Slepe Heath is a productive and beautiful heathland landscape with stunning views of Poole Harbour to the north and Corfe and the Purbeck Ridge to the south. The unbroken skyline views offer good sky watching opportunities for birds of prey and birds moving up and down the Frome Valley. It holds good numbers of breeding heathland specialists such as Dartford Warbler and Nightjar, as well as being a magnet for common autumn passage migrants during August and September and the winter months welcome appearances from Merlin and Peregrine around the site.

Slepe Heath adjoins on to Hartland Moor so a large area can be covered during a morning or a day’s walk. It’s important to note that as a heathland site, it hosts a sensitive and delicate ecosystem, so please don’t venture off the main tracks. There are no facilities on or around Slepe Heath with RSPB Arne offering the nearest toilets and eating establishments around two miles away. Slepe Heath is also very exposed with very little cover in terms of shelter so take water if it’s hot or waterproofs if wet!

Birds of Poole Harbour

Is a charity completely dedicated educating people on the stunning variety of bird life in one of the country’s most picturesque locations, helping you make the most of this truly breathtaking natural harbour. They see their role as the link to raising the profile of bird conservation, observation and education in and around the Poole Harbour area through harbour-wide partnership working, high standards of people engagement work and continuous monitoring of the harbour and its bird populations. See the Birds of Poole Harbour website for more details.

Nightjar photo © Paul Morton