Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre
Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve Bournemouth Dorset BH6 4EN
This lovely headland that juts out into the sea has a brand new £1million visitor centre (opened in April 2014 by naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham), where you can find out all about the rich ecology, geology, environment and history of Hengistbury Head itself. The headland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest that is surrounded by the sea on one side and the freshwater Christchurch harbour on the other, providing a rich habitat for a variety of native and migrating birds, including kingfishers, avocets, skylarks, ospreys, cuckoos and kestrels. Inside the visitor centre, a webcam is trained on a heron’s nest that is currently with chicks, and there are lots of interactive displays to engage the children. Once you’ve learnt all about the wildlife, walk up onto the top of Hengistbury Head where you get fantastic views towards Bournemouth, the New Forest, the Isle of Wight, and over the Mudeford sandspit with its pretty multi-coloured beach huts.
