Coronavirus (COVID-19)

If you are planning on travelling distance to attractions, we would recommend that you contact the venues directly in advance to avoid disappointment.

If you, or any of your party have a new persistant cough, or develop a fever of 38C, we would instead advise you to use the NHS's dedicated website for professional advice.

Blashford Lakes

A nature reserve with a wide variety of habitats situated around flooded gravel pits and an Education Centre, managed by the Wildlife Trust in partnership with the owners Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water and with New Forest District Council.
The reserve includes a number of flooded former gravel pits now used for drinking water storage and nature conservation, and is surrounded by grassland and willow, birch and alder woodland. Blashford Lakes attracts thousands of wildfowl in winter as well as bittern and good numbers of woodland birds including redpoll, siskin and brambling. Wildlife watching is easy with access to 6 accessible bird hides and a number of “viewing screens†around the site. During the summer months it is a great place to look for adder, grass snake and kingfisher and with 26 species recorded to date it is also an excellent site for dragonflies.
The nature reserve has an Education Centre and a trail guide and toilets for visitors. Eight kilometres of rolled gravel paths give access around the site suitable for all season use by mobility scooters, pushchairs and more robust wheelchairs. Two “Tramper†mobility scooters are available to borrow by prior arrangement.

  • Currently: Medium-level cloud, 5° C
  • Thursday: Medium-level cloud, 11° C
  • Friday: Medium-level cloud, 10° C