Mike Leigh’s brilliant 1976 Dorset-based comedy Nuts in May begins with Keith and Candice-Marie taking the chain ferry from Sandbanks across the mouth of Poole harbor to the Isle of Purbeck; they camp here, visit Corfe Castle, walk along the mighty Jurassic coastline. and gets into an argument with a young Brummie couple named Finger and Honky. For me, watching Nuts in May is an annual tradition, as is visiting the peninsula where it was filmed. Most of us have places where we feel a particularly strong attraction; One of mine is Purbeck. And since this peninsula’s recent status as Britain’s first “super” nature reserve, I’m beginning to understand why.
A relatively remote peninsula, Purbeck has seen little major development in the last 70 years despite its location on the south coast. On a human scale, the landscape remains relatively unchanged since Keith and Candice-Marie’s ill-fated camping trip half a century ago. But behind the scenes, years of conservation work from seven organisations, including the National Trust, RSPB, Dorset Wildlife Trust and Natural England, have led to the creation of an almost continuous jigsaw puzzle of restored habitats, making it the UK’s first designated supercentre made it into Nature reserve extending clockwise from Brownsea Island and the Studland peninsula to Arne, further west of Poole harbour.
The removal of fences allowed continuous grazing: pigs, cattle, ponies and donkeys roam the 1,300 hectares; Don’t be surprised to see them lazing around on roads, woodlands and shrubs. This work, combined with Purbeck’s diverse mix of habitats, ranging from limestone cliffs at Durlston and Kimmeridge to downlands, heathland, harbor and beaches, has led to the peninsula being named the most biodiverse area in England. While much conservation work is based on slowing the decline of biodiversity, biodiversity here is actually increasing, according to Peter Robertson, senior field manager at RSPB Arne.
Relating to: Dorset ‘super reserve’ recreates ancient savannah habitat to boost biodiversity
The crowning glory of Purbeck’s biodiversity, and an area often overlooked by visitors, is the northern Arne peninsula, which combines heathlands, ancient forests, secluded beaches, estuaries and the southern reaches of Poole harbour. It is hoped that ospreys and white-tailed eagles will breed here this year. The RSPB reserve is a great place to see wild birds of prey and goshawks, as well as other birds of prey, including herons, spoonbills, terns and ground-nesting reptiles, as well as birds such as nightjars, stonechats, sand lizards and woodbirds. On a warm late spring or summer evening, the churning of nightmares is a common sound; Encountering these prehistoric-looking birds provides a fascinating experience. A good place to see them is Hyde’s Heath at dusk. At Coombe Heath, a different part of the reserve, walkers can enjoy beautiful views of osprey feeding stations at the edge of the estuary, where a modest-sized pond is home to wasps and raft spiders.
Purbeck marks the end (or start) of the South West Coast Path and contains two remarkable chalk sea stacks: Old Harry Rocks and the natural arch of Durdle Gate. Inland, all roads lead to Corfe Castle. The iconic 11th-century ruin sits atop a steep hill between two high slopes. Often busy with traffic and people, Corfe is home to a model village, an excellent ice cream parlor and one of the four stations of Purbeck’s steam train from Swanage to Norden. The Scott Arms in Kingston is a huge stone-built inn overlooking heathland and Corfe Castle, with a beer garden serving hearty pub fare, and on weekends from Easter to September, seasonal Jamaican chefs host JerkShak in the garden serving delicious rotisserie chicken. opens. callaloo and ackee and saltfish.
Purbeck’s only serious rival for the title of “best all-round pub” is the 18th-century Square & Compass in Worth Matravers. What this brasserie lacks as a bar – there’s just a small hatch to collect drinks – it makes up for with its enviable location. The main room with open fireplace offers sea views and sunsets, award-winning beers and ciders and regular community sessions.
Late on a warm evening, the sound of nightmares is a common sound, and encountering these prehistoric-looking birds makes for a fascinating experience.
At the far end of Square and Compass is a fossil museum with cabinets containing shark remains, crocodile teeth, ammonites and dinosaur feces. The museum reminds us that Purbeck, part of the Jurassic Coast, is rich in prehistoric discoveries and fossils: an impressive array of dinosaur footprints can be found at Kearnes Quarry, just off Priest’s Way and Spyway near Acton. But the most comprehensive array of fossils from the entire Jurassic Coast is at the Etches Museum in the village of Kimmeridge, which gained national fame in 2022 with the discovery of a pliosaur skull protruding from the side of a sheer cliff. The story of his discovery, David Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster, It helped put the museum on the map. Artfully displayed is a mix of donations and fossil expert Steve Etches’ 40-year-old collection, which includes the world’s first ammonite eggs, a pterosaur skull, and the world’s largest Cimmerosaurus remains.
I spend most of my Purbeck evenings at the Bankes Arms in Studland, the Kings Arms in Langton Matravers or the Square & Compass, watching the sun set over the Jurassic Coast with a pint of Otter Head, a pasty and casually engaging in conversation. Tiny Tim, Cathar heathens and outsiders on how best to grow artichokes. But during the day I walk through heaths, moors, cliffs and woodlands; I walk not only for the scenery, but also for the wildlife, as a bird enthusiast. I follow the stunning coastal cliffs west of Durlston country park, then east to Dancing Ledge, where a small population of breeding puffins can still be found, as I have the chance to spot bottlenose dolphins, fulmars, razorbills, guillemots and orchid rugs.
I keep my eyes peeled for reptiles at Studland Dunes and the neighboring bush from South Beach to Knoll Beach. All six of our native species, including the sand lizard and rare smooth snake, can also be found here, as can Dartford warblers, flycatchers and mining wasps.
“My job is to protect life in our countryside and our heritage,” Keith cries near the end of Nuts in May as he tries to stop ignorant teenager Finger from lighting a fire where he shouldn’t. Part of the “weird” nature of Roger Sloman and Alison Steadman’s comic book characters in 1976 was that they were environmentalists and vegetarians who refused to eat factory-farmed eggs. Today, these are qualities and lifestyle choices that many of us have come to respect.
Insects, birds, reptiles and flora are becoming more abundant in Purbeck, thanks to decades of work by conservationists, the RSPB, wildlife charities, conservationists and reptile trusts whose daily work is to protect country life and our heritage. Reason enough to fall in love with this beautiful corner of Dorset. That and a pint of Otter Head.