Brownsea Island, with over 500 acres of woodland, is the largest island in Poole Harbour. It is a magical place, a haven for wildlife, combining tranquil woodland walks with breathtaking coastal views.

The National Trust acquired Brownsea Island in 1961 in lieu of Death Duties for Mary Bonham-Christie, who purchased the island in 1927 for £125,000.

Her reclusive nature led her to evict most of the residents to the mainland and allowed the island to revert to natural heath and woodland.

A subsequent devastating fire reduced most of the island to ashes in 1934. This traumatic event led Mary Bonham-Christie to ban all public access to the island for the rest of her life.

Enid Blyton based several of her stories on this part of Dorset. The mysterious "Keep Away Island" was based on Brownsea Island.

Thanks to the National Trust, it is now accessible by all.

The journey starts on Poole Quay at the ticket booth for the ferry.

It is also a convenient place to park a car, since there is a large multi-storey car park close at hand.

In 2010, the adult fare was £8.50, £5.50 for children, with under 5's free of charge. Call 01202 669955 for the latest prices.

The boats run every half hour and the trip takes 20 minutes.

You arrive at the pier, adjacent to Brownsea Castle. This was started by Henry VIII in 1547 who built a blockhouse as part of a fortification to protect Poole Harbour from invasion.

Subsequent owners have embellished it and today it is leased to John Lewis as a hotel for employees. It is not open to the public and the employees must sign up years in advance for a chance to stay there.

The National Trust charge £5.50 for an Adult and £2.70 for children. Its free for children aged 5 or under.

Toilets and baby changing facilities are available at the Reception and at the Visitor Centre

The Villano cafe serves drinks, ice cream, home made cakes and meals.

Robert Baden-Powell hosted the very first Scout camp on Brownsea Island in the summer of 1907.

The Centenary Celebrations held in 2007 welcomed scouts and guides from 160 countries around the world.

Youth Groups can arrange to stay on the island at the 49 acre Baden-Powell Outdoor Centre, opened by Olave Baden-Powell in 1963.

On leaving the Reception Area, you arrive at the Church Field. The peacocks have found this to be an excellent picnic area!

From here you can take off on one of the trails and start to enjoy the island. Look out for the Red Squirrels and the Sika Deer.

Brownsea Island has a large number of chestnut trees, which provide much wanted winter feed for the deer.

At the far end of the island you find the remains of Maryland Village and the Pottery.

William Waugh, a former colonel in the British Army, bought Brownsea Island in 1852 for the grand sum of £13,000.

He established a pottery in the south west corner of the island, hoping to make high quality porcelain. The venture was not a success, the quality of the clay only being suitable for sanitary ware. Fragments of the pottery can still be found on the beaches.

The company employed some 200 people and shipped the goods off the island via Pottery Pier. Close by you will find the remains of Maryland Village, built to house the work force, and named after Waugh's wife, Mary.

The deserted village was finally destroyed by the Luftwaffe during the second world, when it was set up as a decoy to divert attention from the Port area of Poole Harbour.

Colonel Waugh created many of the structures seen today on the island, in particular St Mary's Chuch, the pier, and the Tudor style gatehouse and tower.

This must have been an incredible time for the Waugh family. Unfortunately, it did not end well. After 20 amazing years, they fell heavily into debt and fled to Spain.

It must have been devastating to leave such a fantastic place.