Challow Hill is right on the southern border of our Poole Harbour boundary and is situated just east of Corfe Castle. With a small Dorset County Council car park located at the base of the hill along Sandy Hill Lane, Challow Hill offers a breathtaking (and breathless) walk up to one of the best views across the Poole Harbour basin.

During spring and summer, the luxurious song of Yellowhammer and Blackcap ring out in tandem with the bells of nearby Corfe church. Passage migrants in spring and autumn, having freshly arrived in the area, make their way along the ridge towards Nine Barrow Down, or out through the Corfe Gap. Continue along the path east at the top of Challow Hill which will eventually lead you to Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, but the main bulk of scrub on the edge of the hill is where much of the interest lies.

Whinchat, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and occasionally singing Grasshopper Warbler all pass through in the spring with Garden Warbler, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Yellow Wagtail being welcome additions during the autumn. Resident birds include Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit and Yellowhammer.

Birding Info

Challow hill is most productive in spring and autumn with Dartford Warbler, Yellowhammer and Whitethroat all breeding in good numbers along the path. In autumn and spring the ridge leading to Challow Hill funnels migrant birds in to the scrub along the path and species such as Willow Warbler, Redstart, Blackcap and Garden Warbler can be seen, especially in autumn. The view from the top of the ridge is incredible and offers excellent sky watching opportunities where species such as Red Kite, Osprey, Hobby and even Honey Buzzard should be looked for during peak migration times. Visible migration can be strong through the Corfe Gap and an early morning visit in October could reward you with a good variety of finches, thrush’s, pipit’s and wagtails flying over.

Facilities

There are no facilities at Challow Hill, but you can find public toilets and a small coffee shop situated within the National Trust car park at Corfe Castle. The walk up Challow Hill is a steady but steep incline but the views when you reach the top are stunning. This path is really popular with cyclists as it will lead you all the way east across the top of Nine Barrow Down and eventually to Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks.

Parking

BH20 5JF but spaces are limited so arrive early to obtain a parking space. If this car park is full then you can park at the main National Trust pay and display car park at Corfe Castle where NT members park for free. Its then only a short 5-10 minute walk to the base of Challow hill.

Spring

Ring Ouzel, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Stonechat, Blackcap, Dartford Warbler, Yellowhammer, Willow Warbler, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Whitethroat

Summer

Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Blackcap, Dartford Warbler, Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff.

Autumn

Yellow Wagtail, Redstart, Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Redwing, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Meadow Pipits, Swallow, House Martin, Kestrel.

Winter

Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Dartford Warbler, Redwing, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Merlin, Raven, Linnet.

This secret corner of Poole Harbour is well worth a visit for its tranquillity as well as its bird life. The valley, nestled just to the north of Corfe Castle, leads down to Middlebere acting as a flyway for migrant birds entering and leaving the harbour.

With dense woodland cover at the source then opening up to grazed floodplain followed by reedbed towards the mouth at Middlebere, the valley offers a great mixture of habitats to explore. In spring and summer, the songs of common resident and summer migrants provide a stunning audial experience with Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Song Thrush filling the airwaves, whilst in autumn passage migrants including Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler use the valley as a refuelling station.

The Corfe Gap is a natural funnel for migrating birds with waders such as Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel using the valley to make their way in and out of the harbour and on one occasion a Long-tailed Skua was observed following the river valley heading towards the Corfe Gap and in 2008 a Lesser Grey Shrike was found. Several access points with footpaths can be found at various spots along the valley, with one beginning in the National Trust car park at Corfe Castle, heading north over the railway track.

Birding Info

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit the river valley with migrant species such as warblers, chats, flycatchers and thrush’s using the valley as a migration corridor. In summer Hobby hunt for insects around the valley and on Hartland which boarders the valley to the west. Summer breeding birds include Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher and in the evenings Nightjar leave the heathlands to feed along the river valley. In 2008 a Lesser Grey Shrike was found here too indicating its potential to host rarities too.

Facilities

There are no facilities in the Corfe River Valley but a café and public toilets can be found in the National Trust care park at Corfe.

Parking

The best access into the Corfe River Valley is to park at the main National Trust car park at Corfe Castle, BH20 5JF or at the Norden park and ride at BH20 5DW. Footpaths are then signposted down the valley which cruise along the eastern edge of Hartland Moor.

Spring

Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, Nuthatch

Summer

Common Buzzard, Hobby, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap and Chiffchaff

Autumn

Yellow Wagtail, Redstart, Wheatear, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher

Winter

Redwing, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Bullfinch and Siskin