Wytch Heath (5 miles)
This walk takes in two remote wildlife hides, open heathland, a bluebell wood, Poole Harbour views and an oil extraction depot. plenty of variety and interest.
There is space to park off the road at Grid reference SY 963 853.
From Stoborough, Wareham, take the road east towards the Arne peninsula.
Take the third turning on the right, heading south east. Continue through woods and past Slepe Farm until the point where the Poole Harbour Trail crosses the road. Here you will find gravel roadside parking and a gravel track heading off to the left with a small, round National Trust Hide sign. Park here and start the walk.
1. Take the footpath to the left of the gravel track labelled to the National Trust Hides. Half way along the track, the path merges with it. Continue along the track until you reach the farm at the end.
Continue following the signs to the hide. Over a board walk, beyond the farm buildings, you will find a hide overlooking the harbour.
2. Return along the path around the farm house.
A little way along the track you will see another round sign towards a National Trust Hide. Take this path up the hill to the next hide, in a shepherd’s hut.
3. Follow the little path to the left, down the hill and across the fields until you meet the open healthland again.
Continue until you meet a junction with a path to the left, through a gate. This is labelled as the Poole Harbour trail.
4.
Continue on this path, through a copse, some pasture, heathland and across a metalled road.
When you meet the second road, turn left along this quiet road, through coniferous woodland. Here you will hear the hum of the Wytch Heath Oil Gathering Station on the left and signage to various oil wells where oil is pumped out of the sandy ground beneath. Continue until you rejoin the Poole Harbour Trail. Turn left to to follow the trail back in a westerly direction.
Here you could continue straight on to look at the shore before taking the path to the left.
5.
Continue along the Poole Harbour Trail, Past the fishing pond, then woods on the right. This path rejoins the heath after a repeating a short stretch. When you reach the heathland, turn diagonally right and follow the path parallel to the road until you return to your parking place.
