Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre And Local Nature Reserve

Look what we have for you! Locally produced, high quality gin from Conker Spirit - buy from us to support our work here #christmasgift #hengistbury #that'sthespirit

Hengistbury Headlines: Have you heard the latest? 🎅🎄🎁 - https://mailchi.mp/724da0cebb25/ruofvze74 j-1375553

A glimpse of 'National Tree Week' yet? Absolutely! 🙂
Let's celebrate our beautiful trees and surroundings by contributing to the British tree-scape in any little or big ways 🌳 🌲 . The week runs through 24 Nov - 2 Dec 2018
#treeplanting #britishtrees #celebratingtrees #nationaltreeweek #conservation #hengistburyhead #nationaltreeweek2018 #plantatree #ecofriendly #ecosystem #trees #nature

Welcome with us our herd of cattle 👏🏼 🐮 🐮 🐮 .
Our main breed is Shetlands however, we also have Belted Galloway at Hengistbury Head, both being native rare-breeds. They are used to graze the more competitive grasses down, allowing the wildflowers space to thrive and maintain conservation areas! This is also beneficial to the breeds as it helps in creating a brilliant self-perpetuating conservation cycle.
Are you still wondering why these are our main breeds? 🙂
... #cattle #conservation #hengistburyhead #shetland #beltedgalloway #conservationcycle #wildflowers #outdoor #hengistburyheadvisitorcenter
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Hengistbury Head Rangers have been contributing towards the United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme for 40 years!
Since 1978, a set route have been walked during the breeding season, from April 1st to October 31st, with butterflies being counted along the route. The scheme itself has been going since 1976, so Hengistbury is one of the oldest and most consistent contributers. Although now mostly undertaken by university placement students, trained by the Rangers, the route ...is still walked weekly and figures sent to the UKBMS.
The data is collected and used by Butterfly Conservation to analyse what is going on at local, regional and national levels, as butterfly populations can give us a good idea of the health of our towns and countryside.
This year has seen below average numbers, with Holly Blue seeing a big decline, but there is good news, with Orange Tip and Common Blue seeing record years.
Although this is positive, there is an expectation that Sites of Special Scientific Interest, such as Hengistbury Head, and other nature reserves will still maintain good populations of what used to be much more common species. But nationally there has been a 76% decline within our butterfly species since 1976 (when these studies started).
There is more that we can do within our parks, shared spaces and gardens to help - for example providing native species that sometimes are the only food plant for the caterpillars. Stinging nettle is an important plant for this very reason, and simply leaving a patch of it in a corner of your garden, would be one small way to encourage more wildlife and add a little bit of habitat.
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Take a look at our new range of #ordnancesurvey products, now on sale in our gift shop at #hengistburyhead! Who do you know who might like these for Christmas?

Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) colonies have been seen nesting on Boscombe cliffs! This species was first seen in the UK in 2001 and feed exclusively on Ivy. Out only during August through to November, this is one of our true autumnal bee species. It's certainly a welcome pollinator, as ivy is an important food (nectar, pollen and berries) and shelter source to insects, birds and bats throughout the winter.

What a beautiful, calm photo taken here at #Hengistbury 🌅🌊 Don't forget to send your photos in, we love seeing them📸 #Bournemouth #Hengistburyhead

Some beautiful photos here 😊👍 #Hengistburyhead

You may have noticed some of our fencelines being removed? Thanks to our Countryside Stewardship funding, we are able to replace some areas of fencing that have definitely seen better days. During 2018, the fences around Whitepits (close to the Boardwalk) and the Salt Marsh (running alongside the woodland) will be updated. Our super Thursday volunteers have been speeding along with the removal of the old fencing, so that the areas are ready!
The areas that these fences surround are incredibly sensitive, at the Salt Marsh scarce wading birds are looking around the pools for scarce food resources. Whilst at Whitepits, the rare Natterjack Toad and declining Skylark need areas without disturbance, to burrow and breed in.
#bournemouth #conservation #wildlife #volunteers #volunteering #countrysidestewardship

Our Shetland cattle are back on Barn Field for the winter. This endangered breed do an awesome job of grazing nature reserves and grasslands such as this. 🐄
This sensitive style of management allows for development of thousands of yellow meadow ant mounds within Barn Field (some are hundreds of years old) and provides suitable conditions for threatened species including Skylark, Dartford Warbler and Meadow Pipit. Using any other type of management here, such as mowing, would ...change the habitat and we would likely see species, especially Skylark, disappearing from the only place on Hengistbury Head that they can breed without disturbance.
It may not appear so at first glance, but as a community, Barn Field is one of the most valuable areas on Hengistbury, if not in Bournemouth, for wildlife.
Increasingly, loss of wildlife species is becoming a global hot topic alongside climate change. We can be proud that we have protected areas, such as Hengistbury Head, where wildlife still survives and can be enjoyed and appreciated. We hope that one day in the future, conditions will be right for them to spread further throughout the UK, as opposed to losing them altogether, which is a risk whilst they are restricted to such fragmented areas.
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Hengistbury Headlines: Christmas lights and gifts 🎅🎄 - https://mailchi.mp/3f866d1282cc/ruofvze74 j-1364553

We have a delicious range of #local food, beers, wines and spirits on sale. Lugger Rum, made along the coast in Lyme Bay, is a spicy treat! If you buy your #localproduce from our gift shop, you are helping to support our #conservation work here at #Hengistbury head, so thank you.

Happy Halloween! Does fun today involve walking through the woods in the dark? Fun-fact: The combination of a female's 'kee-wick' responding to a male’s ‘twoo’ makes the harmonious classic sound ‘Twit twoo’ in fairy tales 🦉
#happyhalloween #wildlifewednesday #hengistburyhead

Is it still too early to mention #Christmas shopping? If so, sorry....scroll on....but if not, please do consider buying a gift from our Visitor Centre Shop. The money made helps to support our conservation work. Thank you. #buylocal

We made special Christmas friends today with two antlers. Kids really loved their knew friends. Staff were amazing and all volunteers. BUT BEST OF ALL the scarfs glow in the dark �

We live locally and regularly visit. Great place to explore, loads of interesting history and wildlife, and visitor centre is brilliant. Staff at the centre are very attentive and regularly hold great events (Halloween trail this year was one of our highlights). Good gift shop too.

We had an amazing time with our School Nurture Trip to Hengistbury Head today! Our girls made an amazing bird box in a Ranger led activity at the Visitor Centre - your whole team were fantastic! They all had a wonderful time! I would definitely recommend and come again! Thank you all! Have a lovely summer!! ��

We had an amazing time making a reindeer today. Thank you so much for all the effort made by the volunteers who made it such a fantastic experience for our children! ��

We all had a fantastic time yesterday at the pond dipping event. Well run and brilliant knowledgeable staff/volunteers. My son has been asking when we can go again. Thank you so much. Xx

Thank you hengistbury head visitors centre for a lovely festive time switching on the xmas tree lights , songs, mulled wine and mince pies .. lovely setting, lovely community feel.. well done

Really happy place to visit.Very good information about the area at the centre.

I joined the running group this morning, it was fantastic! Please keep this going

I go to the visitor centre to do my sandart , it's lovely and everyone is so friendly and helpful . A great place to have a good fun learning experience . Highly recommended .

Had an absolutely lovely time tonight when you switched on the Christmas tree lights! Mulled wine, mince pies, singing carols, listening to brilliant singing by an Elf!! and all in the beautifully lit courtyard and tree! Really lovely - well done to all involved, and best wishes.... Pam

Great place to visit and great walking to get there and beyond ... just saw they are having knatterjack toad walks in May ... hmmmm!!!

A wonderfully, exciting, adventurous and family orientated place to come and spend the day. The activities are so engaging for children and adults alike. We live locally and visit with our children regularly. Fantastic and fully recommend. The staff here are welcoming and well informed about the history and landscapes. One of the top Dorset attractions.

A beautiful, peaceful place to go. Although now I have taken up wildlife photography I see it in a whole new way :-)

We went with our grandchildren to HH. It is a beautiful place. Loved the visitors centre. Looking forward to going there again and spending more time as this was only a short visit

Not happy that they are asking dog owners to leave dogs outside. Many dogs get stolen and this is an invitation. It would be a friendly thing to do to allow dog owners to visit with their well behaved dogs. The visitor centre could be arranged in a way to accommodate this.

Lovely time today doing the Halloween trail ,was quite busy though and had to queue for 20 mins to get the first letter clue but didn't mind as weather was good and the kids really enjoyed themselves .The helpers were suitably spooky and we will definitely be coming again .

Love visiting here and so wonderful to watch the Herons nest on live am this week. But sad to go online and still unable to watch progress from home. I was hoping this would be a possibility as I don't live close enough to visit regularly. Great staff though with lots of knowledge..

Great place to visit. Lots to do and plenty of space to run around etc. Beautiful views.

Enjoyed our visit to the area & the visitor centre . The centre is excellent and Hengistbury Head is really worth a visit . We will be back ♥

We made special Christmas friends today with two antlers. Kids really loved their knew friends. Staff were amazing and all volunteers. BUT BEST OF ALL the scarfs glow in the dark �

We live locally and regularly visit. Great place to explore, loads of interesting history and wildlife, and visitor centre is brilliant. Staff at the centre are very attentive and regularly hold great events (Halloween trail this year was one of our highlights). Good gift shop too.

We had an amazing time with our School Nurture Trip to Hengistbury Head today! Our girls made an amazing bird box in a Ranger led activity at the Visitor Centre - your whole team were fantastic! They all had a wonderful time! I would definitely recommend and come again! Thank you all! Have a lovely summer!! ��

We had an amazing time making a reindeer today. Thank you so much for all the effort made by the volunteers who made it such a fantastic experience for our children! ��

We all had a fantastic time yesterday at the pond dipping event. Well run and brilliant knowledgeable staff/volunteers. My son has been asking when we can go again. Thank you so much. Xx

Thank you hengistbury head visitors centre for a lovely festive time switching on the xmas tree lights , songs, mulled wine and mince pies .. lovely setting, lovely community feel.. well done

Really happy place to visit.Very good information about the area at the centre.

I joined the running group this morning, it was fantastic! Please keep this going

I go to the visitor centre to do my sandart , it's lovely and everyone is so friendly and helpful . A great place to have a good fun learning experience . Highly recommended .

Had an absolutely lovely time tonight when you switched on the Christmas tree lights! Mulled wine, mince pies, singing carols, listening to brilliant singing by an Elf!! and all in the beautifully lit courtyard and tree! Really lovely - well done to all involved, and best wishes.... Pam

Great place to visit and great walking to get there and beyond ... just saw they are having knatterjack toad walks in May ... hmmmm!!!

A wonderfully, exciting, adventurous and family orientated place to come and spend the day. The activities are so engaging for children and adults alike. We live locally and visit with our children regularly. Fantastic and fully recommend. The staff here are welcoming and well informed about the history and landscapes. One of the top Dorset attractions.

A beautiful, peaceful place to go. Although now I have taken up wildlife photography I see it in a whole new way :-)

We went with our grandchildren to HH. It is a beautiful place. Loved the visitors centre. Looking forward to going there again and spending more time as this was only a short visit

Not happy that they are asking dog owners to leave dogs outside. Many dogs get stolen and this is an invitation. It would be a friendly thing to do to allow dog owners to visit with their well behaved dogs. The visitor centre could be arranged in a way to accommodate this.

Lovely time today doing the Halloween trail ,was quite busy though and had to queue for 20 mins to get the first letter clue but didn't mind as weather was good and the kids really enjoyed themselves .The helpers were suitably spooky and we will definitely be coming again .

Love visiting here and so wonderful to watch the Herons nest on live am this week. But sad to go online and still unable to watch progress from home. I was hoping this would be a possibility as I don't live close enough to visit regularly. Great staff though with lots of knowledge..

Great place to visit. Lots to do and plenty of space to run around etc. Beautiful views.

Enjoyed our visit to the area & the visitor centre . The centre is excellent and Hengistbury Head is really worth a visit . We will be back ♥