villa and a family home.
This Grade II listed building is now Dorset Wildlife Trust’s wildlife and wetland visitor centre and its latest project.
A magical spot on the island
Plenty of paths to explore
“The magic of waking up on this special island”
Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Sara Thompson said:
“As a charity we are heavily reliant on donations and we are looking to increase our income.
“Not only are we restoring the ground floor so we can provide space for visiting school groups and other organisations to understand more about the nature on the island, but we are also creating holiday accommodation upstairs.
“This will enable people to come and stay and experience the magic of waking up on this special island before the first boat of day trippers arrives.
“The work should be completed by the end of 2025, maybe in time to stay this autumn and see the red squirrels in full action – it’s very exciting!”
Brownsea Castle is an imposing building, leased to the retailer John Lewis as a staff retreat
The old and the new
Opening up the island to the community
Brownsea Island reopened to visitors for 2025 at the beginning of March and the National Trust is looking to welcome more people throughout the summer and autumn.
When the island was owned by Mary Bonham Christie between 1927 until her death in 1961, she evicted the tenants on Brownsea from their homes and closed the island to visitors.
Now the National Trust is looking to reverse the disconnect between the island and the local communities which surround it.
Wheelchair buggies are available to use on the island free of charge
National Trust’s Dania Schmitz-Vaughan enjoys welcoming new people to the island
“We look after it for people”
National Trust senior volunteer and community officer for Brownsea Island, Dania Schmitz-Vaughan said:
“We are the custodians of the nature and history on Brownsea and we look after it for people. We want more schools and organisations to visit and we work hard to make it possible for children from low income families to come and see Brownsea.
“We’ve also instigated a programme for teenagers who have left school aged between 16 and 18, and aren’t in employment or training. It’s a small group who spend six weeks with us, working across the island in the cafe, as part of the welcome team, and at the campsite.
“We give them training and certificates for what they achieve, as well as a written CV and a reference for future employers.
“The outdoor environment here is really different from school, which is good and boosts confidence as they find tasks which they enjoy and are good at.”
More than one day trip is neede to explore the whole of the island
Plenty of events planned for Brownsea Island
Events for 2025
There’s a whole new programme of events lined up throughout the year including music evenings from folk with the band The Mother Ukers, to soul and Motown with the Susie Kimber Trio.
Theatre is also returning with the HandleBards performing Much Ado About Nothing, while later in the year, the Three Inch Fools perform Midsummer Night’s Dream – both scaled back versions of Shakespeare plays.
Bushcraft, bird and bat safaris, and yoga all continue too, along with the traditional Easter egg hunt between Saturday 5th and Monday 21st April 2025.
Dania added:
“Come and see us – no two trips are the same. Come at different times of the year and you’ll see the nightjars in the summer and the red squirrels in the autumn.
“And such amazing views across the harbour to Sandbanks in one direction and Studland in the other. At times you could be in the Mediterranean – it rains in Spain too!”
The view toward the Studland peninsula and Old Harry from the south shore of Brownsea Island
A delay in planning permission means the jetty at Sandbanks is unlikely to be rebuilt until 2026
Sandbanks jetty plans
Of course, it will be much easier for those in Purbeck to visit Brownsea Island once the ferry from Sandbanks can resume but the National Trust is working on that.
The jetty was damaged by storms in 2024 and planning permission to rebuild a new jetty is currently waiting on approval from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, however the National Trust hopes it will be back in action for 2026.
In the meantime, there’s a regular ferry service for 2025 from Poole Quay until the autumn.
View from The Lookout
Further information
- All about The Lookout
- More about Brownsea Island, how to get there and events
- Read the planning application to rebuild the Sandbanks jetty
