Scouts & Guides

15 or more in group	Standard rate	Pre-booked groups in March, April, May, June, September, October
ADULTS £7 EACH	ADULTS £8 EACH	ADULTS £6 EACH
CHILD £5 EACH	CHILD £5.50 EACH	CHILD £4 EACH
OAP £6 EACH	OAP £7 EACH

Groups who travel with large (45 litre +) rucksacks will be liable for a charge of £4 per rucksack.

Food can travel with groups free of charge. It must be transported in fold down crates ONLY.

CARGO BOAT £200 return crossing

The National Trust are now offering camping groups cargo boats. To find out more information, please see the NT website or call 01202 707744.

Greenslade Pleasure Boats are also offering cargo boats from POOLE - prices are £200 return. Boats need to be booked well in advance. These boats can take all your group equipment, plus some group members to load/unload.

PLease read carefully. THESE CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE MARINE COASTGUARD AGENCY, AND ARE NON NEGOTIABLE, THEY CAN ALSO BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

The Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are responsible throughout the UK for implementing the Government’s maritime safety policy. That includes checking that ships meet UK and international safety rules. They work to prevent the loss of lives at the coast and at sea, to ensure that ships are safe, and to prevent coastal pollution.

The ferries operating to Brownsea Island are bound to abide by rules and regulations set and monitored by the MCA. If the ferry companies fail to abide by these rules, they could lose their licence. These rules are in place for the safety of everyone aboard the ferries including you and your group.

The rules cover the carrying of luggage and equipment on any ferries including those travelling to Brownsea Island. This means that the ferry companies need to restrict the amounts of luggage carried. This is similar to ferries travelling to other destinations (e.g. the Isle of Wight) and to commercial airlines.

1. Restrict the luggage to two small rucksacks per person less than 30 litres per rucksack (see pictures below) – one can go on the lap of the passenger and the other under the seat. In this case your group can arrive and depart on any scheduled ferry (you must book with them in the normal way).

2. Each member of the group can bring a large rucksack more than 30 litres (see pictures below) but this has to take the place of a passenger, i.e. sitting on the seat next to the owner. This reduces the passenger capacity on the ferry and so will be charged at £4.50 per rucksack. However, the ferry companies have agreed to carry rucksacks free of charge on the following ferries:

Food can travel with groups free of charge. It must be transported in fold down crates ONLY.

All luggage including food must be loaded onto the boats by the group, not the boat crew. Groups are responsible for their own luggage at all times.

The National Trust is aware that this does have an impact on what groups can bring across to the island and would like to remind you that virtually all of the tents and equipment that you could need can be hired on the island rather than having to bring it across yourselves. We would advise you to make use of this facility.

If you are staying on the island for one night only, then we would advise you to follow option 1, otherwise you will be paying for large rucksacks to travel or arriving on the island late and departing early the following day.

Failure to follow these guidelines could result in the ferry companies refusing to carry your group’s luggage. Remember that they could lose their licences if they break the rules enforced by the MCA.

Examples of pieces of luggage which will be allowed onto all boats with no restrictions (rucksacks up to 30 litres)

(2 per person – one on lap and one under seat)