Soldiers Road runs between Hartland Moor and Stoborough Heath NNR, offering several convenient laybys to park up and begin exploring. However, the national nature reserve is also accessible on foot from Wareham, following the River Frome to Redcliffe and Ridge before joining the Poole Harbour Trail at Sunnyside. Here a view out across the heath can produce hunting Barn or Short-eared Owl on cold winter evenings. There’s also a recently restored scape which hosts passage migrants in the spring and autumn as well as providing an important feeding site for Common Snipe, Jack Snipe, Woodcock and Lapwing, which can be seen during Birds of Poole Harbour’s Winter Bird Ringing Demonstrations.

The high ground gives excellent viewing opportunities out across the Wareham Channel and leads to a stunning network of paths and tracks. This area does well for common autumn migrants such with a variety of warblers, flycatchers and chats passing through during August and September but it can also be productive in the spring with occasional Ring Ouzel, Redstart and Whinchat.

There are no facilities on or around Soldiers Road or Stoborough Heath with RSPB Arne offering the nearest toilets and eating establishments around two miles away. The area is also very exposed with very little cover so plan ahead and bring water if it’s hot or waterproofs if wet! The footpaths are well marked and established so please don’t cycle or walk off the main tracks. The higher peak located at the southern end of Stoborough Heath provides stunning views north out across the Wareham Channel.

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.